Okay honors! This is where you'll find all the information you need to get started on your novel project. Don't panic, right now we are only in the preparation stage of this project, which simply means getting our novel selections locked in. Students who were in class on 2/27 were given the novel list and project outline and asked to research and rank their first five novel choices. The sign-up sheet will be posted in Mrs. B's room on Monday 3/2. If you want to make sure you get the novel you'd most like to read, come and sign up anytime after the first bell has rang (we won't allow students to sign-up before the school day officially begins, so as to keep this as fair as possible).
A brief breakdown (you can find more info on the Project Description and Overview page): Each student will be responsible for reading one novel from the list, in the span of roughly four weeks, and completing some assignments. These assignments will be: A Journal (3 entries, 1 cover page), Fiction Friday discussion sheets (3 total), and a Final Project (options are listed on document). The time span by assignment is summarized below. Because of other class requirements, like the Character Analysis Paper (due 3/16), the time frames for weeks 2-4 are marked with a tilde (~) because these dates may change so as to ensure you are all properly prepared for your other assignments. You are honors students, but we don't want to overwhelm you. That being said, you will be notified of any dates being changed both in-class and via e-mail. Week 1: (3/2-3/10) Read the first third of novel, participate in Fiction Friday discussions (where you will generate one discussion sheet in class for submission), and Journal Entry 1 (the journal cover may be submitted with final journal entry, but no later). Week 2: (~3/9-3/13) Read the second third of novel, Fiction Friday discussions (one discussion sheet), and Journal Entry 2. Week 3: (~3/16-3/20) Read the final third of novel, Fiction Friday discussions (one discussion sheet) and Journal Entry 3. Week 4: (~3/23-3/27) Final Project Submissions
Consider journal entries due, in class or via e-mail, no later than the Tuesday after Fiction Friday. So Journal 1 will be (3/10), Journal 2 will be (3/17), and Journal 3 will be (3/24). This gives you a week to read for Friday, prepare for discussions, and complete journal entries.
Finally, a couple of things to remember about the novel project:
No two students (in any honors class) will be reading the same novel. This is why it's important to have a preferred list of at least five. You might miss out on your first pick.
Research the novels before making your final selection. We are reading works written in the early 19th century: the language is often inappropriate (e.g. racial, diminutive, sexist) and we don't want you stuck with a novel you just can't stomach. An example of this language might be found in At Fault by Kate Chopin: the Louisiana setting gives us not only Southern dialect, but the vernacular speech of slaves whose English has been influenced by French. So think Huckleberry Finn's Jim in French. Gutenberg does have a lot of our novels online, as they are in the public domain, so look them up and preview the language.
Sign-Up day will be Monday, 3/2. If you have responsibilities at school which take you outside of the classroom I would highly recommend stopping by Mrs. B's class in one of your spare moments to sign up. There will also be a Library Check-Out Session during class Monday.
If you are absent Monday 3/2 you will have to make a selection from whichever novels remain on 3/3 (but don't stress about that, just get some rest for the ACT!).
We will be beginning these novel projects as soon as the sign-up process has ended. This means that once we've all signed up and had a chance to go to the library (or download, print, and/or save files from Gutenberg), you'll need to get started reading. Don't stress too much about this first week but try for having roughly a third of your novel read by Friday; our first Fiction Friday discussion groups will be on Tuesday, March 10th.
Now, there are some files you'll need to access for this project. Below are a number of buttons or images. For my students who were out of class Friday 2/27, you'll want to look at the Project Overview and the Fiction List!
See the Novel Project Overview/Assignment Page and Project Options
The Fiction List! You must choose a novel from this list!
Fiction Friday Guide, Handouts, and Materials
Read more about your journal entry requirements here and see the rubric!
Final Project Rubrics (currently finalized, but subject to change=drafts)