Independent Novel Study
| Site: | Cowichan Valley School District - Moodle |
| Course: | ELA11, CSS, Cizeron |
| Book: | Independent Novel Study |
| Printed by: | Guest user |
| Date: | Sunday, 19 May 2024, 7:07 AM |
Independent Novel Study
The purpose of an individual novel study is to read a novel that you are interested in for the purpose of study. Though you should enjoy reading this novel, your goal here is to get something more out of it than if you were just reading for pleasure. Ideally, you should push your reading abilities by studying a novel with a focus.
This is a good time to read a novel that you had been planning to get to sometime. You might look at classic literature or award-winning fiction. You might want to explore a genre, such as science-fiction, mystery, fantasy, or historical fiction, that you have been wanting to learn more about.
Above all, you should choose a novel that is new to you in some way and at or slightly above your reading level. This isn't the time for re-reading a favourite or whipping through something easy.
You will need to discuss your choice with your teacher. Since this is individual, don't expect your teacher to have read the novel. However, you may decide to read a novel that your teacher has read before. Ask for suggestions.
Here is a list of Suggested Titles for English 11
Getting a novel
Start by asking at your school for copies of the novels. Otherwise, head to your local public library or thrift store once you have an idea of what you are looking for.
If you would like to read a classic and have a tablet or e-reader, you could look at Project Gutenberg which has over 45,000 books in the public domain. It is a good place to find classics by authors such as Mark Twain, Jane Austen, and Charles Dickens.
Some other excellent sources are CBC Books 108 Indigenous Writers or Canada Reads past winners.
Overview
For your English Language Arts 11 Novel Study you will be required to do the following:
- Choose a book: See the list of suggested titles.
- You are responsible for finding a copy of the book.
- Write a Reading Connection Log
- Write a Reflective Journal - Literary Analysis
- Create a Project
This is a quick overview of the assignments for this unit. However, be sure you read over the specific assignment instructions that follow for each one. Review the marking rubrics for the assignments before you start.
Daily Reading
DAILY READING
"Reading a book is like re-writing it for yourself.
You bring to a novel, anything you read, all your experience of the world.
You bring your history and you read it in your own terms."
Angela Carter
You are encouraged to read every day, and what you read will be your choice. Here are some guidelines to help you get the most out of your reading.
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You should read a fiction book or non-fiction biography/autobiography- magazines, newspapers, and comic books don't have the volume of text to enable you to develop fluency in your reading, nor will they help you discover who you are as a reader of literature.
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Don't read a book you don't like. There are plenty of great books out there waiting for you.
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If you don't like your book, find another one. Give it a chapter or two, but after that, if you are not engaged, abandon it.
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Realize that reading is thinking - read actively NOT passively. Don't read while you are doing something else.
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REMEMBER: This needs to be a book you have NOT read ; a book that you have read in another English class OR one that is usually studied in an English class will not be acceptable.
Making Connections
For this novel study, we will be focusing on Making Connections. We will be looking to identify connections in three groups:
- Text to Self
- Text to World
- Text to Text
Text-to-self connections are highly personal connections that a reader makes between a piece of reading material and the reader's own experiences or life. An example of a text-to-self connection might be, "This story reminds me of time spent on my grandmother's farm during a vacation when I was young..."
Text-to-text connections occur when readers are reminded of other things they have read, other books by the same author, stories from a similar genre or perhaps on the same topic. "This character has the same development pattern as the previous novel I read by the same author..."
Text-to-world connections are the larger connections that a reader brings to a situation. We all have ideas about how the world works that goes far beyond our own personal experiences. We learn about things through television, movies, magazines, and newspapers. An example of a text-to-world connection would be when a reader says, "Last night on the news they were talking about similar things to this article or story...."
