ENG2DB – Grade Ten Academic English Final Performance Task


This evaluation is worth 15% of your final grade in the course

Final Performance Task Presentations will begin next Wednesday January 14th, 2015.

This final performance task will require that each student select a supplementary short story or poem (which will be supplied by your teacher or selected by you) to read during class time that explores ONE of the topics listed below. This topic must be explicit within the short story or poem and must be closely examined in your presentation.

While reading your short story or poem, and reviewing your selected class novel or play, you are expected to take detailed, hand-written reading notes that outline the development of your chosen topic (specific examples, relevant quotations, etc.). Atleasttwopages of detailed reading notes must be submitted to your teacher on the day of your presentation! You must also submit your presentation notes with your rubric on the day of your presentation.

Upon the completion of reading your short story or poem, you will be expected to prepare a FOUR MINUTE ORAL PRESENTATION in which your chosen topic is analyzed in oneof the following ways:

Topics to select from are the following:

  1. CLASS: Compare representations of ‘class’ in The Great Gatsby or Romeo and Juliet and your short story or poem selection. How are the wealthy and/or the working class represented and why?
  1. CHARACTERIZATION: Compare and contrast how two main characters are developed and why. Use The Great Gatsby or Romeo and Juliet and your short story or poem selection.
  1. SETTING: Compare how the novel or play and the short story or poem use setting and landscape (urban and/or natural) to develop a theme.
  1. GENDER ROLES: Compare and contrast gender roles in the novel or play and short story or poem. How are gender roles used to advance the plot or focus on a theme and why?

METHODS OF PRESENTATION:

You may pick one of the following presentation styles to deliver your final performance task presentation. Your presentation should be no longer than 4 minutes in length. The written version of your presentation should be between 850 - 1000 words (approximately) and must be DOUBLE-SPACED.

  1. Deliver an amusing and humorous “after dinner” speech about your topic – USE SATIRE!
  1. Deliver an oral formal essay of your selected topic (THESIS, 2-3 ARGUMENTS, POINT/PROOF/ANALYSIS FORMAT)
  1. Write a letter to one of the characters in the novel, play or short story in which you discuss one of the above listed topics. Your letter will still need to use a comparative structure and include analysis. (YOU WILL LIKELY DELIVER THE LETTER IN ROLE AS A CHARACTER OF YOUR CHOICE)
  1. Create story boards and a proposal for a visual product (a film, television episode, commercial, advertisement) which examines your topic. Use graphics on your story boards which demonstrate how you came up with the final product.
  1. Social Media. Select two characters from different texts (novel/play and short story/poem) who you believe could be friends if they were to ever meet. You must demonstrate your understanding of one of the four topics listed above. Demonstrate your understanding of the personality, motivations and interests of each of the characters through the following product:
  • An annotated Facebook profile of each character, complete with carefully-selected quotations, status updates, postings, etc. Demonstrate your analysis of the characters’ personality traits while still making a connection to one of the four topics listed above. Include imagined postings to each character’s Facebook walls that illustrate their traits, interests and motivations.

STEPS TO COMPLETION:

  1. Choose your short story or poem.

Title: ______

Author: ______

  1. Choose one topic from your two literary pieces (novel or play and short story or poem) that you wish to focus on in your presentation.

Chosen topic:

  1. Read your short story or poem and novel or play and write at least two pages of detailed reading notes relating to a specific topic in the short story and novel or play (hand-written notes are encouraged).
  1. Outline your presentation. Select two-three different criteria/arguments to compare and develop in your presentation, which will support your chosen topic. Use specific examples/quotations from your short story or poem and novel or play to support your three key criteria.
  1. Prepare an engaging introduction and conclusion for your presentation that captures the attention of your audience. For your introduction do not simply say, “The short story I chose to read is...” or deliver your conclusion as “That's all....I'm done.”
  1. Consider what props, visual aids, or relevant costumes you could incorporate into your presentation to add theatrical flair and visual appeal.
  1. Memorize your presentation thoroughly. Each student will be permitted two 3”x 5” cue cards on which he or she can record the key points of his or her presentation (do not use full sheets of paper - you will be penalized).
  1. Be sure that you clearly discuss and analyze your chosen topic. The topic you have chosen should be evident to your audience during your presentation.
  1. On presentation days, students watching presentations will need complete a reflection handout. Students will pick 6 presentations and respond to the questions on the reflection sheet. Reflections sheets will be handed in on the last day of presentations.
  1. This is worth 15% of your final mark; make sure that you have EARNED it!
  1. Everyone MUST be ready to present next Tuesday January 14th, 2015. The order of presentations will NOT be announced beforehand.

Evaluation: See the rubric attached for specific evaluation criteria.