Introduction
For our last Literature Circle project, you will work in a cooperative group to develop a creative presentation in which various characters we have met this year have an opportunity to "come to life" and interact with one another. The project will integrate your creativity, speaking skills and understanding of the literature. Characters and discussion topics will be taken from the books we read in our Literature Circles: One Flew Over the Cuckoo' s Nest, The Help,, The Pursuit of Happyness, and The Things They Carried.
The Character Get-Together will also serve as the basis for the Character Essay, Part 2 of the English final exam. See the "Final Exam" page under "English 101" tab.
The Character Get-Together will also serve as the basis for the Character Essay, Part 2 of the English final exam. See the "Final Exam" page under "English 101" tab.
- Form a 4 or 5 member cooperative discussion group.
- As a group, select a discussion assignment from the choices provided.
- Submit your group members, characters, and topic choices to the ANGEL dropbox.
- Each group member selects a particular character to "become."
- In a collaborative group effort, review each work in your group's topic area to see how it fits the assignment discussing each character in depth to determine what the view of each would be on the issue in question and what specific events from the book support those views. Whenever possible, use the words of the character. Combine all the information into a format that will hold the attention of the entire class.
- Determine the format or context of your group's get-together. The format may be a discussion, interview, talk show, point/counterpoint debate, dinner party, chance meeting, or a format of your group's own choosing. Whatever the format, your discussion should have a distinct setting with a clear purpose and your presentation should have a distinct beginning, middle, and ending.
- The more you "get into" the mind of your character, the better and more believable the presentation will be.
- Your presentation should be between 10-15 minutes in length.
- Each group must submit one copy of their script to the ANGEL dropbox on the day of their presentation.
Evaluation
The Character Get-Together will be scored out of 200 points and will count as part of your Literature Circle grade.
You will be evaluated individually in the following areas:
- Validity of content (25%) - characters should say only what would seem logical given our knowledge of them through our reading and discussion of the books.
- Creativity and originality (15%) - feel free to use props, costumes, visual aids, and the like which are appropriate to the characters.
- Depth of topic discussion (20%) - Each student's contribution should demonstrate a thorough understanding of the character
focus on the topic and again should demonstrate a thorough understanding of the topic and its application to the books.
- Preparation (15%) - It should be obvious from the presentation that the group has rehearsed their discussion. This is not an
should not "read" their discussion. The presentation should have a clear and purposeful beginning, middle, and ending.
- Vocal and physical delivery (15%) - Effective use of volume, articulation, rate, eye contact, focus, and posture are expected.
- Length (5%) - 1% (up to 5%) will be deducted for every 30 seconds, or fraction thereof, under or over the 10-15 minute required time.
- Script (5%) - a thoroughly prepared copy of the script is submitted prior to the discussion.
Discussion Groups / Topics
1. Courage
Participants: Choose a character from each of the four novels we read: The Pursuit of Happyness, The
Help, One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Things They Carried
Topic: How do you define courage and how have you demonstrated it in your life?
2. Physical and Emotional Burdens
Participants: Choose a character from each of the four novels we read: The Pursuit of Happyness, The Help, One Flew over the
Cuckoo's Nest, The Things They Carried.
Topic: What emotional and/or physical burdens have you carried in your life, and how have they impacted you?
3. Cruelty
Participants: Choose a character from each of the four novels we read: The Pursuit of Happyness, The Help, One Flew over the
Cuckoo's Nest, The Things They Carried.
Topic: How have you experienced cruelty in your life, and how have your responded to it?
4. True Happiness
Participants: Choose a character from at least three of novels we read: The Pursuit of Happyness, The Help, One Flew over the
Cuckoo's Nest, The Things They Carried.
Topic: How do you define true happiness, and how have you been able to achieve (or not achieve) it in your life?
5. Environment
Participants: Choose a character from at least three of the novels we read: The Pursuit of Happyness, The Help, One Flew over
the Cuckoo's Nest, The Things They Carried.
Topic: How has your environment - time, place, circumstances - shaped your experience?
6. Justice and Injustice
Participants: Choose a character from at least three of the novels we read: The Pursuit of Happyness, The Help, One Flew over
the Cuckoo's Nest, The Things They Carried.
Topic: How have you received justice and/or experienced injustice, and how have you responded to it?
7. Group Choice
Participants: Choose a character from at least three of the novels we read: The Pursuit of Happyness, The Help, One Flew over
the Cuckoo's Nest, The Things They Carried.
Topic: Created by group members with instructor approval.
Participants: Choose a character from each of the four novels we read: The Pursuit of Happyness, The
Help, One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Things They Carried
Topic: How do you define courage and how have you demonstrated it in your life?
2. Physical and Emotional Burdens
Participants: Choose a character from each of the four novels we read: The Pursuit of Happyness, The Help, One Flew over the
Cuckoo's Nest, The Things They Carried.
Topic: What emotional and/or physical burdens have you carried in your life, and how have they impacted you?
3. Cruelty
Participants: Choose a character from each of the four novels we read: The Pursuit of Happyness, The Help, One Flew over the
Cuckoo's Nest, The Things They Carried.
Topic: How have you experienced cruelty in your life, and how have your responded to it?
4. True Happiness
Participants: Choose a character from at least three of novels we read: The Pursuit of Happyness, The Help, One Flew over the
Cuckoo's Nest, The Things They Carried.
Topic: How do you define true happiness, and how have you been able to achieve (or not achieve) it in your life?
5. Environment
Participants: Choose a character from at least three of the novels we read: The Pursuit of Happyness, The Help, One Flew over
the Cuckoo's Nest, The Things They Carried.
Topic: How has your environment - time, place, circumstances - shaped your experience?
6. Justice and Injustice
Participants: Choose a character from at least three of the novels we read: The Pursuit of Happyness, The Help, One Flew over
the Cuckoo's Nest, The Things They Carried.
Topic: How have you received justice and/or experienced injustice, and how have you responded to it?
7. Group Choice
Participants: Choose a character from at least three of the novels we read: The Pursuit of Happyness, The Help, One Flew over
the Cuckoo's Nest, The Things They Carried.
Topic: Created by group members with instructor approval.
Character Get-Together Rubric | |
File Size: | 55 kb |
File Type: | doc |