House of the Scorpion Final Project Options-Group
Each group will choose from among the following activities (maximum of 10 minutes for the presentation). The group can either choose one option as a whole group or combine options.
1. Draw a comic strip/graphic novel of your favorite 3-4 (depending on how many people are in your group) scenes from the book (a minimum of 30-40 panels).
2. Write different endings for the book. Provide a couple of options and plan a presentation to a publisher. Be sure to focus on character development as part of these alternate endings.
3. Interview characters from your book as if you are on a TV talk show (ala Oprah). Write at least 20 questions that will give the characters the opportunity to discuss their thoughts and feelings about their role in the story. These must go beyond just events. However you choose to present your interview is up to you. This could be done in video format.
4. Write the copy for a newspaper front page that is devoted entirely to the book you read. The front page should look as much like a real newspaper page as possible. Create it as if the events actually happened. Write a news and or feature story about main events, do a feature story on one of the more interesting characters in another. Include an editorial and a collection of ads that would be pertinent to the story. Write an obituary for a character.
5. Choose as many of the major characters as people in your group, and, as those people, put together a scrapbook or memory box of special memories and mementoes for each character. Be true to the characters and write a description of each item and an in-depth explanation of its significance to the character and connection back to the text. These can be representative/symbolic items.
6. Design an advertising campaign to promote the sale of the book you read or a movie version of the book. Include each of the following: a poster, a radio or TV commercial, a magazine or newspaper ad, a bumper sticker, and a button.
7. Create a board game based on events and characters in the book you read. By playing your game, members of the class should learn what happened in the book, aspects of the characters, themes, etc. Your game must include the following: a game board, a rule sheet and clear directions, events and characters from the story.
8. You are a prosecuting attorney putting one of the characters from the book you read on trial for a crime or misdeed. Prepare your case on paper, giving all your arguments. Put on a trial for the class with characters as witnesses. The class will be the jury. (Your group can combine with another group to put on the trial with one group representing the prosecuting side and the other representing the defense side. Each person must play a character role or an attorney role.)
9. Create your own option. You must get this approved by me before proceeding.
House of the Scorpion Final Project Options-Individual
Each individual will choose from among the following activities to share with the class (maximum of 3 minutes for the presentation).
1. Give a plot line for a sequel for the book. Explain clearly how you would further develop the characters in this sequel.
2. Draw a comic strip/graphic novel of your favorite scene from the book (a minimum of 8-10 panels).
3. Make believe you are the author of the book and you want the book to be made into a movie. Persuade the class why this would be a great blockbuster movie. Who would you like starring in the roles and how the book would translate into a movie. Create a movie poster for the book and explain why these actors would be the best representatives of the characters in the novel.
4. Write a collection of poems that represent the novel. These can retell the story, can represent characters, or can represent the themes. Poems should be a total of 30-50 lines combined. (For example, this could be 10 haiku poems). Write a paragraph explaining how your poems represent the novel.
5. Create some sort of visual art work (2D or 3D) to represent the novel. Think beyond just the events. This could represent themes. Write a paragraph explaining your artwork and how it represents the novel.
6. Make "wanted" posters for 3-4 of the characters in your book. Include the following: (a) a drawing or cut out picture of the characters, (b) a physical description of the characters, (c) the characters’ misdeeds (or deeds?), (d) other information about the characters which is important, (e) the reward offered for the capture of the character or object. Include victim and witness statements from characters from the book.
7. Write a persuasive essay on whether or not Matt should be considered “human.”
8. Write a cause and effect essay. Examine either the causes of Matt’s changes throughout the novel or the effects that Matt has on others. (example: You can look at three different characters and argue the effects that they have on Matt’s character.) This could also count as a literary analysis, but cited quotes must be included.
9. Create your own option. You must get this approved by me before proceeding.
Scoring
Overall Quality Rubric-
36-40 Book project was done in a very creative way. Much detail and effort were put into the project, and it was error free. Project went beyond simple factual level of the novel and considered deeper themes or character analysis. All necessary components for the project were included.
32-35 Some detail and fair amount of effort were put into the project. The project went beyond simple factual level and included some analysis. All necessary components for the project were included.
28-31 The book project lacked creativity. It only covered basic factual information from the text. All necessary components for the project were included.
24-27 The project was too simplistic and not much effort was put into it. The explanation of the book was vague. Some of the necessary components required was missing.
Presentation Rubric
9-10 Dressed appropriately, was loud, clear, and understandable. Used technology and/or props appropriately. Was prepared to present and kept the presentation to within the allotted time. The presentation was highly engaging to listen to and deeper themes came across clearly.
8 The presentation of the project was fairly clear, loud enough, and understandable. We understood the important points of their book and could see how the project tied in with it.
7 One or more of the above items was not done to standard. The explanation of the book wasn't very clear, so it was harder to see how the project fit in with the book.
6 Most of the items were not to standard or one item done very unprofessionally. The audience could not figure out how the project fit the book.