Swindle
By Gordon Korman
Assignments
1. Read pages 1-40
Complete Literature Role
Due:
2. Read pages 41-80
Complete Literature Role
Due:
3. Read pages 81-126
Complete Literature Role
Due:
4. Read pages 127-163
Complete Literature Role
Due:
5. Read pages 164-208
Complete Literature Role
Due:
6. Read pages 209-End
Complete Literature Role
Due:
Literary Jobs
Choose a different job to do each assignment from the list below. Read through the jobs carefully so that you choose one that you will enjoy. It is a good idea to choose your job AFTER you read your chapters. This way, you may find a job that perfectly “fits” what you were thinking as you were reading.
It is important that you follow all of the rules below when completing and presenting your weekly literary job. If you do not, you will not be able to earn full credit for your work!
1. Follow ALL directions in the job descriptions.
2. Complete your jobs on time.
3. You should write at least 5 detailed sentences for most jobs (unless the job description says otherwise). Many jobs require more than 5 sentences in order to be completed properly.
4. Your jobs must specifically relate to the chapters you read for homework.
5. Present your literary job in an enthusiastic way to your group members without reading directly from your paper.
6. Participate in the group discussion frequently by responding to other group members’ jobs and ideas with your own ideas.
Literary Job Choices
Author Praiser
Write a letter to the author of your book. In your letter, tell the author why you are enjoying his or her book. Explain to the author what you really enjoy about the way he or she writes. Maybe the author includes lots of details in his or her writing. Maybe the author is really funny. Maybe the author uses lots of new words for you to learn. You decide!
Book Jumper
Choose one character from the chapters you read for homework. Pretend that you have “jumped” into the book and actually became that character! Now you are able to make decisions as this character. What decisions from the chapters you read for homework would you have made the same as this character? What decisions would you have made differently? Why?
Character Complimentor
When you compliment somebody, you say nice things to him or her. Your job is to choose a character who you want to compliment. Give the character at least one compliment, and then explain why this character is so deserving of a compliment. Finally, describe an award that you would give this character for his or her good behavior. For example, maybe you would give this character the Good Citizenship Award along with a new bike (because her old bike was stolen).
Character Critique
When you critique something, you critically evaluate it. In other words, you tell what is really good or what is really bad about something. Your job is to critique a character for BAD reasons. Choose a character who you don’t feel is making good decisions. Explain what this character is doing wrong, and what he or she should be doing instead. Finally, provide a punishment for this character for his or her bad behavior!
Charadist
Choose one part of the chapters you read for homework that you would like to silently act out for your group. Your group will guess which part you chose. In your journal, you will write three things. First, describe which part you decided to act out. Be specific. Second, explain why you decided to act that part out for your group. Maybe you thought it was funny, scary, sad, or suspenseful. Maybe you thought it was important for another reason. Finally, describe how you plan to act this part out for your group.
Comic Artist
Your job as the comic artist is to create a comic strip depicting an important scene from the chapters you read for homework. Your comic must be sequential (in order), and it must be neatly drawn and colored. Additionally, you will need to include dialogue in speech bubbles. If you prefer, there are many great tools available to you via the internet. Visit (http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/, http://www.toondoo.com/, or you can certainly draw your scene the old fashioned way. There is no journal entry needed for this role as long as your comic is extremely detailed, colorful, and includes dialogue.
Creative Cat
The job of the creative cat is to come up with at least 3 crazy, creative “What if…?” questions that would make the setting or characters different from how they currently are. For example, “What if Edward could talk?” or “What if Edward was a girl?” or “What if the story took place in Africa?” After each question, write about how the story would differ if these were the circumstances.
Epilogue Writer
*Note: this role can only be completed at the end of a book.
An epilogue is a short passage added at the end of some books. It tells what eventually happened to the main characters of a book. Write an epilogue for your book, telling what eventually happened to the main characters of your book. Most epilogues start with words such as, “Ten Years Later…” or “One Year Later…”
Fairness Coach
Your job is to find parts of the chapters you read for homework that are FAIR and UNFAIR. As a child, I’m sure you’ve said the words, “That’s not fair!” plenty of times. Now is your chance to say those words to the characters in the book! Find at least 4 total of fair and/or unfair situations in the chapters you read. Explain why you feel each of these examples is either fair or unfair.
Figure Skater
As the figure skater, your job is to do two things: First, find at least 2 examples of figurative language in the chapters you read (ex. simile, metaphor, personification, alliteration, hyperbole, idiom, onomatopoeia, etc.) Write down the page numbers where you found them, and the two examples. Secondly, create your own figurative language examples to go along with what you read. Include one of each of the following: simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, and alliteration. For example, you might say, “Edward was as grumpy as Oscar the Grouch at the beginning of the story.”
Friendster
Option 1: As the friendseter, your job is to choose a character in the book you are reading, and choose a character from another book, TV show, or movie who you think would be really good friends with this character. Why do you think they would become good friends if they met? What would they have to talk about? How are their personalities the same? Get creative!
