Glenfield College English Department
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Internal Assessment Task: Achievement Standard 90726/2
‘The Pen is Mightier…’
Complete independent research on a language or literature topic and present findings in written form
Credits: 4
(adapted from assessment resource English/3.7/- B version 2 “In Search Of”)
With thanks to Northcote College English Department
Due Date: Research report to be written:
13EngA: Week 9 - 10 in Term 2
13Engl: Week 1 - 3 in Term 3
1
Teacher Guidelines:
The following guidelines are supplied to enable teachers to carry out valid and consistent assessment using this internal assessment resource.
Context/setting:
This investigation is centred around the exploration of thematically linked texts. Students complete their own independent research based on themes they select. They focus on formulating effective key questions, then select and read relevant texts and present a written report. As well as examining the themes in each text they investigate connections between texts and develop judgements about those connections.
Conditions:
This activity requires a combination of class and homework time. Students can collect information in their journals in and out of class time over an extended period of time. The report will be written in exam conditions at school. Teachers will need careful checkpoint procedures to ensure authenticity of student output.
The research process has been clearly detailed in the student instructions and students should follow these carefully.
Resource requirements:
Students will require access to school library/ English department resources during class time.
‘The Pen is Mightier…’
English Internal Assessment Task
Achievement Standard: 90726/2
Complete independent research on a language or literature topic and present findings in written form
Credits: 4
Student Instructions Sheet
This task is an opportunity for you to choose a theme in literature which interests you, and explore it by reading widely. This study will focus on written and visual texts and might include: novels, non-fiction, short stories, poetry or drama, film scripts and films. You should include at least 4 written texts and no more than 3 visual texts when conducting your research. You will also use this research as the basis for your second internal assessment which is a seminar task. You will use visual techniques to explore the theme you have chosen.
Initially you will concentrate on finding a theme which interests you and developing a series of questions around which you will structure your reading. These questions will provide focus for your reading and give structure to your responses in your reading journal. The reading and responding phase of the research process will take most of this term and part of Term 2.
Once you have gathered enough information, you will need to pull your thoughts together and assemble your conclusions and judgements about your material. This will need to happen in Term Two. Your report, which will outline the findings of your research, will be written over several periods during Term 2 or Term 3. See the dates on the front cover of this assessment.
The Reading Journal
An essential step in the research process involves formulating effective key questions that are central to you expanding your understanding of your chosen theme and developing judgements. As you read texts as part of your research you will be encouraged to keep your key questions under review. You may decide to adapt your questions to make them more effective and relevant. Initially you may have more key questions than you will need to complete the research process, and you can eliminate questions over time as the focus of your research becomes clearer.
Your journal will be a detailed record of your responses to the material you are reading. Your responses should be detailed and include relevant quotations, which might be useful in your report. Your notes can be bullet points, but should be able to be easily understood by your teacher.
You may wish to expand your understanding of the material you are reading (primary resources) by reading critical interpretations (secondary sources). You will need to clearly document the sources of information in your journal, and you will need to submit a bibliography of resources consulted or read with your final report. It is important also to remember that you cannot take the ideas of others and claim them as your own. This is called plagiarism. All ideas presented other than your own must be attributed to the original writer in your report. You will be given guidelines on how to do this.
You will be able to work on your journal at school and at home.
The Report
The report on your findings will make connections between the texts and develop judgements about the importance or significance of your chosen theme. In this way you will have gone in search of how texts have explored your theme, then presented your findings. The report will be a formal written presentation of your material.
Your teacher will introduce you to the research process using a range of sample materials.
You will complete work in class and for homework. Your teacher will guide you on how much time you have to prepare the task. Your research will be presented in written form.
You will be assessed on how well you:
· propose research questions which expand understandings of your topic
· select relevant information from a range of referenced resources
· present well supported findings that develop judgements
Task 1: Deciding on a theme
You need to think first about what sort of literature you enjoy. What type of novels do you like to read? This would be a good starting point for selecting a theme; however, you are encouraged to select a theme about which you know little.
Below you will find a list of suggested themes and texts. The list of texts is by no means exhaustive –it is merely a starting point. The texts suggested are, in the main, novels. While it is possible to concentrate purely on novels, you are encouraged to research other literary forms. Ask your teacher for suggestions. There are films of the same title to some novels on the list; if you choose a novel, it is not recommended you use a film of the same name unless you are specifically looking for a different interpretation. For example, do not use the novel Pride and Prejudice as well as the film of the same name.
There may be a theme you wish to research that is not listed below. Please consult with your teacher before beginning. You should be reading material that is new to you. The purpose of this task is to discover literature that is new to you, in order that you expand your horizons.