As you are reading your novel stop and ask yourself some of these leading questions:
| Text-to-Self | Text-to-Text | Text-to-World |
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ASSIGNMENT 1: Reading Connections Log
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Learning Target(s):
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Task:
As you read your chosen novel you will complete a minimum of 15 log entries into your Reading Connections Log. For each entry you will complete all the columns. You will choose quotes from your novel that you find significant and have made a connection with. You will write the quote, the page number and an explanation of its relevance to the story. For each quote you will also write your connection to the quote or section of the story. We will group the outside connection in three categories: Text to Self, Text to World, or Text to Text. Be sure to go back and use the guiding questions provided previously to help make connections.
Be sure to include:
- At least 15 entries - spread out over the entire novel (not all at beginning or end)
- Each column completed
- Varied amounts of Connection type (make sure you have at least 3 of each connection - Text to Self, Text to World, or Text to Text)
- Clearly organized and labeled chart
Example of One Entry:
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Title: |
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Quote From Text |
Page |
Relevance to Story |
Connection Type and Explanation |
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John couldn’t believe his eyes, it was more beautiful than he had ever imagined |
93 |
This is where John, the main character, walked in to see his new home after years of struggling to make ends meet. |
Text-to-Self: I can identify with this. It reminds me of when we moved from our apartment to our families first house. We each had our own rooms and a yard all to ourselves. I went from room to room, finding my favorite spots. |
Assignment 1 - Reading Connection Log (.PDF)
Assignment 1 - Reading Connection Log (.DOCX)
Assessment: Below you will find the exemplary criteria used to assess the assignment.
Submission:
Use the "2.1 Reading Connections Log" link on the main page of this section of the course to upload your assignment to your teacher for marking.
ASSIGNMENT 2: Reflective Journal - A Literary Analysis
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Learning Target(s):
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Reflective Journal - A Literary Analysis
Once you have completed reading your novel, write your reaction to it. Develop your own literary analysis.
You will be required to write 5 PARAGRAPHS (Outlined below). For each topic area you will display your understanding of the topic for your novel. You can approach the topic in various ways. Did you see yourself in the book? Did you have an insight into why things are the way they are? What did you learn that you didn't know before? What bearing does this novel have on the world today? And on you? How do the literary elements contribute to your understanding? In other words, is this a worthwhile read for Grade 11 students? Be sure you are crystal clear on the why in this response. Consider the purpose of the novel? That is, what is it that the writer wanted us to think about or understand and connect to after reading the book and how did the author communicate the purpose?
Five Areas of Analysis and Reflection
- Plot, setting, characters, point of view
- Theme and other abstract ideas like mood and tone or irony to enhance the meaning of the work
- Style – use of syntax, diction, language, organization, structure
- Personal relevance - show areas of growth and learning
- Literary analysis - making connections, synthesizing
You will be graded on your LITERARY ANALYSIS AND YOUR PERSONAL REFLECTION. You should not be on the internet for this assignment.
Feel free to discuss any aspect of your novel you find interesting. However, if you aren't sure, then these questions will give you some ideas.
Assignment 2: Reflective Journal Questions
- These questions are NOT meant to be answered as a set of questions; rather, they are to be used as prompts for reflection.
- You are NOT required to answer all the questions.
- It is NOT necessary to research information.
- You are welcome to write poetry and compose song lyrics as part of your work. You can find a review of the novel and agree or disagree. Cite your source.
Finally, a really comprehensive literary analysis will require some effort. Therefore, keep in mind word count. Here are some approximations. 50% - 60%: 1200 words; 61% - 72%: 1600 words; 73% - 85%: 2000 words; 86% - 100%: 2400+ words
- Don’t write general entries (Heart of Darkness was an exciting story that I recommend to everyone. I really enjoyed it.) Don’t feel required to compliment the author. This is called editorializing.
- List the following: Title of work (underlined); author; date it was written and/or published.
- Provide a biography on the author. Give some background information on the events in the novel, if necessary. This is one of the only places to do some research. Cite your sources. Comment on how the writer's life experiences are reflected in the novel.
- Don’t summarize the plot in length (50 words or fewer).
