Google Sites- Outside Reading Assignment

Google Sites- Outside Reading Assignment Overview:

Your outside reading assignment is to take what you are reading and apply it using the literary features in a self- created Google Site. You can work in pairs or in threes but no larger. You are responsible for your work and your partner(s) work, both of you will receive the same grade, so check each other’s work and choose wisely. You will be given a few classes to work on updating your site. I will be checking as well throughout the quarter that the page is being updated. My first “check” will be prior to interims. This date will be announced as the interim approaches. During the last week of the quarter, you will be assigned to a day to discuss your book in person as a group using the Google Sites to drive the discussion. You are to use the pages and information you create to guide and foster the book talk on that day. You can find the rubric for the Google Site and book talk attached. The interim check will count as 20 points and the final site check will count as 40 points. The book talk is an additional 40 points.

Getting started on Google:

Your first step is to create a Google site- only one of you will create this and invite the other partner(s) to collaborate. If you go to the Google homepage and look at the black toolbar at the top, scan for “Sites” (if it is not there, click on “More”, and then look in that toolbar for “Sites”). You may need to login at this point to your Gmail. Choose the red button to create. Name your site with your last name(s) and your book title. You can select a theme and template, but do not waste too much time doing this on your first day. To invite others to collaborate, click on the share button in the upper right hand corner. Then, it will bring you to a screen that says, “Who has access”, add your partner(s) at the bottom and my email [email protected] as well. You can make everyone owners. IF YOU DO NOT “SHARE” THE SITE BY THE INTERIM DUE DATE, YOUR ASSIGNMENT IS LATE.

Getting started on the Sites:

In the upper right hand corner is a new page button. You want to add the following pages and choose to put them all under the “Home” page.

o Home Page (don’t need to add already there)

o Discussion Questions

o Vocabulary

o Literary Excerpts

o Connections

o Relative to Sr. English

Once you decide who is doing what, you can go to the upper right hand corner of the page you would like to work on and click, edit page. The icon looks like a pencil. While editing, you will need to add text, videos, pictures, link to other sites, music, etc. You can use an array of computer application including but not limited to Microsoft Office, iWorks, iLife. In order for you to further elevate your understanding more than just words are needed on each page. Be sure to cite information as needed on each page- full MLA citations are Google Sites- Outside Reading Assignment expected. Edits on each page should stretch the length of the quarter and should be inclusive of the book from start to finish. In other words, it is not acceptable to create and edit just before interim and then one final time before the end of the semester- updates should be on going.

On the home page:

Create a home page for your visitors. You should include the title and author of the book, and other appealing features such as quotes from professional book reviews, author/ cultural background information, topics in the book/ synopsis of the book, media links, etc.

On the discussion page:

Develop higher order thinking questions that focus on the key ideas in the text. The best discussion questions come from your own thoughts, feelings, and concerns as you read. Stay away from creating low level thinking questions (i.e. you can find the answer in the book) rather create questions that require you to use what you know from the book but also draw connections, make inferences, evaluate situations, analyze behaviors/motives, etc. Write/respond to a minimum of fifteen questions.

On the vocabulary page:

Identify words that are unfamiliar AND/OR are integral to understanding the text portion such as a cultural term. Include on this page the location in the book where there word appears, the term and definition, and synonyms/ antonyms that exist in relation to this term. Select a minimum of 10 words. *The amount of words you select should be comparable to the difficulty of the book and the length of the book.

On the literary excerpts page:

Select excerpts that highlight the language and style of writing, identify critical turning points in the book, use of literary techniques, explain the intent of the author, illustrate inferencing, etc. Explain why you chose these portions and how they highlight, identify, use, explain, illustrate, etc... Include a portion of the excerpt and cite the location/speaker/setting of the excerpt in context to the book. Choose a minimum of nine passages.

On the connections page:

Draw connections between what the author has to say and your own experiences as a reader, other texts you have read, or issues that are going on around the world particularly in the setting of your book. This should require you to watch the news or check out websites such as CNN, MSNBC, US News, AP, etc. Make sure your connection is not only relevant but also rigorous enough for an honors 12th grader or adult. Identify the connections as text-2-text, text-2-self, or text-2-world; explain the any necessary background information of your connection and its link to the book. Select at least 5 connections. Your connections should be diverse and balanced.

On the relative to Sr. English page: In prose, evaluate the relation of your book to Sr. English. You should consider the essential question, the unit topics past, present, and future, other literature circle books, and summer reading books. Your response should be approximately one page long in Word. Google Sites- Outside Reading Assignment