Heart of Darkness
February 2015
Google Plan and Group Project
You are preparing to experience what I consider to be one of the finest pieces of literature ever written. To
completely immerse yourself in the study of it will certainly enlighten you and create those wonderfully
ambiguous life questions that we crave. You’re lucky.
For this novella, you will be doing something a little differently. Here’s how it looks:
1.
2.
3.
I will assign your groups. New groups – create document as soon as possible. Invite me.
Groups will work together on study guide questions which are on the webpage entitled “Heart of
Darkness.” All questions should be answered thoroughly and with attention to higher level thinking.
Groups will work together on the Analysis Guide portion which analyzes the work in order for you to
have notes to study in the spring. The group leader can get these from the webpage. If you do outside
research, please provide citations.
So to recap and provide an abundance of clarity -- -- Each person will be graded on the following:
1.
Group participation in discussion with Study Guide and Analysis Guide
2. Annotations based on Mortimer Adler’s Guide (on the webpage)
Part I Study Guide Questions/Annotations due – February 9
Part II Study Guide Questions/Annotations due – February 13
Part III Study Guide Questions/Annotations – February 23
Additionally, annotations are required. Please follow Mortimer Adler’s essay on “How to Mark a Book.” This
may be found on the Heart of Darkness webpage as well. If you have a used book, you will have a challenge to
create your own annotations. Let me know what your plan is.
Everyone needs to participate regularly on the GoogleDoc – at least once a day. Once a day is an average grade.
Know that up front.
These discussions with each other are informal and conversational. I will not be grading you for your writing;
rather, I will be looking at your effort and ability to communicate interesting thoughts with each other.
Research may be useful for some of the questions, but most of the thinking should be yours, not Mr.
Sparknotes.
Here’s how the GoogleDoc works.
1.
2.
One person will assume the role of editor. S/he will collect the email addresses from each member in
the group.
The editor will go into GoogleDocs and invite each person to join the editing process of the document.
It’s easy. Please invite me, too, so that I can watch you work. My address is
mbferrell@wsfcs.k12.nc.us.
3.
4.
The editor will go to my webpage and find the tab that says Heart of Darkness. S/he will copy and
paste the Study Guide Questions into the newly created document. S/he will also paste the
Analysis Guide into the newly created document.
At the top of the new document, I need for you each to type your name in a chosen color which you
will use throughout the course of the project. It could look like this:
Scout
Hannah
David
Aliza
MBF
When you add information to the document, please type in the color you have chosen. Do not choose
yellow or light colors. Be bold in your statements about the literature.
So this is a mini-blog which will be less cumbersome for me to grade. I expect that you will bring ideas
and observations from your GoogleDoc to class for discussion. Please bring notes everyday as there
will be random notebook checks.
We will do small group discussions, whole group discussions, fishbowls – who knows? Be prepared for
anything!