Interpreter of Maladies
Individual and Group Assignments
Global Literature (Advanced)
Rode 2011
Reading on Your Own
Read the following six stories in Interpreter of Maladies by the date of the test: Monday, May 14, 2012.
“Interpreter of Maladies”
“This Blessed House”
“A Real Durwan”
“The Treatment of Bibi Haldar”
“Mrs. Sen’s”
“The Third & Final Continent”
Individual Work
Type this assignment. Each student’s work will be collected and graded individually. Do the following
for your group’s assigned story only. DO NOT LET YOUR GROUP DOWN.
1. Read your assigned story by tomorrow. Know your assigned story well—or you will let
down your fellow group members.
2. List and define 5 or more vocabulary words you find valuable to learn or relearn.
3. LIDS!
4. Write two open-ended, higher-level thinking questions that will incite discussion.
(Reference the guide to writing questions that you used for the Choice Book Seminar.)
Group Presentation Planning
Be Well-Prepared. Your individual work will affect your group’s presentation score.
Groups will have part of the class time to meet and prepare on each of the following dates:
Mon May 7
Thurs May 10
Fri May 11
Materials: Come prepared! Bring copies of any handouts for the class. No last minute copy center or
locker trips: -1 point per group member who needs to leave on a pass before your group presents.
Room Set Up: Arrange for technology (ie. Mac rather than Rode’s pc) or other needs a day in advance.
Deliberately designing your presentation space: move tables, chairs, desks, etc.
The first time you meet: Discuss, plan, and create a class presentation to “teach” your group’s assigned
story to the class. Subsequent meetings are opportunities for your group to complete the work.
Group Presentation Dates (one grade per group)
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5/15 “Interpreter of Maladies”
5/15 “This Blessed House”
5/16 “The Treatment of Bibi Haldar”
5/17 “A Real Durwan”
5/18 “Mrs. Sen’s”
5/18 “The Third & Final Continent”
The Presentation (one grade per group)
1. Begin your presentation with a deliberate opening that captures the class’ attention. Introduce your
group members, story title, and begin your presentation using a quote, a question you will ask again
later, or some kind of technique to get your audience’s attention.
2. Lead an interesting class discussion at some point in your presentation. Have a bank of questions
ready to go and create a PowerPoint or VoiceThread or iMovie to present these to the class. Have
extra questions on hand in case of emergency discussion-stagnation. Try to pique your audience’s
interest, engage them, elicit their opinions and analyses of the story.
3. Professionalism: If the discussion begins to stagnate, it is your group’s responsibility to revive it
and keep it interesting. Demonstrate organization, familiarity, and expertise.
4. Include a second visual expression or concrete representation to augment your presentation, such
as a Skit, Puppet Show, Poster, Display, Character Magnets… Make it memorable. Have fun.
5. Create and administer a clever interactive class assignment during your presentation. Plan time for
audience feedback. This activity must have obvious purpose and value to get a point across. You
may consider some of the following ideas, or come up with your own ideas, such as:
a. create games for students to play that incorporate elements from the story
b. students write a poem or a found poem from the text about…
c. students pretend they are certain characters and write about their character’s experience in the story through a first
person monologue or narrative…
d. students list predictions for the characters’ futures in a sequel or pasts in a prequel
e. students impersonate characters and write letters, telegrams, advertisements… ?
f. students sketch a childhood for an adult character/an adulthood for a child character
g. students make character “to do” lists, then swap so that other students have to guess which character created the
“to do” list they received
h. students represent characters by engaging in conversations or role play situations…
i. consider choosing “the best of” student work from this activity and using it as a closing piece
6. Focusing on the literary elements listed below throughout your presentation:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
plot (exposition, hook, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution)
character descriptions & motivation
author’s purpose(s) & theme: lesson, moral, universal truth
use of other literary elements (symbolism, metaphor, imagery, alliteration, etc.)
several quotes—possibly in a number of different ways
7. End your presentation with a memorable, thoughtful closing. Don’t just say, “We’re done.”
(Or worse, abruptly stop talking.)
8. Time: 30 minute maximum.
Audience Participation Points
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Respectfully participate (both actively and silently) in group discussions and activities.
Unexcused Absence = 0 points; Excused Absence will not affect your score.
Interpreter of Maladies
Unit Evaluation
Global Literature (Advanced)
Rode 2011
Student: ___________________________
1.
Points: ____ / 25
Individual Preparation—Homework (5)
 On time
 Thorough, thoughtful, complete
2.
Group Presentation (15)
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3.
group arrived at the start of class prepared—no need to leave class on a pass!
inclusive group cooperation and fluid presentation
evidence of thorough preparation
thought-provoking, sustained class discussion
engaging class activity
quality visual component
interesting, fair, and open ended test questions
awareness of time; steady pace, not rushed, within 25 min.
insightful and interesting closing
Audience Participation (5)
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both active and silent participation is respectful and thoughtful
desk completely clear, except for Global Lit materials
maintain listening behavior & posture; be attentive during each presentation
each student must make at least 3 meaningful contributions total over 3 presentation days