DPS International (Saket)

Holiday Homework

Class VIII

English

Project 1

Writing Family Stories

In this project you have to create an interesting family memoir.

It will consist of a set of at least four stories. You are free to add more if you wish to.

Step 1

Ask your family members to tell you an interesting anecdote from their lives. The anecdote can be about an unexpected event, a learning experience, inspiring incident/ meeting, a turning point of their life or the life of a dear one, a historical event they happened to witness or even influence and so on. Encourage them to recreate the scene for you in all its sensorial details describing the characters involved and the setting. You could even get your family members to share the same family story from their own viewpoint. In that case the basic story is the same but the narrator’s perspective is different.

At this stage make detailed notes. Remember these notes are a part of your final presentation.

Step 2

Develop a story trying out different possible sequencing of events to create maximum effect. The story must have a beginning, middle and end with a building up of conflict, events leading to crisis and a resolution in the end.

Step 3

Take a scrapbook with blank and ruled sheets. Paste some pictures or even better draw something from your imagination and write a related story on the opposite page. Each story should begin with a plan which includes the notes you took in step 1.

Step 4

Finally, give this collection an interesting title. Remember that this project carries your family name and it must reflect your pride in it.

Project 2

1. Read one of the following books

The Kite runner by Khalid Hosseini.

I, Robot by Isaac Asimov.

Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold.

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

2. Write a blog every week about your reading of the book discussing what you have read that week. You should be able to write five blog entries by the time the school reopens.

3. Based on these five entries write a book review of the book you have read using the formatgiven below. You have to finally submit both the blogs and the review on the day the school opens.

Book Review

The Book Review:

Although a book review, like a book report, spends some time discussing the content of the book, its main purpose is not informational, but analytical and persuasive. The writer, in analysing the content, format, argument, and context within which the book was written, argues that the book is worth reading or not.

Preparing to Write the Book Review: Before you write the book review, but after you have read the book, you should make notes on the following areas:

►The Author:

  • Background and qualifications
  • Writing style
  • Use of sources (see Bibliography & Table of Charts & Figures)
  • His/her purpose in writing the book

►The Book Format:

  • Table of Contents
  • Section & Chapter Titles
  • Index
  • Introduction (often tells the format, purpose, and intended audience)

►The Content:

  • Introduction/Conclusion
  • Preface
  • Chapter summaries
  • Tables, Graphs, Figures, etc.

Structure of the Book Review: The following format can be used for the Book Review. (Note: you do not have to answer every question; these are only suggestions to guide your writing).

►Introduction:

  • A general description of the book: title, author, subject, and format. Here you can include details about who the author is and where he/she stands in this field of inquiry. You can also link the title to the subject to show how the title explains the subject matter.
  • A brief summary of the purpose of the book and its general argument or theme. Include a statement about for whom the book is intended.
  • Your thesis about the book: What is your opinion on the ideas of the book? Is it a suitable/appropriate piece of writing about the problem for the audience it has identified?

►Main Body

Summary of the Content:

  • Write at least 3 – 4 sentences about the plot: (What was the story about? Who were the main characters? What did the main characters do in the story? Did the main characters run into problems or have any adventures? Who was your favourite character? Why?)
  • What is the writer’s style: simple/technical; persuasive/logical?

Evaluation of the Text:
This is the heart of your book review. You should discuss a variety of issues here:

  • How clearly is the book written?
  • Did the author achieve his/her goal? How did he/she do this or fall short?
  • What are the author's most important points? List at least two examples of how the author proved or did not prove points he was trying to make.
  • What possibilities does the book suggest for the reader?
  • What did the book leave out?
  • How the book compares to others on the subject?
  • What personal experiences do you have relating to the subject?
  • Could you relate to any of the characters in the story?
  • Have you ever done some of the things or felt some of the same things that the character did?
  • What did you like best about the book? What did you like least about the book?
  • If you could change something in the book, what would it be?

►Conclusion (Your recommendation)

  • Tie together any issues raised in the review
  • Would you recommend this book to another person?
  • What type of person would like this book?

