Now that we have book clubs put together, it's time to get working on them.

Getting Started

One of the first things it is important to do is to decide upon a reading schedule and set up some discussions, either online (you can use the chat box(for real time/synchronous) or a forum (for asynchronous) in the blog or just share email address or whatever you want, such as the blog itself). I suggest getting the book read as soon as you can so the research and development of the final project can get going and isn't rushed.

Things to Cover

The below is what your project is expected to address at a minimum. 

• Primary goal is to get others interested in the text. This goal might take something of a backseat with the mid-term presentation as you won't have much time to make your points;
• What the story is about; provide a faithful representation of the major elements of the action, perhaps as a plot summary;
  
• Who  the characters are and whether or not they are compelling characters; who are the essential/central and secondary characters and why are they of concern?
  
• What are the story's conflicts and/or themes and why might that matter then or now?;
• What is your assessment of the writer's style?
• What interesting information might compel somewhat to read the book?
  
• Discover what you believe to be “true” about the text and back that up with evidence.
• The mid-term presentation should also provide some predictions about what might happen as the narrative progresses and the tale concludes. Build this on concrete elements within the text and not mere speculation;
• A "Works Cited" is required, and a page of links to other resources is also a good thing to include.
  

A Note about Images and Sound

Both images and sounds are great things to have on websites, but  they need to be done properly, especially from a copyright and intellectual property perspective. In short, you are not allowed to just snag sounds and images from the web  unless they are in the Public  Domain, which is not always easy to determine.  If you are uncertain,  I suggest you  email the person who has the images you want to use and  seek their permission.  When that sound or image is then used, it is expected that attribution be provided so readers of the site know where the information came from.  Sometimes, if you can't  secure permission, the image or sound can be included  by providing a link rather than placing the image itself within the site. We can talk about this as needed.

Midterm Presentation

The mid-term report will be about the first half of the novel: what is the story about, who are the characters, are they compelling characters, what are the story's conflicts and/or themes, what is your assessment of the writer's style, what predictions do you make for the rest of the book, what themes seem to be emerging, and anything else you find of interest or importance in the text and your group discussions.

As a group, you are responsible for creating wiki in the class space covering the above listed topics. Be sure that everyone’s name is on it and that everyone contributes. In addition, each group will give a 10-minute oral report covering the same points. Each member of the group must deliver a roughly equal portion of the oral report. I suggest that the person who delivers the oral material on a particular portion of the topic also be the person responsible for writing up that material. Some group member can then take all the written material and put it into a single document.

Possible Final Projects

• Create or substantially revise, for the better, an entry on Wikepedia;
• Create a website regarding your work and share it with the classroom. This must be a solid repository of information, most of it original with documented sources;
• Reader's Theater: Put on a dramatic production of some element of the text, one that highlights the major themes and conflicts of the text. Reader's theater does not require that you memorize your lines, but you should be able to read them with a minimum of prompting from the text. Costumes and some sort of set are also needed. This can happen in the class, or in some other locale that works for the class period;
• Video Project: Produce a video somewhat along the lines of a reader's theater.
• Develop some interactive presentation that has the rest of the class engage in some activity that leaves them better understanding the novel you worked with;
• PowerPoint presentation to class, just be sure it has both power and a point!;
• Dramatized interview with one or more of the characters;
• Puppet show with same/similar expectations of reader's theater;
• Game show that is staged to engage folks who have not read the text while giving them an understanding of the text;
• Got another idea? Run it by me and we'll see.

Grading

Along with my making a determination of the project’s quality and effectiveness, you will also be grading the participation of each group member. Specific criteria can be found within the attached rubric.