Magazine Novel Study Project

Homework for Monday December 19th

Now that you have been introduced to the elements of inDesign, for Tuesday December 19th please complete the interview portion- pages 4-5- of your magazine. Ensure to include a title, images, and a pull out quote. See this slide show for Four Elements to consider when designing your layout.

By the end of this week I am hoping we can have a good start on the cover, inside page with quote or prologue, and table of contents for your Magazine. Continue to read magazines to get inspiration for your cover, table of contents and general style of your magazine.

Please post your interview into the Google doc. and I will begin marking it this week. Note the elements I will be looking for.

Word choice-

Ensure to introduce sophisticated and descriptive language.

Flow-Using transitions

Basic transitions (i.e. Further, In addition)

Repeating parts of previous thought (i.e. Not only does he do racing but he also... )

Setting time (Recently, Meanwhile, Last week, Now, After this)

Introduce a variety of sentence types-Avoid a continual stream of Subject-Verb-Object sentences (i.e., Hanna was extremely beautiful)

Start with a ing verb i.e.

Forsaking Hollywood blockbusters, he opted to appear in a series of eclectic roles.

Fighting his greatest nemesis, Charlie now must face his toughest challenge yet.

Provide context and be concise:

Ensure that someone who has never read your book has enough background knowledge to understand what is going on in your book.

Humanities 8 Independent Novel Study

For this independent novel study the goal is to discover a fascinating piece of literature, dig deep into the themes and conflicts within the story, and powerfully represent what you have learned through a variety of mediums including poetry and art. To accomplish this goal you are asked to work through a series of tasks designed to expose you to these different mediums. As a way to bring your work together in one space, you are asked to imaginatively represent your work for each task in a 1 or 2-page magazine spread, which will be showcased using the on-line publication program issu.

See this blog post on CSS Connect (scroll down to the bottom) for the kind of magazine layout we are looking for.

12 pages total:

p. 1 Cover

P. 2 Quote or prologue

P. 3 Table of Contents

P. 4-5 Interview 1

You can change the order for the following

Soundtrack for your book (1 page)

Song Analysis page (1 page)

Poem (1 page)

Poem analysis (1 page)

Feature Long essay-Book Review (2 pages)

Ad (1 page)

Assignments

Task 1:
By Monday December 12th you should be 1/4 of the way into your novel.

Task 2:

Please finish three journal reflections reflecting on events and developments using the talking to the text framework below:

• Identifying main ideas and summarizing
• Making connections to other things you have read or seen
• Asking questions
• Monitoring for meaning by writing down new and unfamiliar words
• Sketching out images that connect to what you are reading
• Pulling out golden nuggets-key quotes, ideas, and passages
• the novel, key quotes, and emerging themes and conflicts

For the first entries take particular note of your main character's problems/struggles, opinion of other characters, and personality/physical traits including how they speak. For each entry take note of the date and the page that you are currently on. This will be collected on Tuesday December 13th to see how your progress is going.

Task 3

As part of your talking to the text entries, identify and write down the definition for 15 unfamiliar words or words worth knowing. From this list, choose one in particular to post on a classroom word wall. Do this in a Pages or Word Document using a cool font that can be seen from far away and include the definition and a sentence where the word is used in context.

Task 4: Interacting with the characters (choose one): Due Friday, December 19th

1. Interview: Take on the role of a reporter and interview one of the major characters in your novel. Your questions should involve how this character feels about the other characters, their thoughts on the problems they are facing, and how they think things are going to turn out. Ensure to ask the kinds of questions that will be of interest to your readership.

Begin by going on-line to find some examples of interviews. Interview Magazine is a good place to start. Notice the design elements in the spread. There are two more interview examples here and here.

2. Advice column: Take on the role of an advice columnist and choosing two characters in your novel have them write a letter to you outlining the central problems or conflict they are facing. Provide a response as to how you feel they can effectively deal with these problems or conflicts.

Begin by going on-line to find some examples of advice columns. Here are some sites to get you started: Advice-The Globe and Mail, Elle, Sweet Designs Magazine.

Artistic Expression (choose one):

1. Create a collage of images that speak to either the theme in your book including noticeable symbols or the central conflict/struggle of the main character. In this 2 page spread creatively incorporate 3-4 pieces of dialogue or passages from the book that powerfully reflect this theme or conflict.

