Novel Tasks for La's Orchestra Saves the World
Below is the .pdf file of the 10 tasks I have created for teaching this novel. Special thanks to Joseph Pisco for his help in creating a few of the tasks.
Here is a small explanation of each task:
The Pre-Reading Activity: In this task, students are given a sheet with all of the dialogue extracted from chapter 1.
All of the narration has been excluded. Students will base their interpretation of what is happening on solely the dialogue. Students are asked to delete approximately half the dialogue while maintaining the original main idea of the text. Additionally, they may not delete all the lines for one character. They will then stage it in a way they deem appropriate with the inclusion of stage directions and props.
Character Blogging Assignment: This assignment really forces students to read closely and understand La's character. Additionally, it is a means through which the teacher can assess if a student is actually doing and understanding the reading. Students are asked to create a blogger account and blog from the perspective of La while answering a few questions regarding plot and making predictions. This blog will be completed per chapter.
Photostory Assignment: This assignment is meant to assess how well students understand overarching themes in the novel and to expose what passages in particular stick out to them as exemplary of these themes. They are asked to record their own reading of the novel and choose an appropriate song as background music. At the end of this recording, they may add a short description of why they chose the passage and how it relates to the theme. They must then export this audio file to movie making software and add images appropriate for their chosen passage. Below is an example of one I created for Paul Laurence Dunbar's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." It is the bottom video.
CD Assignment: This assignment is also meant to assess how well students understand themes in the novel. They are to create a CD with 3 songs La's orchestra might play. The songs may be modern ones, as La's situation does somewhat connect to our wartime situation now. They will also have to create a CD booklet where they answer questions regarding what theme they are trying to exemplify, how their chosen song does this, and what lyrics or musical qualities help convey this the most.
Internal Monologue Assignment: In this assignment, students are exploring what is left unsaid in the novel. They choose a silent scene where there are at least two characters together that don't interact verbally. They have to really understand context and characterization to complete this assignment as they will have to write the internal monolgues each character may be having during the scene.
Faux Facebook Forum Assignment: This assignment also focuses on characterization. The students, as a character of their choosing, will create a Facebook account and engage in discussion with their classmates (who are also writing as another character). They will be asked to make one original, thought provoking post and respond to 4 other posts.
Do Stress the Subtext Assignment: Here, students are forced to read a specific passage very closely and determine what the subtext is for each character involved in the scene. They are then paired off and asked to perform the scene based on what they believe the subtext is. This also forces them to understand what has already gone on in the novel that may inform the subtext as well as the way the characters interact.
Radio Advertisement: This assignment asks students to write a little differently than they are used to. They must write and deliver an Audio Advertisement for La's Orchestra from the perspective of a character/member. They must include whatever it is that may make them and their argument seem convincing. They are essentially being asked to employ rhetorical strategies to establish their own credibility and be convincing to their audience. While the assignment doesn't explicitly state this, it allows students to successfully build the skills. They will then be asked to share them with the class the next day.
Fanfiction Writing Assignment: This assignment is a creative way for students to take the novel into their own hands. On their blogs, they will be asked to write a final entry as the author of a fanfiction piece. They are given different options of how to do this and are invited to use and combine any to create their own original work. The work is posted in a public forum.
Final Performance Assignment: In this assignment, students are broken into groups of 4-5 and asked to choose a passage from the novel they would like to perform. They must then write a script that serves as a creative adaptation of the passage while remaining true to the main ideas. The script should be long enough for a 4-5 minute performance. They are then given the opportunity to pitch their ideas to the class and receive feedback. After this, they are given a weekend to finalize the script, stage directions, props, costumes, etc. They will perform their adaptation for the class the next week.
Here is a small explanation of each task:
The Pre-Reading Activity: In this task, students are given a sheet with all of the dialogue extracted from chapter 1.
