English 9name:

Mrs. Sharpperiod:

Independent Novel Project & the Hero’s Journey Project Planner

When you are claiming that a certain event in a story is a specific step of the Hero’s Journey, you have to be able to back up that claim with evidence. For this project, your evidence will be a quote from the story and your explanation of how that event is representative of the step.

Example: The Adventures of Spiderman

Step of the HJ / Example from the book / Quotation to support
(with PAGE #) / Explanation
Call to Adventure / Peter Parker gets bitten by the spider. / “I thought you were sick.”
“I’m better!” / When Peter gets bitten by the spider, he feels very sick and when he goes home, he passes out on the floor. When he wakes up in the morning, he suddenly has bigger muscles, feels amazing and has perfect eyesight. This is his first experience with his new power.

Directions: Use the following chart to map out the steps of your hero’s journey. Make sure to find a quote (INCLUDE PAGE NUMBERS), and explain how this quote supports your claim that the event matches up with the step of the journey. Be thorough! This will serve as an outline for your final project.

Book Title: ______Author: ______

Step of the Journey / Example from the book / Quote to support / Explanation
Ordinary World
Call to Adventure
Refusal of the Call
Meeting the Mentor
Threshold Guardian
Crossing the Threshold
Special World
Belly of the Whale
Talisman/
Supernatural Aid
The Road of Trials:
Tests, Allies, and Enemies
(cont.)
The Road of Trials:
Tests, Allies, and Enemies
Approaching the Cave
The Ordeal
The Reward
The Road Back
Death and Resurrection
Return with the Elixir
Freedom to Live
Master of Two Worlds

Hero’s Journey Project Checklist

Use the following checklist to ensure your project is complete and demonstrates high-quality work. If you’d like, you can have a peer check your work for you. Of course, you should also use the rubric to check and evaluate your work.

Things to Consider
Elements of the Hero’s Journey / How many steps are covered?
Are they in the right order?
Are there examples from the text for each step?
Does the project show an understanding of the idea of the Journey?
How would a viewer know if this student understands the idea of the Hero’s Journey?
Analysis of Text / Are there details/examples for each step of the Journey?
Are there direct quotations? Images? Clips?
Do the examples fit properly with the steps of the Journey?
How would a viewer know if this student understands how his story fits into the idea of the Hero’s Journey?
Presentation and Design / How does it look/sound?
What medium was used (slide show, PowerPoint, storyboard, etc)? Does it fit or work well?
What does “quality” work look/sound like?
How will the viewer be able to tell that time and effort was put in to the project?
Mechanics, Organization, Conventions / Are there mistakes in spelling & grammar?
How’s the “flow” or organization?
Is the language appropriate?
How can the viewer tell that this student can write complete sentences?
How will the viewer know that this student took the time to check over his work?
Time on Task / How did you use your time in class this week?
Did you come prepared with the materials you needed to work on your project?
Would it be obvious to an observer that you were working on your project?
How much were you able to accomplish in each 48 minute class period?

All projects must CLEARLY DEFINE and REPRESENT ALL of the following steps of the Journey:

Ordinary World

Call to Adventure

Crossing the Threshold

Special World

(Meeting the) Mentor

The Road of Trials (including Tests, Allies, and Enemies)

Approaching the Cave

The Ordeal

The Reward

The Road Back

Death and Resurrection

Freedom to Live

All Additional aspects of the Hero’s Journey are OPTIONAL.