2. Do the same as above, but create your own piece of artwork to illustrate a central theme or conflict within your novel. Include 3-4 pieces of dialogue or passages from the book that powerfully reflect this theme or conflict.

Musical Expression (complete both)

1. Find a song that speaks powerfully to a theme or conflict within your novel. Find the lyrics on-line and then using a powerful image (you could create your own image as well) write an explanation on the relationship between this song and your novel. Represent this by creating a visually appealing spread in your magazine.

2. Create a five-song play list for the main character in your novel. Link these to videos on YouTube.

Poetic expression (complete both)

1. Choosing from the poetic mediums provided, create a poem that speaks to the central theme and conflict within your story.

2. Find a poem that similarly speaks to the central theme and conflict within your story and explain the connection between the two.

Book Review (not a book report!)

1. Write a concise review of the novel either recommending it to a friend or taking on a more critical stance by outlining the strengths and weaknesses of your book. Include this review both in your magazine and post this on a blog.

Extension

1. Write an alternative ending for your book.

December 1st Update

I plan to have the SES paragraph, debate, and podcast marked by the end of the weekend which will allow me to give you an indication of your progress to date on Monday.

Note that many people have not posted their podcast on Box.com. If you haven't done so already you have until Friday to do so. After this you will receive a 0 on this project and then I will only accept it after a conversation with your parents and you coming in at lunch hour next week. See the post below to place it in Box.com:

http://www.box.com/files/0/f/157617123

The first three Renaissance questions I provided yesterday are due Tuesday December 6th.

Renaissance Section II

Section II

From now until Christmas we will be doing a series of inquiry tasks highlighting how worldviews (values and beliefs) are shaped by ideas and knowledge, geography, and contact with other groups. To do this we will be using various elements of the talking to the text and SES (state, explain, support) frameworks we have been working on.

How did knowledge and ideas from Ancient Greece and Rome shape the Renaissance worldview?

1. What can we learn about the worldview of the Humanists-their beliefs and values-based on Giovanni’s famous passage from the Oration on the Dignity of Man?

Oration on the Dignity of Man

“We have made thee neither of heaven nor of earth,

Neither mortal or immortal,

So that with freedom of choice and with honor,

As thought the maker and molder of thyself,

Thou mayest fashion thyself in whatever shape thou shalt prefer.

Thou shalt have the power out of thy soul's judgment,

to be reborn into the higher forms, which are divine.”

‐Giovanni Pico Della Mirandola

Commentary: In responding to this question, note that the Humanists felt that reading Greek and Roman texts provided a “classical education” and developed what may be called human qualities. “Horses are born,” it was said, “but human beings are not born‐they are formed.” Note their emphasis on moulding and shaping the human character and the possibilities of man living in the in-between space of Heaven and Earth-Divine and Mortal.

Use the following format in your response:

You are asked to provide notes and a reflection for each of the following three questions.

i) For the notes section use a T-chart focussing on monitoring for meaning-defining key terms and ideas from the resources provided, making connections to other things you have read or seen to date, and providing images that visually represent these ideas.

_____________________ _______________________________

Definitions (at least 8): Connections to other things you have read or seen

(at least 3-4 solid, developed connections)

Images (4-5)

ii) For the reflection use the following SES format:

The Humanists believed that _________________. More specifically, ______________. By this I mean that _____________.

In the poem it says "_______________________." I think this is saying ________________.

2. Drawing on what you have learned about the Humanists, after watching Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, how do you think Humanist thinkers would have interpreted the symbols in this story?

ii) For the reflection use the following mini SES format for to explain how the Humanists would interpret three of the symbols (i.e.,

chains, cave, fire, shadows on the wall, real world outside, caver dwellers unable to understand the man who returns to the cave). This could use the following framework:

Symbol 1: I think that the Humanists would have interpreted the ___________ as _____________. More specifically they would have seen this as ___________________. By this I mean _____________. In the video they are _______________. I think this is showing that ______________.

Symbol 2: I think that the Humanists would have interpreted the ___________ as _____________. More specifically they would have seen this as ___________________. By this I mean _____________. In the video they are _______________. I think this is showing that ______________.