Option 2: Choose a character in the book who you would want to be friends with. Why would you choose this character as your friend? What would you talk about with this character? How are your personalities the same?
Have in Common Connector
Your job here is to find connections between the book and your world. You can explain how something in your life is similar to something from the book. You can also describe how another book, movie, or TV show is similar to something in the book. Additionally, you may be able to tell how someone you know has something in common with another character in the book. You only need to write about one connection, but the more the merrier!
Investigator
Your job is to dig up some background information on the book and/or any topic related to it. Use whatever means you have at your disposal. Here are some suggestions: (1) Learn more about the geography, weather, culture, and/or history of the book’s setting, (2) Find out about the author, his or her life, and other books written by him or her, (3) If another book, author, movie, TV show, artist, song, city, famous person, location, etc. is mentioned in the book, find out some more information about it, or (4) If your book takes place in history, find some facts about that period of time that relate to what you are reading.
Journalist
Pretend you are a character in the book from the chapters you read for homework. After reading the chapters, write a journal or diary entry as though you are that character. Write about some things that the character would be thinking or feeling. Add voice to your writing so that it really sounds like the character. Make sure to write in First Person point of view, as though you are the character, using the words “I” and “me”.
Passage Master
Choose one passage from the chapters you read for homework. (Note: A passage is one page or less). First, write down the page number where you found this passage. In a paragraph, describe why you chose this passage. Maybe you thought the passage was important to the plot of the story, or maybe you have some opinions to share about the passage.
Phone Operator
As the phone operator, your job is to write a telephone conversation between two characters that could have occurred in the chapters you read for homework. Make the conversation detailed, and make sure it includes some of the plot events from the chapters you read. Do the best that you can to follow the rules of dialogue. Remember, every time a new character speaks, you need to begin a new paragraph. Also, only put quotation marks around the words that are actually being spoken. We will be learning more about how to properly write dialogue at the end of fourth grade, so do not worry about being perfect. Have fun!
Poet
As the poet, your job is to write a poem of at least 10 lines that pertains to the chapters you read for homework. Your poem does not have to rhyme, but it can if you want it to. In your poem, try to use some figurative language if possible. Your poem can be a summary of what you read, or it can be about something else related to the book. If you write an Acrostic poem, please make sure that each line is a sentence and not just a word.
Predictor
As the predictor, you will make at least 3 predictions about what will occur in future chapters of this book. After each prediction, explain why you made that prediction. In other words, what clues in the story lead you to believe that your prediction will come true? If you are completing this role at the end of the book, make predictions about what may happen in a sequel to the book.
Psychologist
A psychologist is a person who gives advice to those seeking it. As the psychologist, your job is to give advice to one particular character. Choose a character, and then give that character some personal advice about something related to the book. Write as though you are talking directly to the character. You can even get funny and pretend you are Dr. Phil!
Quotationist
As the quotationist, your job is to find one famous quotation that relates to the chapters you read for homework. Feel free to look through my basket of quotes or through books of famous quotations to find one that “fits”. Another option is to go to Google, and type in “Inspirational Quotes”. Several websites will come up with thousands of possible “fitting” quotes. In your journal, write down the quotation, and then describe in detail what this quotation has to do with the story.
Recipe Maker
The job of the recipe maker is to create a recipe for your book. This is not an ordinary recipe, though! This recipe includes ingredients from the book to make your story. For example, if you were writing about The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, perhaps you want to add “4 teaspoons of Abilene kindness” because Abilene is very kind. Maybe you want to add “1 pocket watch” because Edward always carries a pocket watch. Add at least 10 ingredients. Then give directions as to what should be done with your ingredients. For example, “Stir them all together and place them in a nonstick pan. Put the pan in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, and you will get a good book!”
Riddler
As the riddler, your job is to write four riddles that pertain to the chapters you read for homework. These riddles should lead your readers to an answer that you read about in the chapters you read for homework. Your riddle hints should start off really hard, and get progressively easier. Include at least 3 hints for each riddle. Here is an example:
Riddle #1:
Hint 1: I am easily bored.
Hint 2: I am an animal.
Hint 3: I like to wear fancy clothes.
Hint 4: I can only talk in my mind.
Who am I?
(Answer: Edward Tulane)
Scene Setter (Artsy Fartsy)
Choose a section of your reading that you were able to visualize well – in other words, you could really picture what the author described in your mind. Do not choose a section that was illustrated! Draw a very detailed, colorful picture of what you pictured in your mind on a blank sheet of paper. In your journal, write down what you decided to draw, and why you drew it. Explain what the author said that made the image so vivid in your mind.
Singer/Songwriter
As the singer/songwriter, your job is to write and sing a song or rap of at least 10 lines that pertains to the chapters you read for homework. Your song or rap can be a summary of what you read, or it can be about something else related to the book. You can write your song or rap to an original tune, or you can write the song to a familiar tune. For an added bonus, you can sing your song or rap while playing a keyboard or guitar. You can also rap to a beat on GarageBand!