English homework help

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ENG 4U: English-ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING
Culminating Performance Task
 
Topic
If you go to the library to find a novel to read, you will find them organized by a handful of genres: mysteries, fantasies, science fiction, romance, historical fiction and westerns.
In order for a work to be considered part of a genre it must follow certain rules or conventions. For example, certain plot twists must occur (the detective is sure that his main suspect is the killer, but it turns out he isn’t) or certain characters must appear (the wise old mentor in the fantasy novel).
For your independent study project, you will choose one novel and one short story; research the particular genre it belongs to and compare and contrast the novel and short story. Your main argument will look at whether or not the novel and short story are typical of their genre
The purpose of this assignment is to have you demonstrate writing, reading, research, and presentation skills.
 
Format

  • Written parts should be in MLA format: double-spaced pages, 12 Times New Roman, last name and page number on the right hand corner, must include in-text citations and a works cited page.
  • You will lose 2% for each day the assignment is late.

 
Project Stages
STAGE ONE: GENRE RESEARCH                           Date Due:_______________________________
While reading your novel and short story, you should be sure of the genre they belong to. For this section you will be researching and writing the genre info section.
This stage is pure research, meaning that it will showcase your research skills and your understanding of the information you’ve found. It will give a detailed overview of the genre, answering the following questions:

  • When did the genre first appear?
  • What were the first books and authors in the genre? Were they popular?
  • What are the genre conventions (character, setting, themes, plot). Describe the conventions.
  • If you can find out this information you might want to also talk about at what times in history does the genre become popular. For example, vampire fiction has been known to become popular during epidemics and large-scale illnesses.

 
Note: This should not be a series of quotes from secondary sources. Show your understanding of the information with short analysis of the information. You must cite at least three reputable sources for this section. Your information must be properly cited and should include a Works Cited List.
STAGE TWO: THE PRESENTATION                Date Due:_______________________________
 
Your presentation should prove or disprove the following thesis:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Your speech will be written in a format similar to an essay, except that it will be read aloud to the class, and you will add an accompanying PowerPoint Presentation as a visual aid for your points.
 
Your speech should follow the following format:
 
Introduction (1/2 page) – Less than 1 Minute
 

  • Start with a hook
  • Briefly introduce the genre
  • Brief summary of short story and novel (Include titles and authors)
  • Thesis should be the last sentence of the paragraph

 
Genre Info (at least 1 – 1 ½  page) – 1-1.5 Minutes
 
Detailed overview of the genre which includes:
 

  • When did the genre first appear?
  • What were the first books and authors in the genre? Were they popular?
  • What are the genre conventions (character, setting, themes, plot)
  • If you can find out this information you might want to also talk about at what times in history does the genre become popular. For example, vampire fiction has been known to become popular during epidemics and large-scale illnesses.

 
Book/Genre Comparison (3 good paragraphs) – 2-2.5 Minutes
 

  • Compare and contrast how your book and short story follows or does not follow the genre’s conventions.
  • Look at 3 of the following conventions: characters, plot, setting, theme,
  • Each paragraph requires 3 quotes: 1 from your theory; 1 from the short story; 1 from the novel
  • Make sure to explain yourself! For example if you were doing the hero’s journey, don’t just write that the Dumbledore is the wise old mentor in Harry Potter. Write that Dumbledore is the wise old mentor whose job it is to prepare the hero for the coming struggles.

 
Use the following to structure your paragraph:

  • Topic Sentence
  • Quote from the theory (make sure to introduce the quote)
  • Example/Quote from the novel or short story (make sure to introduce the quote)
  • Explanation
  • Example/Quote from short story (make sure to introduce the quote)
  • Explanation
  • Final sentence

 
Conclusion (1/2 a page) – Less than 1 Minute
 

  • Include details about the genre, short story and novel
  • Restate your thesis and main points

 
 
Your PowerPoint presentation should include the following:
 

  • Clear titles that are in the same order as your speech
  • Your thesis
  • Your 3 main points
  • Your quotations (1 per slide – avoid slides with too much text!)
  • Pictures/graphics that may help to make your points clearer/easier to understand
  • Major details ONLY (you are not including your speech on your slides)
  • Point form style

 
Your entire speech should take 5-10 minutes to read.
 
You will be allowed an up to 10 minutes in order to point out information on your PowerPoint presentation, to answer questions, or if your speech is a little longer than it is supposed to be.
 
However, you will be cut off after 10 minutes as there needs to be time for each student to present.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Genre Book/Short Story List
 
Bildungsroman (The Coming of Age Story)

Novel Short Story
·         Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger
·         Persepolis – Marjane Satrapi
·         A Tree Grows in Brooklyn – Betty Smith
·         The Secret Life of Bees – Sue Monk Kidd
·         About a Boy – Nick Hornby
·         How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents – Julia Alvarez
·         The Perks of Being a Wallflower – Stephen Chobsky
·         The Virgin Suicides – Jeffrey Eugenides
·         About a Boy – Nick Hornby
 		 ·      “A & P” – John Updike
·      “Araby” – James Joyce
·      “Daisy Miller” – Henry James
·      “My Kinsman, Major Molinuex” – Nathaniel Hawthorne

 
Fantasy

Novel Short Story
·         Lord of the Rings – J.R.R Tolkien
·         The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien
·         A Game of Thrones – G.R.R Martin
·         The Golden Compass – Phillip Pullman
·         The Dresden Files: Storm Front – Jim Butcher
·         Stardust – Neil Gaiman
·         Eragon – Christopher Paolini
·         A Wizard of Earthsea – Ursula K LeGuin
 		 ·   “Singing My Sister Down – Margo Lanagan
·   “October in the Chair” – Neil Gaiman
·   “The Dog King” – Holly Black
·   “The Case of Four and Twenty Blackbirds” –Neil Gaiman

 
Horror

Novel Short Story
·      Carrie – Stephen King
·      It – Stephen King
·      The Shining – Stephen King
·      I Am Legend – Richard Matheson
·      The Stepford Wives – Ira Levin
·      The Ruins – Scott Smith
·      World War Z – Max Brooks		 ·“Singing My Sister Down – Margo Lanagan
· “The Specialist’s Hat” – Kelly Link
·“The Pit and the Pendulum” –Edgar Alan Poe
·“The Masque of the Red Death” – Edgar Alan Poe
·“The Monkey’s Paws” – W.W. Jacobs
·“The Fall of the House of User” – Edgar Alan Poe
·“Premium Harmony” – Stephen King
 

 
Romance/Comedy

Novel Short Story
·      Most Nicholas Sparks novels
·      Twilight – Stephanie Meyer
·      The Princess Bride – William Goldman
·      Any Jane Austen novel
·      Water for Elephants – Sara Gruen
·      Stardust – Neil Gaiman		 ·      “A Rose for Emily” – William Faulkner
·      Tristan and Isolde (find a shorter version)
·      The myth of Cupid and Psyche – Bullfinch’s Mythology