Symbol 3: I think that the Humanists would have interpreted the ___________ as _____________. More specifically they would have seen this as ___________________. By this I mean _____________. In the video they are _______________. I think this is showing that ______________.

3. How might Raphael’s painting The School of Athens (above) provide a metaphor on how many Renaissance thinkers viewed their times?

Commentary: One of the defining elements of the Renaissance was a search for new models for living that departed from the medieval worldview. These new models drew inspiration from Ancient Greek and Roman thought. By the 15th century, poets, scholars, and thinkers began spreading their ideas, first in Northern Italy, and then to all parts of Europe. These people were known as Humanists. This recovery of ancient Greece and Roman thought provided Humanists with a model to guide all aspects of life including art, ethics, and politics. Two examples demonstrate this point. Above is the famous painting The School of Athens. In this painting (close-up) Raphael depicts Leonardo da Vinci (hand pointed down) as the Greek thinker Aristotle. Beside him he depicts the great artist Michelangelo as Plato. See this wiki post for an explanation.

Use the SES format from question 1 to provide your response to this question.

New Format for Student Led Conferences

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This year the grade 8 team is slightly modifying the traditional format for the Student Led Conferences at CSS. On the evening of Thursday, November 17th, as has been the traditional practice at CSS, students will have the opportunity to show their work and progress over the course of the term. However, on the morning of Friday, November 18th we are creating a time to accommodate parents and their students with whom we would like to meet to discuss first term successes, areas of growth and to set goals for the 2nd term. We have chosen this hybrid format in response to feedback we have received from parents who would like to have a more in-depth discussion with teachers on their child’s progress.

Most of you will not be contacted to book a meeting time with your child's teachers at this time. If this is the case, we look forward to seeing you on Thursday evening. For those parents with whom we are wishing to book a time slot to meet with your child's curriculum teachers, please respond to the email sent out today with this letter. We ask you to email your child's homeroom teacher to schedule an appointment that works for you between 8:30am and 1pm Friday (please list 3 possibilities, as your first choice may be taken). If you would still like to meet, but Friday morning does not work, another meeting can be arranged in the future, at a time that works for both you and the teachers.

Note, that we have about 15 slots available on Friday and appointments will be scheduled on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Thank you,

The grade 8 team

Kevin Sonico 8.1

Margaret Leland/Shashi Shergill 8.2

Louis Cheng 8.3

David Scott 8.4

Homework Update

Inquiry tasks 2 and 3 are due Monday, November 14th

Inquiry Task #2: Like this example, working with a partner create a historical timeline of events leading up to the Italian Renaissance (choose a relevant image for the background).

Inquiry Task #3: To prepare for the next task, choose one of the topics below (only one group per class per topic) and then using the Talking to the Text format, work with a partner to take notes on your topic.

Inquiry Task 4 is due Tuesday, November 15th

Based on your event or development (e.g., The Crusades, The Silk Road), work with your partner to create a visually appealing Pages document with accompanying image briefly describing how this development contributed and led to the Italian Renaissance.

Do this in the form of a SES paragraph briefly describing the event (two sentences maximum) and then state how this event led to the Renaissance. Further develop and explain these reasons, and then provide specific supporting details such as examples, statistics, and other relevant facts to back up and show what you mean. Assessment rubric

The podcast reflection on your graphic novel is due Friday, November 18th via email.

Description: Now that you have made your short story into a graphic novel, take some time to reflect on the entire process. You have been fully immersed in the medium of the graphic novel for the past month and have learned to tell a story creatively just as a real writer would. Part of your task was to address the theme of your short story and be able to effectively convey what the writer is saying about the human condition.

Using a SES framework, your task is to now complete a podcast reflection where you provide your own insights to the questions below. This means that you will State: provide a clear response to the question, Explain: what do you mean by this, and Support: with specific examples from your work or the short story.

Remember the theme of a story is the underlying central idea or a generalization the author communicates about life. The theme expresses the author's opinion or raises a question about human nature or the meaning of human experience.

PART A The title, ending and symbols are a powerful indication of the theme in your short story.

A: How did these elements point toward the theme in your short story?

B: How did these elements find their way into your graphic novel to illustrate the theme of the story?

