ENGL 511 Special Topics in Writing: Young Adult Literature
Final Project (individual)
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Lee Torda, PhD Interim Dean of Undergraduate Studies 200 Clement C. Maxwell Library 508.531.1790 Teaching Website: www.leetorda.com |
OFFICE HOURS: By appointment. Email me at [email protected] with times/days you'd like to meet, and I will respond within 24 hours.
“Let’s save pessimism for better times” --Eduardo Galeano |
ZOOM link to attend class: https://bridgew.zoom.us/j/91202035302?pwd=akVFQ4cdIaHX77ttkfZFFM10iTdtmW.1
Overview
I think that it's important for the work done at the graduate level to be related to your end goals for your graduate education. The final individual project should be something you can use beyond our course. I leave it to you to decide what is the best option for you.
PROJECT OPTION I: LESSON PLAN
Select a text or texts we've discussed in class and provide a "unit plan" for how you would teach it. Focus on what we've focused on in class: how do we help young readers 1) become better readers and 2) respect a text as young, as adult, and as literature. You'll note I put unit plan in air quotes because I have never done a unit plan in my life and have no idea what they look like. Mostly, I'm looking for you to tell me what you'd teach, how you'd teach it, why you'd teach it in the first place, and why you'd teach it that way. Length will vary, but I see the "why you'd teach it and why you'd teach it that way" as the narrative that accompanies the nuts and bolts class plan. That explanatory narrative should be between 5 and seven pages. The course plan would be additional. Bonus if you can connect it to the work you've done for the group final presentation.
PROJECT OPTION II: LITERARY ANALYSIS OF ANY OF THE NOVELS WE'VE READ IN CLASS
Another option, for those of you who are more interested in reading YA texts as literature, is to write a 5-7 page literary analysis of any of the novels that we've discussed in class. This is a standard literary analysis and a more formal version of the book club reading journals I've asked you to do in class. You should realize that probably you will not find a lot on a particular author or text, but you will find a lot on YA as a genre. That research can inform your work here. You should consider the qualities of the genre that we talked about this semester and/or what we've discussed in terms of theories of reading YA. Consider the thematic ideas we've talked about in class--about the nature of reading, the nature of teaching reading, and YA as a genre. You can use either MLA or APA style format.
PROJECT OPTION III: WRITE A YA SHORT STORY
Another option, for those of you who are more interested in YA as a genre from a writing perspective, can write a YA short story. This should be roughly 2000 words.This can be an expansion of your Write Your Own. You should pay attention, as you construct your piece to the qualities of the genre that we talked about in class. You must include a three page, typed and double spaced, reflection on your own short story that explains how the qualities of the genre come into your piece .
OTHER THINGS (THIS GOES FOR WHATEVER PROJECT YOU CHOOSE TO DO)
You will have the opportunity to have a one-on-one conference with me and we will have a full class workshop on the very last class meeting. Not everyone will read everyones draft. I will explain how that works closer to the workshop date.
THE FINAL PORTFOLIO: On the day of the workshop, you will have time to answer some reflective questions about the project and the course. That cover letter, along with the workshop draft, your workshop comments to your classmates, and your final draft that you turn in to me sometime after that last meeting makes up the 5% of your final portfolio.
How you will be evaluated for the Final Project
The Final Project is worth 25% of your final grade. In order to earn a "B" for your final grade you must
In order to earn an "A" for your final grade you must
In order to earn a C" for your final grade you must
Failure to earn a C grade will mean you fail the 25% of your total grade made that makes up the Final Project.
I think that it's important for the work done at the graduate level to be related to your end goals for your graduate education. The final individual project should be something you can use beyond our course. I leave it to you to decide what is the best option for you.
PROJECT OPTION I: LESSON PLAN
Select a text or texts we've discussed in class and provide a "unit plan" for how you would teach it. Focus on what we've focused on in class: how do we help young readers 1) become better readers and 2) respect a text as young, as adult, and as literature. You'll note I put unit plan in air quotes because I have never done a unit plan in my life and have no idea what they look like. Mostly, I'm looking for you to tell me what you'd teach, how you'd teach it, why you'd teach it in the first place, and why you'd teach it that way. Length will vary, but I see the "why you'd teach it and why you'd teach it that way" as the narrative that accompanies the nuts and bolts class plan. That explanatory narrative should be between 5 and seven pages. The course plan would be additional. Bonus if you can connect it to the work you've done for the group final presentation.
PROJECT OPTION II: LITERARY ANALYSIS OF ANY OF THE NOVELS WE'VE READ IN CLASS
Another option, for those of you who are more interested in reading YA texts as literature, is to write a 5-7 page literary analysis of any of the novels that we've discussed in class. This is a standard literary analysis and a more formal version of the book club reading journals I've asked you to do in class. You should realize that probably you will not find a lot on a particular author or text, but you will find a lot on YA as a genre. That research can inform your work here. You should consider the qualities of the genre that we talked about this semester and/or what we've discussed in terms of theories of reading YA. Consider the thematic ideas we've talked about in class--about the nature of reading, the nature of teaching reading, and YA as a genre. You can use either MLA or APA style format.
PROJECT OPTION III: WRITE A YA SHORT STORY
Another option, for those of you who are more interested in YA as a genre from a writing perspective, can write a YA short story. This should be roughly 2000 words.This can be an expansion of your Write Your Own. You should pay attention, as you construct your piece to the qualities of the genre that we talked about in class. You must include a three page, typed and double spaced, reflection on your own short story that explains how the qualities of the genre come into your piece .
OTHER THINGS (THIS GOES FOR WHATEVER PROJECT YOU CHOOSE TO DO)
You will have the opportunity to have a one-on-one conference with me and we will have a full class workshop on the very last class meeting. Not everyone will read everyones draft. I will explain how that works closer to the workshop date.
THE FINAL PORTFOLIO: On the day of the workshop, you will have time to answer some reflective questions about the project and the course. That cover letter, along with the workshop draft, your workshop comments to your classmates, and your final draft that you turn in to me sometime after that last meeting makes up the 5% of your final portfolio.
How you will be evaluated for the Final Project
The Final Project is worth 25% of your final grade. In order to earn a "B" for your final grade you must
- Complete all of the required components of the option you elect to focus on.
- Participate thoughtfully in a workshop with your book club reading journal google.doc group.
- Turn in your completed materials by the end of finals week.
In order to earn an "A" for your final grade you must
- Compete all the requirements for the "B" grade.
- Attempt to include, thoughtfully and pointedly, those significant ideas about reading, writing, and teaching YA that we have discussed over the course of the semester.
In order to earn a C" for your final grade you must
- Complete all of the required components of the option you elect to focus on.
- Turn in your completed materials by the end of finals week.
Failure to earn a C grade will mean you fail the 25% of your total grade made that makes up the Final Project.