The Exceedingly Awesome Novel Project

The Exceedingly Awesome Novel Project

“Mrs. Thompson, why do we have to do group work?”

I’m glad you asked. Students often complain about group work but a clear and structured assignment allows students and instructors to take advantage of the computer classroom's unique capabilities. Class presentations encourage student participation and investment in course material; thus they make for a more intimate learning environment and more exciting class time. Student presentations dissolve the traditional, polarized instructor/class dialectic to allow class members to learn from one another and about one another. In addition, this assignment emphasizes the importance of confident and successful presentations to the majority of students' career choices, since oral presentation is a great skill that will be used life-long. This assignment grounds the importance of the group presentation to the students as individuals and as a class.

“Okay, so, what do you want us to do? Like, just tell about the novel?”

In a sense, you will tell about the novel. You will be presenting the novel in a thorough and meaningful manner, hitting on obvious topics, such as plot, setting, characters, climax and theme. In addition to that, you will present the following.
· Textual analysis, which is fairly open. You are largely free to pursue your own interests as long as presentations are grounded in a meaningful discussion of the relevant text.
· Historical, social or personal themes, as long as they advances your audience's knowledge of the novel in question [or] what literary critics have to say about the book and offer up these critiques for class discussion.
· Character analysis. Explain your main character and important minor characters to your audience.
· The relationship of one of the themes of your novel to our essential question, “What does it mean to live a worthy life?”

Don’t you just LOVE it when you get to be the teacher?

“So, should we do, like, a book talk?”

Yes, yes, but SO much more!! Because we are lucky enough to have five computers in the classroom, you may do this in a PowerPoint, you may work with your group in designing a website, or another form of presentation that will incorporate technology.

“Is that it? Seems kind of easy for Honors kids! We are SO going to ace this class! I can handle this and Quanbeck, no problem!”

Well, true, you can, with time management, attentiveness to task, and seriousness of purpose. Oh, and a healthy sense of humor!! You will also be responsible for four activities that correspond to your novel. You may create worksheets, quizzes, discussion groups, as long as it solidifies the points you made in your presentations, and your creative heart is kept happy.
I know it will be a good deal of work, but it will also be great fun.