Congratulations! You’ve signed up to participate in Biomedical Research. This course is
a lab based class and will require you to do detailed lab reports. I know that you plan to
enjoy your summer (and you should!), but class begins now. (Be sure to check my page
on the mcjags website for more information!)
Included with this letter is a list of terms that you must define prior to the beginning of
the school year. Many of these terms have more than one definition. Read each
definition and select the definition that explains the word as it relates to biomedical
research or biotechnology. Generate your glossary on a computer so that you can
access and print your final glossary easily. The glossary will be due the first day of
class.
Another assignment for the summer: a presentation on a non-fiction text. Adapting this
from another school, we are calling this our “Book Talk.” Below are listed books from
which you must choose one book. Read the book, make notes, and prepare a
presentation (Prezi, powerpoint, iMovie, etc).
I’ve included a page that details what will be needed in the book. Now for the listing:
Dead Men do Tell Tales by William Maples and Michael Browning
Stiff by Mary Roach
Gulp by Mary Roach
Every Patient Tells a Story by Lisa Sanders
The Demon in the Freezer by Richard Preston
The Hot Zone by Richard Preston
The Coming Plague by Laurie Garrett
You are responsible for the purchase
of the book. These books are NOT
available at the school. You might also
check the local library.
Survival of the Sickest by Sharon Moalem
Your Inner Fish by Neil Shubin
Why We Get Sick by Randolph M. Neese
Zoobiquity by Barbara Natterson-Horowitz and Kathryn Bowers
Microbe Hunters by Paul de Kruif
Inheritance by Sharon Moalem
For questions, email me at
bsullivan@madison-schools.com
Nonfiction Book Talk
You presentation must be completed prior to your presentation date. If you are not ready on
your assigned date, your grade will be a zero. Book Talk grades will count as major grades in
this class. SEE THE GRADING RUBRIC ON BACK OF THIS SHEET.
What’s a Book Talk?
A book talk is a short presentation that you give to the class after completing a selected nonfiction reading text. The purpose of the Book Talk is for you to recommend good books to your
classmates or to steer them away from books that they might not enjoy. By listening to
classmates’ Book Talks, you can better select the next book you will read.
IMPORTANT: The focus of the Book Talk should not be a page by page review of the book.
Rather, you should detail a few items of the book that captured your interest and spend the
majority of your time on your thoughts about the book. Do not spend most of the time
summarizing the book and then simply add, “I liked it. You should read it.” Discuss WHY you
liked it and what kind of readers might also enjoy it. Be specific and give examples from the
book to support your opinions and points!
Requirements (grading rubric is on the back of this sheet):
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No plagiarism! Don’t even quote reviews!
You must finish the entire book before giving a book talk.
Organize your presentation!
Open your talk with a relevant, interesting “hook.” Grab the audience’s attention and
make us interested in hearing about the book. Consider reading a brief passage from the
book, asking a thought-provoking question, sharing a powerful quote, or describing a
hypothetical scenario…make sure its relevant!
Share the title and author of the book in your presentation. Tell us why you chose to
read that book. How does it compare to your “usual” book choices?
Include an image of the front cover and author(s)
Give us background information on the author.
Summarize the book. Give enough detail to clearly show what the book is about (but
avoid using the phrase, “this book is about….”) Be concise and only address the most
important aspects of the book.
Give your personal evaluation/critique of the book. Be very specific!! Give specific
examples to support your opinions.
Suggest who might enjoy or not enjoy this book and explain why.
Time your talk to 5 – 7 minutes. Points will be deducted for too little time or too much
time. PLAN, ORGANIZE AND REHEARSE! It will be very obvious if you have not done
so (for example, reading from the slides = lack of practice!)
Speak clearly and at an appropriate volume. Minimize the use of um’s, uh’s, like’s and
so’s in your presentation. Use vivid, precise word choices appropriate for biomedical
research. Avoid bland words and phrases like good/bad, interesting, boring, OK, kind of,
sort of…
Body language: avoid slouching and nervous movements. The more you do this, the
less confident you seem in yourself.
NONFICTION BOOK TALK RUBRIC
total score _______/50
Fill in your name, period, date of Book Talk presentation, and title/author ahead of time. Bring
this sheet to Dr. Sullivan when you do your presentation (or 2 points deduction).
Name: ______________________________________ Period: _____ Date: __________
Book title: _______________________________ Author(s): _______________________
Introduction: ___/5
Time: _____ (between 5-7 minutes)
Open with a “hook” ___/1
Um/Uh: ___ Like: ___ So: ___
Write AND tell title and author: ___/2
lose 1 pt for every 2 of the above
Image of front cover & author(s) __/2
Organization of presentation ___/5
Knowledge/Content of Book: ___/10
Detailed but concise summary of the main topic
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5
Description of the major people involved
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2
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4
5
Did the student share and explain his/her opinion?
0
1
2
3
4
5
Did the student justify opinion with reasons and examples?
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1
2
3
4
5
Did the student explain why might enjoy this book and why?
0
1
2
3
Evaluation /Critique of Book: ___/13
Conclusion: ___/5
You finish with a strong insight, question, or call to action that leaves the audience thinking – you don’t
just end abruptly or say “That’s my book.”
Delivery/Preparation: ___/12
Volume/Tone/Intonation
1
2
3
Every audience member can hear every word clearly. You don’t mumble and are not monotone.
Confidence/Enthusiasm
1
2
3
You seem like you are trying to engage the audience. Your recommendation is strong and clear.
1
2
3
You use precise, descriptive words – I can tell you planned what you were going to say. You say
“the author says/writes/shows,” not “they,” “it,” “the book,” “this lady/man.” You avoid slang and
vague, meaningless words, such as “stuff,” “things,” “etcetera…”
Preparation
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2
3
I can tell you practiced for an audience. You seem very prepared, and your ideas flow smoothly.