PART B Character motivations and figurative language are powerful indicators of the theme in short stories.

A: How did these elements point toward the theme in your short story?

B: How did these elements find their way into your graphic novel to illustrate the theme of the story?

PART C These elements all point to the underlying theme of the story.

Overall, what do you believe was the underlying idea or central message the author was trying to communicate to the reader?

Remember this is not a simple moral message and often offers a commentary on what it means to be human or to live in the world. Support your response by offering specific supporting reasons in the forms of details and quotes from the story, as to why you believe what you do.

November 4th Humanities Update

Upcoming due dates and events to keep an eye on:

• Please complete goal #2 for your graphic novel for Monday November 7th
• Complete Graphic Novel due Tuesday November 8th
• Teen Leadership Launch is Tuesday November 8th for 8.4 as well
• Inquiry Tasks 2 and 3 from the Digital Renaissance Textbook are due Wednesday November 9th. Links are live on the Pages version I sent you and include assessment rubrics.

Inquiry Task #2: Like this example, working with a partner create a historical timeline of events leading up to the Italian Renaissance (choose a relevant image for the background). Due Wednesday November 9th

Specifically, using pages 3-8 of this resource outline the major events leading to the Renaissance starting with the rise of Ancient Greece and Rome, through to the sacking of Rome in 410 AD, and ending with the flowering of the Italian Renaissance between 1425-1575. You will be marked on your ability to include the major events discussed in this resource. Assessment rubric

Inquiry Task #3: To prepare for the next task, choose one of the topics below (only one group per class per topic) and then using the Talking to the Text format, work with a partner to take notes on your topic.

Each partner should choose a different source relevant to their topic. Some starting resources are provided below. Begin by turning your topic into a question (e.g., How did contact with the Islamic world lead to the Renaissance?). Ensure you are taking notes only on how your topic area led to the Renaissance. We only need a brief summary of explaining your event or development. Assessment Rubric

Elements of the Talking to the Text format that should be present in your notes include:

• Asking questions
• Monitoring meaning-defining key terms
• Making connections to other things you have read or seen
• Finding images that show what you are learning about
• Determining importance-taking down only the relevant information, Trash or Treasure-finding those key quotes, metaphors or examples that will show your ideas
• Summarize-Use a W5 model

Graphic Novel Assignments

Graphic Novel Final Copy due: November 7th

Rough Draft due (sent via email) by October 29th

Detailed formative feedback provided by the October 31st for early submissions and

November 2nd for weekend submissions

Presentation of graphic novel to a live audience November 10th

Rubric for your Graphic Novel

Section deadlines:

1. Character sketch due Thursday, October 20th

Link to assignment outline, rubric and examples

Using strong descriptive language, show, don't tell details, vivid imagery; create a character sketch for the main characters in your story addressing both qualities and attributes of both their physical features and personality.

2. First 6 pages (includes character sketch) of your graphic novel due

Monday, October 24th including:

Cover (1 page-include title, author's name and "A Graphic Novel by____"),

Exposition (2 pages), and

Initial Incident (2 pages)

Link to assignment outline, rubric, and examples

a) For this part, use inspiration from a graphic novel you find to be very visually appealing and well done, to create a variety of panel sizes and layouts, and scenes with various points of view and perspectives.

b) For the initial initial incident, drawing from examples shown in class, try to tell the story as much as possible using images rather than relying on a lot of text.

The following graphic novels will be of help:

Stitches by David Small

Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi

Run Far, Run Faster by Timothy Decker

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

Fall Break Homework

Fall Break Homework:

Due October 17th

When we get back from Fall Break you will be starting the actual creation of your graphic novel. On October 24th and 25th a graphic novelist will be coming in to class to work with you on the design element. To prepare for this, over the break please complete the following tasks which we have e-mailed to you:

• Graphic Organizer-Plot Structure
• Graphic Organizer - Theme Statement
• Graphic Organizer - Interpreting Elements of Character

You can also find all of these handouts in the following link:

Link to Complete Graphic Novel Package Parts I-IV

Graphic Novel Workshop #1 Homework Tuesday October 4th

Here is your Graphic Novel Workshop #1 homework due Tuesday October 4th. Please work on this over the weekend. Note assessment rubric at the end.

