Independent+Book+Project


 * Academic English 7 Independent Novel-Based Writing Assignment **

Once each marking period, you will submit a written piece based on a novel you have chosen and read outside of English or Reading class. The book must be **fiction**, must have between **90 and 250 pages**, and should be targeted at an audience of junior high level or above (no Junie B. or Wimpy Kid). This project has three primary objectives: After reading your book, choose one of these options for completing the assignment: 1) Pretend that a character from your book is a real person appearing on a talk show. In a full paragraph (of at least five sentences), the host must introduce the guest and provide background information. The rest of the interview should be written as dialogue, but it should be written in complete sentences. The interviewer should allow the guest to explain what he or she experienced and how he or she was affected by the experience. For format, __ask to see my sample__. Minimum length: Intro plus three questions and three responses of at least four sentences each. 2) Write an informative essay comparing someone or something in the book to real life. Tell how a character is like you or someone you know well, or tell how a situation in the novel is like a real-life situation you know. In your first paragraph, name your book and briefly introduce who or what you’ll be comparing. Each body paragraph must provide detail from the book that explains the similarity. Minimum length: four full paragraphs. 3) Write a plot summary and three poems in response to your book. The plot summary must briefly retell the story including the main conflict and how it is resolved; it should be between five and twelve sentences. Your first poem must be a BioPoem about the main character; the other two poems must have at least eight lines (each line must have no fewer than six words) and must focus on a particular story element (character, plot, setting, or theme).  Follow our standard guidelines for submitting a final copy: black or dark blue ink, one-sided, one-inch margins. Projects may be typed using an easy-to-read, regular font such as Times or Arial, **no smaller than 12-point** with spacing set at 1.5. You must complete the top part of the **scoring rubric** and turn it in with your project on or before the due date.
 * ** Quality of writing ** – I expect writing that includes all the essential elements, that demonstrates a good grasp of grammar topics covered in class, and that maintains proper, formal tone. Sentences must be complete, and paragraphs should be well-developed, containing no fewer than five sentences.
 * ** Quality of content ** – You must use substantial detail from the book to support your ideas and demonstrate an understanding of the book you read. The ideas must be your own; you are not to be searching the internet for what others have said about your book.
 * ** Independence ** – This project is done primarily outside of class and provides you with opportunities to make decisions on your own. You are responsible for monitoring your own progress and making sure that deadlines are met.