Freshman Literature
The Stockbridge Review
The Stockbridge Review is a student led project where students pick their own novel to read and create their own website focused on reviewing/creating content for that novel. The top sites for the novels read can be found at the link to the right. The assignment details and instructions are below. Students can begin working on the project at any point in the semester but we reserve the last few weeks of the semester to focus exclusively on the project.
Assignment Directions
Step One
NOTE: Go to google classroom page for the project for Fall 2017
Pick a novel and decide if you are working in a group or individually.
Picking a novel:
You should consider two main things when picking the novel you want to read.
FIRST, make sure you read the back, inside cover, or click the pictures of the novels at the link below to get an idea of what the novel is about and if it INTERESTS you, which is really the most important thing.
SECOND, read the first couple of paragraphs on the first page and make sure not only the writing style of the author interests you but that the book is at or just above your reading level (you should have an idea at this point in the semester of your reading speed and vocabulary level). DO NOT JUST PICK A NOVEL BECAUSE YOUR FRIENDS WANT TO READ IT.
We have some novels available here at the school but other options (if you choose to read it) you will have to purchase on your own.
If you choose to work in a group the maximum number of people that can work together is 5.
Novel Choices
The novels below are available to pick. If there is another novel you really want to read (not just because it's "easy") we need to approve it first. Click the pictures of the novel to find out more about that book. For the novels we have available, we have five novels available per class. If those five get picked then if you want to read that novel you will need to purchase it.
Step Two
If you are doing the project individually, you need to look over the requirements on the individual project link. If you are doing the project as a group (two-five people) you need to decide who will be fullfilling what "role" for the project. Each person needs to make a page on the website. There are five roles total:
1. Question Master: This person will be in charge of monitoring discussion posts for the group. You will need to write an open-ended question for discussion and reply to at least two group members per each section of reading. Write chapter or chunk summaries of the book—there should be a minimum of 3 chunk summaries—that cover the contents of the plot. Ideally, you would write the summary first so you are prepared to write a good open-ended question for discussion that week.
2. Book Reviewer: This person will need to write a one-page book review for the blog. The review needs to be a page in length and also give the book a letter grade from A-F. The book review needs to clearly argue why it is given the grade it is giving citing evidence in the story. The book reviewer also needs to find at least one critical essay commenting on one topic in the book and write either a negative or positive response to it.
The book reviewer is also responsible for creating a page about the author, their life and other works. The book review should follow the information about the author.
3. Character Analyzer: This person will create a page where they will write a character analysis essay for a central character in the story after completing the reading. Alternatively, the character analyzer can write 1-2 paragraphs analyzing each of the major characters in the novel.
4. Literary Luminary: This person will pick out a scene a passage or large quotation that stood out from the week’s reading, create a page for discussing the significance of the chosen piece, and why it is important to the reader because of how it connects to something they have read, seen or witnessed in life. They should also discuss what effect it has on the tone or style of that section of reading.
5. Graphic Designer: This person will need to include one to two pictures per page as well as a trailer (like a movie trailer) for the book. Your group will need to make time either in class or outside of class to film the trailer on a phone and post it to youtube. Put a link to the trailer on a page of the blog. If you do not want to do a trailer you can also make a powtoon.com or xtranormal.com cartoon.
Each person will create and maintain a page on the website but everyone needs to post on the blog and respond to another group member once per week.
PLEASE PUT YOUR LAST NAMES ON YOUR POSTS TO RECEIVE CREDIT (ie. Mr. Smith Ms. Smith).
Step Three
Next you need to actually set up your website. I will do a tutorial in class on how to use wix but there is also a tutorial video below in case you are absent. Get creative with how you set up your page. I would recommend starting with a blank template so you can make your site however you want. Try to think of a creative way to present your discussion on the novel and the other sections of your website.
Step Four
Add up the number of pages in your novel and divide by four. That is the number of pages you need to read per week assuming that you did not start reading your novel before we began working on the project in class.
Make sure you keep up with the reading because you are responsible for posting and responding to another group member once per week (discussion master is more).
Keep in mind you will need to work on the project and read some outside of class to stay on track.
Now it is up to you! Remember the project is worth four test grades. Monitor you time, get the book read, be creative, and have fun!
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take
--Mr. Osborn (Wayne Gretsky)