Supporting resources:

• Our Worldviews textbook
• Medici’s: Godfathers of the Renaissance (PBS Documentary)
• Renaissance Digital Resource Link (Collection of videos relevant for the Renaissance; Inquiry tasks p. 3; starts p. 4)
• Sophie's World: The History of Philosophy
• Leonardo da Vinci Parts 1/10 History Channel Documentary

Graphic Novel Workshop #1

In this first graphic novel workshop, you are asked to respond to the question: What was the Italian Renaissance? To do this you will use Pixton to make your very first comic strip. Because the Renaissance is a big concept that can be understood in a number of different ways, you will be working in groups of five and will each be responsible for exploring one of the following elements that make-up or led to the Italian Renaissance. To do this, in graphic novel form, show how one of the following themes led to the Italian Renaissance:

· A period of rebuilding after the devastation and destruction of the 14^th century (P. 4-5 Renaissance Digital Textbook-including videos, p. 25-28 in Our Worldviews)

· A period of rebirth of Greek and Roman thought and styles (Medici video, Sophie's World p. middle 194; bottom 196-198, on-line research)

· The rise of Humanism (P. 4-5 Renaissance Digital Textbook-including video on Humanism, p. 55-59 in the text, Sophie's World: p. middle 194; bottom 196-198)

· An explosion of creative artistic activity (Medici video, p. 62-68 in the text, on-line search)

· A spirit of new discovery and scientific inquiry into the world (Medici video; p. 69-75 in textbook; Leonardo da Vinci video)

Your comic should involve a dialogue between multiple characters, responding and discussing how your area was part of the Italian Renaissance. Feel free to be creative with your characters. Use the following rubric to guide your writing:

Category	4	3	2	1
Story: Clear and Effective Dialogue Examples and Specific support /8	Dialogue and captions clearly and concisely communicates central elements and themes related to your topic in a way that leaves the reader with a strong understanding of how this area relates to and led to the Renaissance. Multiple examples drawn from the documentaries and other sources show and support how these elements and developments played out in the Renaissance.	Dialogue and captions clearly and concisely communicates most central elements and themes related to your topic in a way that leaves the reader with a solid understanding of how this area relates to and led to the Renaissance. 1 or 2 examples drawn from the documentaries and other sources show and support how these elements and developments played out in the Renaissance.	Dialogue and captions lack clarity and conciseness in communicating central elements and themes related to your topic in a way that leaves the reader with a strong understanding of how this area relates to and led to the Renaissance. A lack of key examples drawn from the documentaries and other sources show and support how these elements and developments played out in the Renaissance.	Dialogue and captions do not clearly and concisely communicate central elements and themes related to your topic in a way that leaves the reader with a strong understanding of how this area relates to and led to the Renaissance. No examples drawn from the documentaries and other sources show and support how these elements and developments played out in the Renaissance.
Images and Layout /12	Multiple powerful vivid images highlight key elements, events, and developments of the Renaissance you wish to communicate to the reader. Multiple panel shapes and sizes create visual interest for the reader. Multiple points of view including pan shots, long shots, medium shots, and extreme close-ups create visual interest for the reader.	1 or 2 powerful vivid images highlight key elements, events, and developments of the Renaissance you wish to communicate to the reader. 2-3 panel shapes and sizes create visual interest for the reader. 2-3 different points of view including pan shots, long shots, medium shots, and extreme close-ups create visual interest for the reader.	A lack of vivid images highlights key elements, events, and developments of the Renaissance you wish to communicate to the reader. Panel shapes and sizes are all the same and create little visual interest for the reader. Only 1 or 2 points of view (i.e. medium shots) create little visual interest for the reader.	No vivid images highlights key elements, events, and developments of the Renaissance you wish to communicate to the reader. Panel shapes and sizes are all the same and create little visual interest for the reader. Only 1 point of view (i.e. medium shots) creates little visual interest for the reader.
Attention to Detail (Conventions Production Quality)	There are no distracting errors in grammar, spelling or punctuation to distract the reader.	1 or 2 distracting errors in grammar, spelling or punctuation are present but don’t tremendously distract the reader.	3-4 distracting errors in grammar, spelling or punctuation distract the reader.	Multiple distracting errors in grammar, spelling or punctuation distract the reader.