English 10
Outside Reading Assignment #1
Fiction
Due Dates:
- Novel choice due ______.
- Parent permission form due ______.
- You must finish reading your novel and complete the requirements below by ______.
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Directions:
1.As you read, you should be conscientious in keeping track of important ideas and elements in your novel. Because you cannot write in the book (unless you own it), you should instead use Post-it notes to mark significant events, passages, details concerning characters and themes, literary elements, connections, personal observations, reactions, and questions. Taking good notes at this stage will make completing the soundtrack project MUCH easier later!
2.After you’ve finished reading the novel, summarize the story in two to four sentences (your own original summary, NOT one from the book jacket or Amazon.com, etc.!):
3.Circle your rating of the novel:EXCELLENT GOOD FAIR POOR
In a few sentences, explain why you chose this particular rating. Be specific in your response—do NOT simply say, “because it was really good, stupid, boring, okay, etc.” Be able to articulate your reaction to certain elements of the novel or techniques the author used.
4.Complete the soundtrack assignment described on the following page.
English 10
Outside Reading Project: Novel Soundtrack
Due Date: ______
Just about every movie these days has a soundtrack that is marketed along with the movie. The songs on the soundtrack use music and rhythm to set the scene, enhance the plot, and develop the major ideas and characters in the movie.
What if books came with soundtracks, too? Readers could listen to the soundtracks while they read the book. In fact, if you have ever listened to an audio version of a book, they are sometimes produced with background music to set the mood of a scene or to build suspense.
Your job is to create a soundtrack for your novel. Your soundtrack must fulfill the following requirements:
Your soundtrack must have a minimum of five songs. You may choose any kind of music as long as it fits the following criteria:
- At least two of the songs must be chosen for specific characters (i.e., find a song that best represents each character you choose). In essence, this should be the character’s “theme song.”
- At least two of the songs must be chosen for specific scenes in the novel. Focus on specific, meaningful scenes. Ask yourself: if this scene were made into a movie, what music would be playing? Why?
- At least one song must represent a key theme in the novel.
You must provide annotated lyrics for each song (be sure to include the song titles and artists). [10 POINTS]
For each song you include, you must write a well-developed paragraph explaining your choice. Explain what each song is about and discuss its specific connection(s) to the novel. Each paragraph should show insight into the meaning of the lyrics and the novel, and you should include quotations and specific details from both texts to justify and support your selections and connections. Statements such as “because it just feels right” or “I really love this song” or “it makes me think of this character” will not be sufficient analytical commentary. Your song choices should reflect a deep consideration of the novel’s main ideas and an academic understanding of its characters, themes, symbols, etc. [50 POINTS]
Create the cover jacket for the CD case to visually enhance your soundtrack’s impact. The cover should include the name of the CD and at least one visual reference to the novel; the visuals should connect to your chosen characters, scenes, and/or themes that you emphasize on the soundtrack. On the back, include a table of contents listing all song titles and artists (artistically arranged, of course!). [10 POINTS]