All of the narration has been excluded. Students will base their interpretation of what is happening on solely the dialogue. Students are asked to delete approximately half the dialogue while maintaining the original main idea of the text. Additionally, they may not delete all the lines for one character. They will then stage it in a way they deem appropriate with the inclusion of stage directions and props.
Character Blogging Assignment: This assignment really forces students to read closely and understand La's character. Additionally, it is a means through which the teacher can assess if a student is actually doing and understanding the reading. Students are asked to create a blogger account and blog from the perspective of La while answering a few questions regarding plot and making predictions. This blog will be completed per chapter.
Photostory Assignment: This assignment is meant to assess how well students understand overarching themes in the novel and to expose what passages in particular stick out to them as exemplary of these themes. They are asked to record their own reading of the novel and choose an appropriate song as background music. At the end of this recording, they may add a short description of why they chose the passage and how it relates to the theme. They must then export this audio file to movie making software and add images appropriate for their chosen passage. Below is an example of one I created for Paul Laurence Dunbar's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." It is the bottom video.
CD Assignment: This assignment is also meant to assess how well students understand themes in the novel. They are to create a CD with 3 songs La's orchestra might play. The songs may be modern ones, as La's situation does somewhat connect to our wartime situation now. They will also have to create a CD booklet where they answer questions regarding what theme they are trying to exemplify, how their chosen song does this, and what lyrics or musical qualities help convey this the most.
Internal Monologue Assignment: In this assignment, students are exploring what is left unsaid in the novel. They choose a silent scene where there are at least two characters together that don't interact verbally. They have to really understand context and characterization to complete this assignment as they will have to write the internal monolgues each character may be having during the scene.
Faux Facebook Forum Assignment: This assignment also focuses on characterization. The students, as a character of their choosing, will create a Facebook account and engage in discussion with their classmates (who are also writing as another character). They will be asked to make one original, thought provoking post and respond to 4 other posts.
Do Stress the Subtext Assignment: Here, students are forced to read a specific passage very closely and determine what the subtext is for each character involved in the scene. They are then paired off and asked to perform the scene based on what they believe the subtext is. This also forces them to understand what has already gone on in the novel that may inform the subtext as well as the way the characters interact.
Radio Advertisement: This assignment asks students to write a little differently than they are used to. They must write and deliver an Audio Advertisement for La's Orchestra from the perspective of a character/member. They must include whatever it is that may make them and their argument seem convincing. They are essentially being asked to employ rhetorical strategies to establish their own credibility and be convincing to their audience. While the assignment doesn't explicitly state this, it allows students to successfully build the skills. They will then be asked to share them with the class the next day.
Fanfiction Writing Assignment: This assignment is a creative way for students to take the novel into their own hands. On their blogs, they will be asked to write a final entry as the author of a fanfiction piece. They are given different options of how to do this and are invited to use and combine any to create their own original work. The work is posted in a public forum.
Final Performance Assignment: In this assignment, students are broken into groups of 4-5 and asked to choose a passage from the novel they would like to perform. They must then write a script that serves as a creative adaptation of the passage while remaining true to the main ideas. The script should be long enough for a 4-5 minute performance. They are then given the opportunity to pitch their ideas to the class and receive feedback. After this, they are given a weekend to finalize the script, stage directions, props, costumes, etc. They will perform their adaptation for the class the next week.
| egl_440_10_tasks.pdf |
CD Assignment Exemplar
| egl_440_task_exemplar.htm |
| hands.mp3 |
| when_its_over.mp3 |
| 01_meant_to_live.mp3 |
Film Project
Web 2.0 Annotation of Langston Hughes' "Cora Unashamed"
PhotoStory
Podcast of Paul Laurence Dunbar's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings"
| egl_440_podcast.mp3 |
Illuminated Sonnet
Sonnet 130
My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damask'd, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.
My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damask'd, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.
| egl_440_dispositions.pdf |
| egl_441_teaching_philosophy_ii.pdf |