Suggestions for research topics:
Control, Submission and Rebellion
The Handmaid’s Tale Margaret Atwood Library
The Scarlet Woman Nathaniel Hawthorne
1984 George Orwell Library
Animal Farm George Orwell Library
The Trial Franz Kafka Library
Metamorphosis Franz Kafka
Brave New World Aldous Huxley Resource room/Lib
The Color Purple Alice Walker Resource room/Lib
Smith’s Dream CK Stead Resource room/Lib
Cry, The Beloved Country Alan Paton Library
Desert Flower Waris Durie Library
Waiting for the Barbarians J M Coetzee
A Thousand Splendid Suns Khaled Hosseini Lib/Resource room
What Becomes of the Broken Hearted Alan Duff Library
Once Were Warriors Alan Duff Library
Memoirs of a Geisha Arthur Golden Lib/Resource room
Brick Lane Monica Ali Library
The Crucible (play) Arthur Miller
V for Vendetta (film)
The Truman Show (film)
Sleeping Dogs (film)
The Piano (film)
Magic Realism
The Vintner’s Luck Elizabeth Knox Library
Daylight Elizabeth Knox Library
The House of Spirits Isabel Allende Library
One Hundred Years of Solitude Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Midnight’s Children Salmon Rushdie
The Famished Road Ben Okri Library
Like Water for Chocolate Laura Esquivel
Beloved Toni Morrison Library
Paradise Toni Morrison
Sula Toni Morrison
Palace of the Peacock Wilson Harris
The Age of the Rainmakers Wilson Harris (short stories)
Orlando Virginia Woolf
The Bone People Keri Hulme Library
Kopuku Dreams Chris Baker
The Cowboy Dog Nigel Cox Library
The Time Traveller’s Wife Audrey Niffenegger Lib/Resource room
The Life of Pi Yann Martel Library
Dreamquake Elizabeth Knox Library
Big Fish (film)
Pan’s Labyrinth (film)
Observations on War
My War Gone By, I Miss it So Anthony Lloyd
Triage Scott Anderson
We Will Not Cease Archibald Baxter Resource room
The Regeneration series Pat Barker Library
Birdsong Sebastian Faulks Library
Tu Patricia Grace Lib/Resource room
Talking About O’Dwyer CK Stead
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin Louis de Beurnieres Library
Lucky Bastard Peter Wells Library
The Cellist of Sarajevo Steven Galloway Library
The Uncle’s Story Witi Ihimaera Library
The Things They Carried Tim O’Brien
Ghost Road Pat Barker Library
All Quiet on the Western Front Erich Maria Remarque Library
Red Badge of Courage Stephen Crane Library
A Farewell to Arms Ernest Hemingway Library
A Soldier’s Tale M K Joseph Resource Room/Lib
Catch 22 Joseph Heller Library
Cold Mountain Charles Frazier
Saving Private Ryan (film)
Platoon (film)
Jarhead (film)
Rambo (film)
Persepolis (graphic novel – Library - and animated film)
Waltz with Bashir (animated film)
Gallipoli (film)
The Quiet American (film)
The Hurt Locker (film)
Beneath Hill 60 (film)
The Portrayal of Women in Literature
Jane Eyre Charlotte Bronte Lib/Resource Room
The Wide Sargasso Sea Jean Rhys
Ariel Sylvia Plath
The Bell Jar Sylvia Plath Resource room/Lib
(poetry) Anne Sexton
Mrs Dalloway Virginia Woolf
The Peppered Moth Margaret Drabble
The Female Eunuch Germaine Greer
(Crime fiction) Kathy Reichs
Joy Luck Club Amy Tan Library
Charlotte Gray Sebastian Faulks Library
The Shipping News E. Annie Proulx Resource room/Lib
Othello William Shakespeare Resource room/Lib
Wuthering Heights Emily Bronte Library
Atonement Ian McEwan Library
A Thousand Splendid Suns Khaled Hosseini Lib/Resource room
The Cellist of Sarajevo Steven Galloway
The Bonesetter’s Daughter Amy Tan Library
The Kitchen God’s Wife Amy Tan Library
Memoirs of a Geisha Arthur Golden Lib/resource room
Desert Flower Waris Durie Library
The Good Women of China Xinran Library
Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen Lib/Resource room
Emma Jane Austen Resource Room
The Red Tent Anita Diamant Library
Hand Me Down World Lloyd Jones
The Piano (film)
Heavenly Creatures (film)
Masculinity in NZ Literature
(short stories) Frank Sargeson
Foreskin’s Lament (play) Greg McGee Library
Stonedogs Craig Morrison
Once Were Warriors Alan Duff Library
