Extra Credit Reading Assignment  - Due June 4, 2015

Procedures: Read the following directions

1. Select a novel from the Philadelphia Free Library – fiction only (no biography, autobiography or other non-fiction).

2. The book’s call number must start with either F or FIC.

3. Read entire novel, and keep a reading log (see below). 


4. Do all writing assignments and turn them in together.

5. Extra help sessions are held Monday through Wednesday from 3:10-3:30 in room 247.


Written Section: Due June 4, 2015
All of the following sections are due together.

This assignment must be either hand written on loose-leaf paper (not paper torn out of a notebook) or typed on plain white paper. Assignments turned in on notebook paper will receive half credit.


Section 1: A description of the novel (30 points), including:

a. The novel’s title (underlined)

b. Author’s name

c. A description of the novel’s setting (location and time period)

d. A description of the novel’s main character or characters

e. A description of the novel’s main conflict or struggle (what goal is the main character after?

This section must have the title, Novel Description, and the date at the top of the first page.



Section 2: Reading Log (70 points) - a minimum of five entries, each being 100-150 words, usually one to one and a half handwritten pages each.

A reading log is a student’s record of his or her reactions, opinions, observations, and responses to the material he or she is reading.

This section must have the title, Reading Log, and the date at the top of the first page.




Section 3: (100 points) One of the following five assignments, 500 – 800 words, usually 3 to 6 handwritten pages.

This section must have the title of your chosen assignment and the date at the top of the first page.


REMEMBER, YOU ONLY HAVE TO DO ONE OF THE FOLLOWING SIX ASSIGNMENT IDEAS:


A. Yearbook Entries – Imagine what three or four characters from your novel were like in high school. Cut out a picture of a person from a magazine to represent each character. Mount one picture per page and under each picture place the following information which you will create: nickname of character; activities, clubs, sports they were in and what years; class mock award such as “class clown”; quotation that shows something about the person and what is important to him or her; favorites such as colors and foods; a book that has had a great impact on him or her; voted “most likely to” what?; plans after high school.




B. Media Library – Select a character and then choose five books for him or her, thinking about what he or she might like and also what you think they need to know more about. Scan library shelves, the internet, or use the library’s computer card catalog. Why did you select the nonfiction books you did? What do you hope your character will like about or get out of the fiction? Design a CD collection for the character, including at least 10 Cd’s. Be sure that the collection includes music that expresses as many aspects of the character as you are aware of. Pick five movies you would recommend that your character see. Give a brief summary of each movie and explain why your character should see it.




C. Scrap Book – Think about all the kinds of mementos (objects or images related to memories) you would put in a scrap book if you had one. Then create a scrap book for your main character, cutting out pictures from magazines or drawing the mementos he or she would like to have in a scrap book. Be sure to include images that relate to important events in the novel, and include written descriptions of these events.




D. Character Monologues – Select an event in the story that characters have different views on. Then write up two or three characters’ opinions on the same event in the form of a monologue (one person talking to him or herself).
Then select a character in the story whom other characters have different views about. Then write up two or three characters’ opinions about this character.




E. Name Analysis – Select a few of the characters from the novel. Look up each of their names in a name book or on the internet to see what the name means. Write all the meanings down and then write a short essay for each character explaining in what ways the name is suitable and in what ways the name does not fit the character.