Column I Stand Alone Projects

Talkin ‘Bout My Generation

Define your generation or characterize the world in which it lives. Use research, statistics, and facts to create a hypothesis and then support a conclusion. Are you guys really different than other generations? What traits distinguish you? How much is this just about American children? What has the greatest impact, technology or child-rearing? Something else to say, youngster?

Predict our future trajectory—decline and fall of Western Civilization? Utopia? Status Quo?

I am Andy Warhol

This option probably allows for the most creativity. It also has the potential to be most difficult. In short, you must characterize the times we live in using several sources that discuss trends. Then you must decide how you might like that to change in a substantial, culturally significant way. Then, you must produce a piece of Postmodern art that supports that cultural change. You must follow your artistic endeavor with a statement (1-2 pages) or presentation discussing the impact you attempted to make and the choices that went into the work. This option requires: at least three published articles that informed your opinion and regular meetings with the teacher.

Your Satirical Self

Satire – literature that blends ironic humor and wit with criticism for the purpose of ridiculing folly, vice, stupidity – the whole range of human foibles and frailties – in individuals and institutions. Satire seeks to correct, improve, or reform through ridicule, unlike comedy.

  • Ideas: Write a satire about the contemporary/ modern world. Use something you know. You may satirize school, the media, fashion obsession, technology obsession, etc.
  • Format: Write as an essay, a short story, or a short play/screenplay (see me for formatting requirements).
  • This should not be preachy! It should be funny and well developed.

Your Philosophy of Life

ESSAY – Write an essay using at least three published articles on a topic. Incorporate events from your life, people you’ve with whom you’ve agreed or disagreed, things you’ve heard or read, to illustrate how you developed a particular philosophy on up to three of the topics below. Include analogies to explain/illustrate theories. What is your philosophy of life? Consider: What do you value? What do you fear? To what do you aspire? What do your morals prohibit?

Off-Off-Off-Off Broadway

This option is also no slouch in the areas of creativity and difficulty. Join the ranks of Sophocles, Shakespeare, Williams, O’Neill, and Chekov: Write a one-act play that comments on one of the great dilemmas of our contemporary human condition. Choose a cast, sit in your director’s chair, and perform your words; logistics of performance to be negotiated with the teacher. Evaluation to be negotiated. Turn in a “cover letter” explaining your creative choices and your thematic goals. You may also do this with puppets. Or a film.

Big Bang Theory

Write an original Kilgore Trout /sci-fi story that has, at its core, the major fear of the 21st century. The atomic age had giant ants, Godzilla, and the Hulk all created by radiation. UFO’s invaded like the communists. Genetics and viruses spawned new versions of Spiderman and zombies. What’s new?

Include:

  1. A creature, robot, or alien.
  2. A story that introduces a conflict, complicates it, complicates it more, then resolves it. (see story writing help sheet)

Column II Reading/PoMo Projects

I’m Unique, just like you

Write a postmodern memoir inspired by Eggers’ approach. It should be 3-4 pages and (maybe?) much more focused than Dave’s. Include uses of PoMo devices such as pastiche, meta-fiction, irony, simulacra, etc. Consider PoMo in your narrative approaches-- tone, themes, and structure.

You will also turn in a one page explanation that cites specific passages from the Eggers memoir that inspired your choices or to which you are responding with certain ideas or any other way that the book informed your writing. Which it must.

You Are James Franco

Adapt a section of the novel to screenplay format. Turn the story into pictures and sounds. Formatting and length requirements to follow. Film it for extra credit.

Student Teacher

Create and teach a lesson on your topic, novel, or poet. You will turn in lesson outlines that include

  1. Objectives—what you hope the students learn
  2. Activities and/or shiny things (video clips, powerpoints, technology!)—you cannot just lecture. Journals, ‘Do Now’s”, or games are needed.
  3. Lecture and class discussion questions—ultimately you will be the font of knowledge and make sure we get it. All of it.

Then teach it.

Graphic Novel

Create a graphic novel of a yourtext or of a portion of it—or pare the whole novel down to its essential parts. Illustrate the action, imagery, and anything else you can.

Word count can be lower, but between narrative and dialogue, it should still be about 500 words.

I don’t want to be an elf, I want to be a dentist!

Go to the library or the book store (or use one of the nonfiction texts offered in Part I). Find some interesting non-fiction that you have never read, but that that you feel might pertain to one of the concepts we’ve spent time on in class this year. Submit the book to me for approval, read the book, and then choose one of the following options:

  1. Write a five-to-six-page paper divided into two parts. The first part is an explanation of the book and its connection to the course. The second part is a close analysis of one, two, or three excerpts in the book as expressions of the central meaning(s) of the text.

OR

  1. Form a book club, either with others who would like to read the same book or with others who would like to participate in a “jigsaw” book group where each person reads something different and the meetings consist of discussion about all of the texts. Each group member submits:
  • a three-to-four-page paper in which he or she explains the connection between a selected excerpt of one of his or her group member’s texts and part or all of his or her own—OR a three page paper that explains the book and its connection to the course;
  • A record of the group’s meetings, the logistics of which shall be negotiated between the group and the teacher.
  • Present a reflection of your experience and learning to the entire class.