Man Alone John Mulgan
Long Loop Home (autobiography) Peter Wells
Smith’s Dream C.K.Stead Resource room/Lib
Hummingbird James George Library
The Uncle’s Story Witi Ihimaera Library
The Book of Fame Lloyd Jones Library
Talking About O’Dwyer CK Stead
In My Father’s Den Maurice Gee Resource Room/Lib
Two Little Boys Duncan Sarkies Library
Lucky Bastard Peter Wells Library
What Becomes of the Broken Hearted Alan Duff Library
Sleeping Dogs (film)
Smash Palace (film)
Satire/Black Humour
Not the End of the World Christopher Brookmyre
He Died with a Falafel in his Hands John Birmingham
Bridget Jones’ Diary Helen Fielding Library
Gulliver’s Travels Jonathon Swift Library
A Modest Proposal Jonathon Swift
Pride and Prejudice Jane Austin Lib/Resource room
That Old Ace in the Hole E. Annie Proulx Library
The Importance of Being Earnest (play Oscar Wilde
How to be Good Nick Hornsby Library
A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian Marina Lewycka Library
Feed M. T. Anderson Resource Room/Lib
Two Little Boys Duncan Sarkies Library
Slaughterhouse-Five Kurt Vonnegut Library
Scarfies (film)
Black Sheep (film)
Australian/NZ Identity/race relations
The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith Thomas Keneally
Potiki Patricia Grace Library
Being Pakeha Now Michael King Library
Hummingbird James George Library
Bulibasha Witi Ihimaera Library
Talking About O’Dwyer C K Stead
The Secret River Kate Grenville
Cousins Patricia Grace Library
Whanau Witi Ihimaera Library
(poems) Apirana Taylor Library
Collision Joanna Orwin Lib/ Resource Room
As the Earth Turns Silver Alison Wong Library
Apron Strings (film)
Rabbit Proof Fence (film)
Jindabyne (film)
Utu (film)
Samson and Delilah (film)
The American Dream
The Great Gatsby F.S. Fitzgerald Resource Room/Lib
The Grapes of Wrath John Steinbeck Library
Death of a Salesman (play) Arthur Miller Resource Room
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (play) Tennessee Williams
(poetry) Alan Ginsberg
Good Faith Jane Smiley
Catcher in the Rye J. D. Salinger Resource Room/Lib
The Glass Menagerie (play) Tennessee Williams Resource Room
The Reluctant Fundamentalist Mohsin Hamid Library
On the Road Jack Kerouac
American Beauty (film)
Bonnie and Clyde (film)
Revolutionary Road (film)
Insanity/Madness
King Lear Shakespeare Resource Room/Lib
Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger Resource Room/Lib
Jane Eyre Charlotte Bronte Library
The Wide Sargasso Sea Jean Rhys
Rebecca Daphne du Maurier
The Bell Jar Sylvia Plath Resource Room/Lib
The Curative Charlotte Randall
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Ken Cesey Library
The Corrections Jonathan Franzen Library
Norwegian Wood Haruki Murakami
Tender is the Night F.Scott Fitzgerald Library
Owls Do Cry Janet Frame Library
A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian Marina Lewycka Library
A Thousand Acres Jane Smiley Library
Faces in the Water Janet Frame Library
Memory Margaret Mahy Library
To the Is-Land Janet Frame Library
Proof (film)
A Beautiful Mind (film)
Black Swan (film)
Science and Humanity
The Silent Spring Rachel Carson
My Year of Meat Ruth Ozeki
All of Creation Ruth Ozeki Library
Brave New World Aldous Huxley Resource Room/Lib
Oryx and Crake Margaret Atwood Library
The Handmaid’s Tale Margaret Atwood Library
Feed M. T. Anderson Resource Room/Lib
Unwind Neal Schusterman Resource Room
Useful Idiots Jan Mark
Never Let Me Go Kazuo Ishiguro
The Island of Dr Moreau HG Wells
Gattaca (film)
Bladerunner (film)
The Portrayal of Evil
Dracula Bram Stoker Library
Frankenstein Mary Shelley Library
Short stories Edgar Allan Poe Library
Vernon God Little DPC Pierre Library
Macbeth William Shakespeare Resource Room/Lib
The Dark Room Rachel Seiffert Library
Triage Scott Anderson
Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad
Falling Anne Provoost Resource Room/Lib
Mystic River (film)
Apocalypse Now (film)
In A Better World (film)
Addiction