There is, of course, no set formula, but a general rule of thumb is that the first one-half to two-thirds of the review should summarize the author's main ideas while the remainder of the report should evaluate the book.

Editing: Questions to ask yourself

Does my introduction clearly set out who the author is, what the book is about, and what I think about the value of the book? / Yes or No
Have I clearly presented all the facts about the book: title, author, publication details, and content summary? / Yes or No
Is my review well organized with an easily identifiable structure? / Yes or No
Have I represented the book’s organizational structure and argument fairly and accurately? / Yes or No
Have I presented evidence from the book to back up statements I have made about the author, his/her purpose, and the structure, research and argument of the book? / Yes or No
Have I presented a balanced argument about the value of the book for its audience? (Harsh judgements are difficult to prove and show academic intolerance) / Yes or No

Rubrics-

Content- 5 marks

Structure- 5 marks

Language- 5 marks

Presentation – 5 marks

Total - 20 marks

English Literature

It is Shakespeare’s 450th birth anniversary. Let’s celebrate SHAKESPEARE!

1Watch the film The Merchant of Venice – 2004 version; Director: Daniel Sullivan. Create the DVD case of it. You must set it out like a proper DVD case. Remember to present the play creatively.

2Create a quiz on William Shakespeare. It must have at least 15 questions and an answer sheet. It should be more than true or false.

3Create a diary entry from someone in Shakespeare’s day. It could be an actor or a member of an audience at the Globe. Write their experiences.

Use the Internet to research – do not print off the Internet!

Rubrics for DVD case

Rubrics for Content Quiz

Mathematics

Creative Component

Students of the class have been divided into sets of 3. Each group is given one topic. Each student of the group will make their own inputs in the topic independently during the holidays. Topics are given below.

1.Proving algebraic products using algebra tiles.

Students are required to research on the topic and make algebra tiles. Students will explain how tiles can be used to add, subtract, multiply and divide algebraic expressions. They can refer to the sites provided below for research. Each child of the group will make tiles and show one mathematical operator. You can refer to the following tiles.

Site 1-

Site 2-

2.Tessellations:-

Students are required to share the mathematical ideas behind perfectly fitting motifs on pavement, ceilings, walls and carpets. The study of tessellation cuts across mathematics, art, architecture, culture and history. Tessellations can be found not only in man-made monuments but also the natural world- in the honeycombs, the skins of snake and shells of tortoise.

Students are required to research on the topic give a write up of 2 pages along with practical tessellations patterns to be drawn and made using cardboard/ thermocole sheet. Each child of the group will make a tessellation pattern of his/her own.

Site 1-

Site 2-

Site 3-

Site 4-

3.Board Games and Puzzles- Each student in the group will make his/ her own board game or mathematical puzzle related to any maths topic. Give the guidelines for playing the game.

4.Mathematicians- Students of the group will research about Aryabhatta, Ramanujan and Pythagoras and will make a poster on their contribution to mathematics.

5.Symmetry –Rotational and linear- Each student of the group will make a model to explain symmetry.

Site 1-

Site 2-

Rubrics-

Creativity- 5 marks

Presentation – 5 marks

Worksheets:-

12 Practice assignments were uploaded online for this session. Students are required to redo all the practice assignments properly with statements in the holidays.The same will be available in the student’s login.

Science

Research Work

Research and make a working model on any one of the following topics:-

  • Vande-Graff- Generator
  • Hydraulic Arm/Bridge/Jack
  • Solar Car
  • Maglev Train

OR

Any other innovative model on Energy Conversion/E-waste.

All research work should be compiled in a Project file which should contain the followings:-

  • Information about the working model.
  • Method
  • Utility in present scenario.

Rubrics:

Research Work – 3 marks

Presentation (Project File) – 2 marks

Working of model (working + oral presentation) – 3 + 2 marks

Total – 10 marks

Social Science

Do either the History or Geography Home work.

History

  • Research from internet resources and write a debate – for and against both

(Turncoat )on the topics given below.

  • Each topic – total word count for both for and against – minimum 500 words [250 for each point of view].
  • Debates should be hand written

a)Freedom of press is fundamental

b)The First World War could have been avoided

c)India will be a superpower by 2020.

