Reading Project Options

This year, you will complete four reading projects, one each quarter, on the books we read for our Novel Study units. If you complete ten projects, you can receive a Varsity Letter in Reading! If you would like to do something that is not listed here, please let Mrs. Williams know. Alternate projects must be approved in advance.

Written Projects: These must be 1-3 pages typed and double-spaced.

1. Write a feature news article based on one of the incidents in the book. This must include a headline, article, and supporting pictures or illustrations. (Pictures do not count as part of the length requirement.) 2. Write an epilogue, new ending, or sequel to the book. 3. Write a letter to the main character asking questions or providing suggestions for resolving a conflict in the story. 4. Pretend you are going to bring one of the characters home with you for a visit. Write a letter to your parents explaining why you are bringing them home and what they can expect from the character. 5. Write a series of diary or journal entries as the main character. 6. Write a letter to the author telling your feelings about the story or asking questions that you might have. (You could even submit it to the author!) 7. View a movie version of the book and write a paper comparing/contrasting the movie with the book. Focus on decisions made by the filmmakers to make changes to the plot, setting, or characters. 8. Rewrite a scene or write a short story from a different point of view retelling the story (or part of it) as another character might have. 9. Write a parody of the book. (This is a humorous imitation.) An example would be Hamlet as “Omelet” or Lord of the Flies as “Bored of the Flies.” 10. Write an obituary or eulogy for any character using information from the book. 11. Write three poems in response to the novel. The poems can be about the characters, where the book took place, or the themes in the book. 12. Select a character and figure out what 2 or 3 things you believe your character most needs or wants. Draw or cut out pictures to represent these “gifts,” and write a letter to the character explaining why you picked these things out for him or her. 13. Radio Exchange: Choose a character. Your character calls into a radio show for advice. Choose the show your character would call, and then create the conversation he or she would have with the radio show host. 14. Fifteen words: Think of 15 words that are essential to the understanding of the book. Explain why you picked the words you did and how you would define them in terms of the story (take about 2-3 sentences to explain the importance of each word). 15. Awards: Create an award for each of the main characters based on their actions in the novel (choose at least 4). One might be awarded “most courageous” for fighting peer pressure, another might be awarded “wisest” for the guidance he or she has given other characters. For each award, write a paragraph that explains why this character deserves this award. These should be character traits, not physical traits. 16. Music: After reading a novel, figure out how you would divide up the book into sections. Then select a piece of appropriate music that you think captures the feel or tone of each section. Explain what is happening in the novel during each piece of music and why you felt this piece of music fit the section of the novel. Make a playlist of 7-10 musical selections (in an appropriate order) with your explanations, giving the title and artist of each selection.

Visual Projects: These projects will be presented to the class as part of the grade. Be able to explain all the elements you include in your project. The title and author must be visible on the project.

17. Rewrite the story as a picture book for younger students. 18. Create your own book cover (not copying the current one) for the book including illustrations and blurbs about the author and the book. This must include a short summary of the book (in your own words). Look at a variety of book covers for ideas. 19. Make a poster advertising the book. Make sure you included the author and title, as well as anything else you think is important. 20. Make a mobile showing pictures and symbols of the characters and events in the book. 21. Make a t-shirt of an illustration about the book. Include the title and author of the book somewhere on the shirt. 22. Create a cartoon illustration of the book or a series of the incidents. 23. Create a homepage. Select 3 characters and design a homepage for each of them, picking out appropriate backgrounds and pictures and then creating information that would tell a viewer about your character. Also, create links to at least 5 different sites that you think your character would be interested in. Then write and post an explanation of your decisions for the page.

24. Create facebook pages. Select 3 characters and create facebook pages for each of them. Pick appropriate pictures for their profile picture as well as pictures to depict events in the story. Have the characters post at least 5 status updates each and at least 5 posts each on the other 2 characters’ pages. 25. Scrapbook: Think about all the kinds of mementos you would put in a scrapbook. Create a scrapbook for a character in the book, cutting out pictures from magazines or drawing the mementos he or she would include in a scrapbook. Think about who and what is important to your character.

Performance Projects: These projects will be performed for the class. Plan and rehearse your performance ahead of time. Be able to answer questions about your book and your performance.

26. Write and perform a TV commercial for your book as either a direct sales pitch or as a preview for the book as a movie or mini-series. 27. Dress up as one of the characters and tell the story from the first person point of view. 28. Write a script and perform a reading/dramatization of a scene from the book. 29. Perform a dramatic reading of a scene using appropriate music as a supporting background effect. 30. Book Talk and File Card: Give a 2-3 minute “Book Talk” on your book, giving information about the characters and background of the story without giving away what happens in the story or the ending. Your goal is to convince your classmates to read the book. A File Card written on an index card must accompany your Book Talk in the following format: