Major Assignments

This paper asks you to analyze and critique ONE novel/film pairing over the course of the semester.   Requirements will include an academic analysis of the text, including the ways in which the chosen text address social justice, intersectionality, and youth audiences.  You will also be asked to compare and critique the success (or failure) of book to film adaptation, using book and film reviews to support your opinion. 

This major project asks you to work with a small group to identify an additional Middle Grade or Young Adult novel that addresses a social justice movement and has been adapted to film.  Using the knowledge that you build over the course of the semester, your group will participate in a series of Literature Circle discussions which will culminate in a group presentation. 

This is a reflective, meta-cognitive assignment. You will reflect on your identity as a reader/writer and how this identity was formed in a 2-3 page paper.

Over the course of the semester you will be asked to engage in short readings and viewings related to textual themes.  For each, you will be asked to take notes in a variety of different ways (One Pagers, Two Column Notes, etc.) to collect and share your thinking.  You will also be asked to choose one song that you feel best represents each text pair for our class Identity Playlist. 

Throughout the semester, you will be required to keep a physical notebook, specific to this class, with reading and viewing notes for each unit.  You can be as creative as you’d like in the way that you record your thinking, but you should have notes for each book and film addressed during our course of study.

This final presentation will offer you the opportunity to share your reading and viewing experiences, to share an analysis and critique of two texts (book and film), and apply knowledge gained during the course of the semester. 

For one of the novel/film pairs, research a review of the adaptation.  Briefly present this research review to the class, offering your own perspective and criticisms.  We will sign up for these reviews prior to the beginning of our work so as to ensure equal distribution of discussion.  You cannot bring in a review related to your Book/Film Analysis and Critique.