Response Journal Criteria:
Learning Target(s) - Exemplary (6/6): Final product communicates a comprehensive literary analysis. Student demonstrates rich understanding of theme, style, setting, characters, and point of view. This understanding results from thorough analysis of texts, language, and author's intent. Discussion reflects an original and thoughtful connection to the work. There is exemplary understanding of literary devices and how they are used to enhance the meaning of the work. Should be 2400+ words.
Ideas/Content - Exemplary (6/6): Exemplary development of ideas. Content and organization are clear, concise and true. Accomplishes the purpose with originality, individuality, maturity, and sophistication.
Reflection and Insight - Exemplary (6/6): Complex connections and original ideas are included in a thoughtful response that includes specific examples of the student’s learning process and growth.
Conventions/Sentence Fluency - Exemplary (6/6): Sentence structure and vocabulary are varied, skillfully written (or spoken), and carefully chosen. Composition shows maturity in vocabulary, structure, and organization. Reflection on the quality of writing is evident, resulting in few or no errors.
Submission
Click on the "2.2 ASSIGNMENT: Reflective Journal" link on the main page of this section of the course to upload your assignment to your teacher.
ASSIGNMENT 3: Final Project
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Learning Target(s):
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Task:
During this entire unit we have focused on Making Connections to our novels. For your final novel study project, you will choose ONE of the project mediums from the list below, to create a project that displays your understanding of ALL THREE Making Connections areas: Text to Self, Text to World, Text to Text. Your project should include the following three parts
Part A: Text to Self will focus on CHARACTERS and your personal connection to them. You will choose a character from the novel and display your understanding of their situation, choices, relationships, actions or reactions to throughout their development. You will compare these to your own life and how you may have handled, understood, or challenged the situation. This is your chance to show your understanding of character analysis and also how you relate or not, to the character.
Part B: Text to Text will focus on SETTING and how it influences the story. You will find another novel or media and discuss how the two settings are similar or different and how they affect the characters and plot. This is your chance to show your understanding of various literary features of written work and how they affect the overall story.
Part C: Text to World will focus on THEME and how your novel can be connected to the real world. You will first identify a theme from your novel and then demonstrate your understanding of it in relation to a real-world example. You may connect it to a real-world news story or to your life as a high school student. Make sure to display a strong understanding of theme, and how you connect with it. Your theme should be written as a complete sentence.
Your job is to create a project that shows your understanding of the three parts above. You can choose one of the following project mediums that you feel will best display your knowledge. Remember, you can choose any of the projects below, however some will allow for a better display of in depth understanding. If you choose a simple project, your mark will most likely reflect that. Choose a medium that will best suit your abilities. Below is a list of options to choose from:
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- Podcast
- Video TedTalk
- Powerpoint Presentation
- Series of Graphic Organizers
- Series of Blog Posts
- Longer Editorial
- Formal Essay
- Memoir
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**if you have a different idea for a project medium that you feel will best display the depth of your understanding of the three parts, contact your teacher to discuss your option.
Assessment:
Learning Target(s): Exemplary (6/6): Student analyzes the text with depth and insight, identifying and explaining subtle thematic and symbolic elements. Student demonstrates a thorough understanding of character, setting, and theme. Student makes meaningful personal connections between self, text, and world by providing detailed examples with rich explanation. Student demonstrates extended thinking by using appropriate strategies to display a higher level of inquiry, with maturity of voice.
Ideas and Content: Exemplary (6/6): Students will demonstrate strong and insightful connections and comparisons. Students will show in depth thought and complex authentic connections to text, self, and world. Content is clear, concise and true. Accomplishes the purpose with originality, individuality, maturity, and sophistication.
Organization and Conventions: Exemplary (6/6): Students provide a clear description of their purpose with logical sequence. The assignment has clearly been edited for spelling, grammar, punctuation and fluency. The language used is mature and enhances the overall tone.
Connecting Support: Exemplary (6/6): Students show excellent understanding, strong connection, and original ideas that demonstrate their learning process and growth. Examples are thoroughly explained and relevant.
Submission
Use the "2.3 Final Project" link on the main page of this section of the course to upload your assignment to your teacher for marking.
Estimated Allotted Time: 4-6 hours