S4 Summer Holiday Project: Added Value Unit for National 5 English

Background Information

  • The National 4 and 5 course require all pupils to undertake an independent project comparing two different genres.
  • After studying the texts (film counts as a text in this instance), candidates will be expected to present a five minute presentation comparing the texts and discussing the differences between the two genres.
  • Candidates will also be expected to take questions from the audience on their presentation.
  • These presentations will be your first assessment for the new qualifications and will be presented to the class week beginning 2nd September. You may use PowerPoint or visual aids to assist you but these are not essential.

The Task

Candidates will be asked to study a book which has been made into a film. The choice of book and film is entirely up to you (though it must be age appropriate). It is crucial that you both read the book and study the film – the assessment is based on how well you analyse and compare both genres.

Some Suggestions for Study

Try to choose a book and film you are unfamiliar with – challenge and choice is crucial to this exercise; it’s your first task for National 5 and you really want to impress, remember you have all summer to work on this.

Make notes as you’re reading and watching. Think about the theme of the texts and how this message is conveyed to the reader / audience.

Think about scenes / characters that are different to how you imagined them as you read the text.

How faithfully did the film follow the events of the book – what characters / scenes were missed out or added in and why?

Where there any crucial changes which really impacted on the texts’ message?

Which version was more commercially successful? Give your thoughts on why this was the case.

The Structure of the Presentation

(This is just a general guideline to ensure your presentation will last the entire five minutes – you do not have to stick rigidly to this)

  1. Introduce the novel and author, film and director and explain why you decided to select these particular texts for study. Explain when the novel was written and compare this to the date of the film release.
  2. Give a brief summary of the plot, the main characters, the setting and any other significant features of the novel and film.
  3. Compare and analyse the opening of the film and the novel. How are they similar? In what ways are they different?
  4. Look at the way in which the main characters have been represented in both genres. Are there any key differences / significant similarities?
  5. Think about some of the key events – are they just as you imagined when you were reading the novel?
  6. Are there any events presented in a different order or missed out altogether? What impact does this have on the plot?
  7. Think about ending. How is this presented in both genres?
  8. Sum up what you think the theme or message is that the writer and director are trying to convey throughout the texts. Say which version you preferred and give an explanation why this is the case.
  9. Be prepared to take questions from your classmates / teacher. Your response to these questions is still part of the assessment so you have to give full and detailed answers.

NB – Visual Aids and the use of PowerPoint may enhance your talk but using such devices will not have an impact on your overall grade.

What Will I Choose?

You would be amazed at the number of fabulous films that actually started off as novels. Try to be as original as possible – your class don’t want to hear twenty five presentations on “Harry Potter”. There are some suggestions below but the list is not exhaustive!

  • 101 Dalmations by Dodie Smith
  • Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
  • The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
  • Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
  • Chocolat by Joanne Harris
  • Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
  • Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
  • The Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer
  • To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
  • Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
  • The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
  • The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis
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  • The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
  • The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkein
  • Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
  • The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald
  • Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
  • The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
  • My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult
  • Coraline by Neil Gaiman
  • Holes By Louis Sachar
  • The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
  • The Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Getting Started

  1. What film / novel have you chosen to study?
  2. What are the main themes / message of these texts?

Before you start, find out some information on the novel and author, the film and the director.

Novel / Film
Author’s Name:
Age:
Other Significant Career Highlights:
Date and Place of Publication:
Setting:
Main Characters:
Critical Reception:
Novels Sold:
Sequels or similar work? / Director’s Name:
Age:
Other Significant Career Highlights:
Date and Place of Publication:
Setting:
Main Characters:
Critical Reception:
Audience Figures:
Sequels or similar work?

Read the novel and watch the film - make notes as you do so.

Consider the purpose, the message, the charactersof each of the text. Make note of any significant quotations you may want to use in your presentation.

Novel / Film

Presenting the information

  • Look closely at the advice on how to structure your presentation. In order to meet the assessment conditions, it has to last five minutes – it is crucial that your presentation is sufficiently detailed.
  • Think about using PowerPoint or some visual aids to enhance your talk – these are not essential but they could really help make your talk interesting and engaging.
  • Practice! You have plenty of time to get prepared – practice your presentation for family / friends, even just rehearse it in front of your mirror.

Responding to Questions

You can never predict what questions your classmates will ask you but there are a few common ones which may crop up that you can think about:

Why did you choose the topic?

Why did you choose the texts?

Which text(s) did you prefer and why?

Could you tell me more about…?

What have you learned from the texts?

Would you recommend others to read/listen to the texts and why?

Responding to these questions is an important part of the assessment so you must ensure you answer the questions are fully as possible.

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