November 2

We have started our next short story, The Scarlet Ibis, and all students are currently working on a number of in-class assignments.  There will be no blog response required for this story.  The final assignment:  Students have been asked to produce a poster highlighting  3 of the literary elements and 2 of the literary devices used in this story (i.e - setting, point of view, theme, symbolism, and foreshadowing).  Students have been shown several examples of a finished poster and have been given written directions for this assignment.  Students will be given time to work on their posters in class.  There will be no homework for this story unless students do not use their class time effectively!

Reader's Theater:  All students are required to present a reader's theater presentation for the short story, "They're Made Out of Meat!"  All student presentations are being videotaped and will be available for viewing during student led conferences later this month.  

Book Project - Due no later than December 1, 2009.  The directions are shown below.
                              The Book Project

The book project is your response to one of the books that you have chosen to read.  
I must approve your book choice before you begin!  Your first book project is due no 
later than December 1, 2009.  Please remember, however, that you must schedule a 
time to present your book talk and, obviously, everyone can't do it on the same day!  
The sooner you finish the better! 

How to Create a Book Project 

The Outside:
Choose any container for your book project.  You may do a folder, or you may choose 
any other container that suits your needs. (ie. manilla envelope, paper bag, plastic bag, 
can with a cover, box, or any other container that you can imagine.  Be creative!) 
Decorate the container with details appropriate to the book or container's contents. 
(20 marks)

The Inside: 
The inside of the container should include the following materials and activities 
pertaining to the book. 

1. Questions - Write 10 questions that could be answered by reading the book that 
you have chosen to read.  Five of the questions should be easier questions with answers 
that are obvious simply by reading the book.  Five of the questions should be harder 
questions with answers that require more thinking, interpretation, and or combining of 
information from the book (inferences).  (20 marks)

2. Vocabulary – Complete a “Three-Point Approach” for ten unfamiliar words from 
the book you have chosen to read. (These are available in the Literature Sorter in the 
classroom – ask me to show you where they are! or….design your own “three-point 
approach” in a some fashion!) 
(20 marks) 

3. Items - Five items that depict the story in some way.  These items may be actual 
items or student created facsimiles such as an original game using facts or information 
from your book, or some other creative option that you would like to do. Think carefully 
about the items you would like to use or what student created facsimiles you might 
like to produce.  After you have an idea of what you are going to include, you must 
meet with me first to explain your choices and how they relate to the book you have 
read.  You must have my approval before including these items in your Book Project.  
(20 marks)

4.  Present a Book Talk – When you have finished the book and your book project 
you are to present an oral presentation to your peers by means of a book talk.  
In a book talk, the speaker talks about the book or gives a brief summary, reads a short 
passage, dresses like one of the characters, talks and/or acts like one of the characters, 
and answers questions about the book.  The goal of your book talk is convince others to 
read the book.  Book talks don’t have to be boring!  You might like to use technology to 
help you make it more interesting by videotaping your book talk or by making a 
Powerpoint presentation to use as a visual aid.  Posters or other types of visual aids are 
also helpful.  Be creative and see what you can come up with!  Book Talks should take 
between 5 -10 minutes to complete.   Let me know when you are ready to present so 
we can schedule your presentation time!  (20 marks)