All Your Pretty Presentations

Fall Thematic PRESENTATIONS: 10% of Fall Semester Exam Grade (and IB oral presentation)

The plan:  Choose your work: The Things They Carried, Frankenstein, or Into the Wild.  Sign up for a presentation date.  Review the rubric.  The presentations will be ongoing throughout the semester. PREPARING FOR THE PRESENTATION:  Read “Playing Twenty Questions with Literature.”  Create 5 close reading questions, appropriate to your topic and your text, modeling The Things They Carried close reading questions. Look back at “20 Questions” for ideas.  Answer these questions by creating two bullet-point lists. These questions do not necessarily have to be explicitly answered during your presentation. Your presentation may suggest an answer. For example, if you create and share a new chapter, you may be suggesting an answer regarding theme, plot, or archetypes that is in your writing. These questions and answers are meant to generate a closer understanding of the work.  Develop a thematic statement that demonstrates your understanding of the text.  Type the 5 questions, bullet-pointed answers, and thematic statement. Submit to turnitin.com BY 9 pm THE NIGHT BEFORE YOUR PRESENTATION.  Decide on presentation method. Suggestions: Introduce and analyze Present an analysis of a Write a chapter or Write a piece of Become a character in a chapter. Aim to teach passage. Aim to teach poem in the style of the original writing in from the book. Write a the class something the class something author. Explain the response to the text. dramatic monologue. new. new. process. Explain the process. Perform it. Costumes and props would be useful. Create a painting or a Present a verbal Prepare and present a Lead a class discussion Add a chapter, collage of images or collage or striking series of visual about a topic related to prologue or epilogue to symbols from the book. sentences or images responses to a text. your book. Aim to a text. Explain the Describe the art and from a work. Perhaps Explain your choices. teach the class process and critique explain your choices. your own sentences. something new. your writing. (Medium can vary). Explain your choices. Write music and or Compare and contrast Create a meal that Come up with your Come up with your lyrics to reflect a text. passages from two corresponds to the own original idea. own original idea. Perform the piece and works. Aim to teach work. Explain your Share with your Share with your explain the process. the class something choices. teacher. teacher. new.  EMAIL YOUR ENGLISH TEACHER YOUR PRESENATION PROPOSAL A WEEK BEFORE YOUR PRESENTATION. Proposals should include: the work or works that you will be focusing upon, the presentation method, the specific ideas and concepts that you will be discussing. For example, “I’m planning on completing my presentation on The Things They Carried. I am going to create a collage of all of the symbolic and tangible items that the men carry with them throughout the book. I would like to focus on the idea of heavy and light items, so I plan on using the space on the canvas to emphasize what is weightless and intense. I will also use color and the absence of color like Jimmy Cross’s pebble. Does this idea sound good?” If you are stuck, please make sure to plan a conference with your teacher a week or two before the presentation. Poor planning or procrastination on your part will not result in a changed presentation date.

 The day of the presentation:  Be sure to have any props, costumes, handouts, annotations, or artwork with you. You may drop off anything in your teacher’s classroom in the morning.  Aim to present for 10-15 minutes.  Your teacher and classmates will ask you questions. Be prepared to answer them.  Know that you must ask a minimum of 3 questions or participate a minimum of 3 times throughout the semester as a presentation observer. (one daily grade each 6 weeks)

Checklist for presentation:  5 close reading questions submitted to turnitin.com (due night before presentation)  5 bulleted answers submitted to turnitin.com (due night before presentation)  1 thematic statement submitted to turnit.com (due night before presentation)  1 proposal emailed to your English teacher. (due one week before presentation)  Materials specific to your presentation (due the beginning of class on the day of presentation)

Commonly asked questions and answers: 1. Why do we have to do this? The aim of this presentation is to share your understanding and knowledge of the work(s). We are also encouraging you to develop your speaking and listening skills. 2. What book should I choose? Choose the one that interests you the most. Choose the one that highlights your reading skills. 3. What presentation method should I choose? We want you to create a presentation that is interesting to you. Be creative. 4. Can I work with a partner? You may elicit the help or participation of others in your class, but this is an individual grade. For example, if you are acting as a character and need a scene partner, you may have one, but he or she will only receive participation credit. 5. What should I do when my classmates are presenting? You should be listening and engaged in the activity. Be supportive and kind. You must either ask a question or actively participate in someone else’s presentation 3 times for a grade. 6. How will this be graded? See the rubric. IB, this is an internal assessment that is worth 15% of your IB English score. AP and AP/IB, this will count as 10% of your Fall Midterm grade. 7. What if I’m in IB English? If you are in IB, you must complete the thematic presentation, not a non-fiction presentation. This counts as part of your IB score.