Inspiring Future Mad Scientists

Children’s Book Project

Due date: May 3, 2017

For this assignment, you will create a story to teach an elementary school kid about a science concept that you learned this year. You will write as creative a story as you want!! We will have time in class to write this story, but you must use your time wisely! As one of the last major grades (test grade) we will have this year, turning this in ON TIME is vital!! You will work on this assignment independently. You may choose a topic from the list. If you want to do something not listed, you must see the teacher for prior approval.

We will follow the writing process, and begin by pre-writing using a graphic organizer. As good authors do, you must plan an outline for the story; this includes the setting, plot, characters, climax, and the resolution, among other areas. Once this outline is completed, you may begin writing your story.

We will check various parts of the process with a checklist that you must also complete and have initialed.

Requirements

Writing this creative story will testyour knowledge of the science content as well as many aspects of English/Language Arts. Aside from writing and creativity, this assignment hones and sharpens your grammar and spelling skills.

Items I will look at closely in your writing, include, but arenot limited to:

Story and Science Content

Your book needs to include plot, setting, characterization, conflict, and resolution.

Science concept should be fully and properly explained

Must include 10 vocabulary terms

Science specific connection must be made

Content should be accurate, comprehensive, and well supported

Your audience is younger children. Make sure they will understand the book!

Grammar and Spelling

*Editing is a vital part of the writing process. Please write a rough draft and have at least two people edit your writing.

Correct use of punctuation

Dialogue with quotation marks (“ “)

Punctuation with quotation marks (commas before dialogue, etc.)

Writing

To receive full credit, you must have a total of 10 pages that have a colored picture and writing on each page

Every page needs at least one full paragraph. Every paragraph has to have at least four sentences.

The story can be written in first or third person

Illustrations

Each page should include a picture illustrating the writing

Must be colored

Literary Devices

Simile

Metaphor

Foreshadowing

Allusion (if appropriate for your story)

Irony (if appropriate for your story)

Personification (if appropriate for your story)

In addition, the book must have the following:

Cover should include title, author’s name, period, and a picture

Have at least4significant examples of dialogue (though you will likely use more!)

Must be at least 10pages with illustrations and writing

Your submitted story MUST have your pre-writing graphic organizer, your checklist, all rough draft copies, and your final copy (on top)

Student Checklist:

What / Due Date / Student Initials
Chosen Topic / April 26
Completed Story Plannerand signed by teacher / April 27
Page Planner graphic organizer / April 27
Draft #1 signed by teacher / April 28
Peer review completed / May 1
Made changes from peer review / May 1
Final copy including illustrations / May 3

Children’s Book Project Rubric

A / B / C / D
Cover
10 pts / Cover includes a title, neatly drawn and colored picture, author’s name, and period number. / The cover picture is not very neat or there is one item missing. / The cover picture is messy or there are more than two other items missing. / Cover is blank.
Pages
10 pts / There are at least 10 pages with writing and acolored picture on each page. / There are 8 pages with writing and a picture on each page. / There are only 6 pages with writing and a picture on each page, or there are numerous pages missing writing or a picture. / There are less than 6 complete pages.
Science Content
20 pts / Concept fully and properly explained. Science specific connection made. Content is accurate, comprehensive and well supported. Includes 10 vocabulary terms. / Adequate explanation. Science connection present but could be developed further. General scientific concepts presented. Includes at least 8 vocabulary terms. / Poor explanation. Inaccurate science connection. Misinterprets the science. Includes
at least 5 vocabulary terms. / No analysis of science topic. No explanation. No science specific connection. Includes less than 5 vocabulary terms.
Level of understanding
20 pts / You took a complicated science concept and explained it simply enough for a child to understand.
Your explanation shows your teacher that you fully understand the science concept
Difficulty appropriate for grade level.
Understanding present and apparent. / Difficulty of concept could be increased or developed.
Some level of understanding shown.
Some key details are in correct or missing / Explanation describes minimal level of validity.
Needs serious refinement.
Several key details are incorrect or missing / Difficulty of concept is not suitable for grade level/not related to science (too easy).
Superficial/irrelevant
Story
10 pts / The story includes characterization, plot, setting, conflict, and resolution. The story flows and makes sense. / The story makes sense, however one literary element is missing or not clearly defined. / The story has two literary elements that are missing or not clearly defined. / The story doesn’t make sense or there are more than two literary elements that are missing.
Writing
10 pts / Every page has at least one full complete paragraph. / One page does not contain a full complete paragraph. / Two pages do not contain a full complete paragraph. / Three or more pages do not contain a full complete paragraph.
Illustrations
10 pts / The illustrations help present the plot throughout all areas in the work. / The illustrations help present the plot in a majority of areas throughout the work. / The illustrations help present the plot in only a minority of areas throughout the work. / Illustrations are irrelevant or missing
Grammar and Spelling
10 pts / There are no spelling or grammar mistakes. / There are 2-4 spelling or grammar mistakes. / There are 5-6 spelling or grammar mistakes. / There are 7 or more spelling or grammar mistakes.

Story Planner

Page Planner Graphic Organizer

Page # / Narrative / Illustration
Title Page
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
EXTRA