Oral presentation of the debate

  • Freedom of press is fundamental
  • the First World War could have been avoided
  • India will be a superpower by 2020.

Rubrics

  1. Research and content -3 marks
  2. Writing skills and language proficiency -4 marks
  3. Presentation of the debate – 3 marks

Total- 10 marks

Geography

Script writing

Topic: Various problems arising due to rapid rise in population. (Problems like- infant mortality rate and low life expectancy etc.)

Script should have 5-6 characters

Script should be of 3-5 mins.

Rubrics- Content Research (4 marks)

Presentation (3 marks)

Writing skills ( 3 marks)

Total- 10 marks.

ICT

Moving back in time

ThroughMovie Making / Website/ Collage of 8-10 photographs along with captions (taken by the student), depict how things would have been 50 years ago. You can collect or gather information from the elders in your family/community.

Rubrics-

For Website- Content – 4 marks

Structure- 2marks

Interactivity- 2marks

Overall experience - 2marks

For Movie- Script/Content/Composition – 4 marks

Originality- 2 marks

Sound- 2 marks

Overall Quality – 2 marks

For Photograph- Relevance (Topic) – 4 marks

Creativity- 2 marks

Technical Quality – 2 marks

Overall Quality – 2 marks

Rubrics- Writingskill-

Vocabulary- 1 marks

Content- 3 marks

Language- 2 marks

Spellings – 2 marks

Oral Presentation- 2 marks

Total - 10marks

French (2L & 3L)

  1. Ecrivez un article sur un des sujets donnes et illustrez avec les photos: (to be sent to your respective teacher in soft copy to: or
  • L’internet
  • L’argent de poche
  • Mesloisirs
  1. Preparezune brochure surune des villesdonnees: (to be done on A3 sized cartridge sheet)
  • Nice
  • Rochelle
  • Marseille
  • Bordeaux
  • Lyon

Rubrics- Content- 5 marks

Presentation-3marks

Oral-2marks

3rd Language

Spanish

  1. Assignment Booklet:

Complete Exercises till Pg 39 & 44-46.

  1. Book Review:

The students will have to read a Spanish Story Book and write a book review on coloured A-4 sheets. (Can be made creative by adding colours and drawings to it)

How to review:

  • Title/Publication/Cover Page /No.of Pages
  • Brief introduction of the author
  • Synopsis
  • Special mention of a part of book, liked the most
  • One incident is to be taken from the book and to be expressed in students’ own words in Spanish (100 words)

List of the Novels they can choose from:

Lola Lago Series

i)Una Nota Falsa

ii)Lejos de la casa

iii)Llamada de la Habana

iv)Por amor al arte

EasyReaders (Difusion)

i)La vida es un Tango

ii)Taxi a Coyoacan

iii)Pisco significa Pajaro

EasyReaders (Edinumen)

i) Carnaval

ii)Presente Perpetuo

iii) Amnesia

iv)Historia de una distancia

v)La Pena

Students can also try thefollowing links tochoosean e-book:

cuentos.htm

cuentosfantasticosparaadolescentes.blogspot.com

Rubrics for the Book Review

Presentation / Language&Expression / Handling of Content
5 / 15 / 10

Dramatization of a story: Students will research Spanish Proverbs (Dichos y Refranes) and a fable based on any one. They will write the script for the play. This will be executed in a dialogue form to be dramatized in the class.

Rubrics for the Script & Play:

Content / Expression/Voice modulation during dialogue delivery / Language and Structure to create effect / Body Language / Total
5 / 5 / 5 / 5 / 20

German

  1. Exercises in the Assignment Booklet to be completed till July.

Special Tasks –

Dramatization of a story: Search German Proverbs (Sprichwörter und Redewendungen) and a fable based on any one of them, which will be dramatized later. Present the script of the play along with relevant illustrations.

Note: The prepared script should also be sent by email.

Rubrics:

  1. Content / Imaginative Approach (5)
  2. Expression / Language and structure (5)
  3. Presentation (5)
  4. Creativity (5)

1