English 9 Advanced
INDEPENDENT READING
Book Advertisement and Presentation
This quarter, you’re required to choose a book that interests you and read it independently. Then
you’re going to create an “advertisement” for your book (which will end up being displayed on my
bulletin board), and you will also have to “sell” your book to your classmates (in the form of an oral
presentation). Follow the steps and guidelines below as you work on your advertisement and
presentation.
THE STEPS:
1) Choose an appropriate book and get it approved by me. You must have your book by Tuesday
9/9 (A Day) or Wednesday 9/10 (B Day).
2) Read the book! Each time we meet on Thursday/Friday this quarter, you will be given
20-30 minutes DURING CLASS to read your book. It is your responsibility to bring your
book to class each day. You will be penalized for being unprepared.
3) Each time you read, make note of new vocabulary words you encounter by filling out the
attached “New Words” sheet. You must have a minimum of ten new words on your list. You
will submit this sheet for a grade when you’re done with the book.
4) Make an appointment with me to give your “sales pitch” during class. Over the next few weeks,
I will pass around a calendar so that you can sign up for presentation dates. I will set aside about
five minutes on your appointed day for your oral presentation.
5) Work on your advertisement and presentation, and then effectively sell the book to your peers
during your presentation. Your advertisement will then be displayed in the classroom or library
for curious readers to examine.
GUIDELINES FOR BOOK ADVERTISEMENT:
 Your advertisement should be completed neatly, and should be no larger than a sheet of
construction paper. It can’t take up my whole bulletin board!
 It should be visually attractive, because no one is going to “buy” your book if your
advertisement looks unappealing. Be sure to include color and images.
 It should include the title and the author somewhere in large print on the front.
GUIDELINES FOR ORAL PRESENTATION:
 The presentation should take between 2-5 minutes (please no longer).
 You may present using any means you’d like. See me if you want to do a Powerpoint or
some other form of presentation on the Promethean board.
 You are not required to stand in front of the class, or even leave your seat for that matter.
 If you finish your book early on in the marking period, get the presentation over with! You
can’t ALL present during the last week of the marking period.
 Presentations must be completed by Friday, October 24th! See me as soon as possible
to set up your presentation date. If I don’t hear from you soon, I will assign a date to you!
The following SIX categories must be included in your advertisement and presentation:
1) One-Paragraph Summary – Summarize your book in a well-written paragraph. Be sure not to
give too much information, and don’t give away the ending or resolution. Be sure to write your
own summary; don’t copy it from the Internet!
2) Reading Level – Rate the “readability” of your book on a 1-5 scale (1 being a very easy read,
and 5 being a very challenging read). Be sure to explain your rating in a short paragraph.
3) Favorite Aspects – What are some of your favorite parts or aspects of this book? In other
words, what did you like about your book and the way the author wrote it?
4) Least Favorite Aspects – What are some of your least favorite parts or aspects of this book?
What didn’t you like, or what would you have done differently if you were the author?
5) Theme – In a paragraph, identify and explain one prominent theme in your book. Remember
that a theme is a word or phrase that encompasses the author’s central message to the reader.
6) Recommendations – Who would you recommend this book to? What kind of people would
enjoy this book? What kind of people would be turned off by this book? Be sure to explain
your recommendations in detail.
HOW AM I GOING TO BE GRADED???
Your project is worth 50 points, and will be assessed according to the rubric below.
50 points =
Outstanding work. The advertisement shows a deep understanding and
interpretation of the text. The student uses excellent details and makes
insightful observations about the text. Project is presented in a very neat and
organized manner. Oral presentation is well-prepared, organized, professional,
and effective.
40 points =
Good work. The project shows an understanding and interpretation of the
text. The student uses some details and makes some insightful observations
about the text. Project is presented in a neat and organized manner. One
component of the project may be missing. Oral presentation is mostly
organized, professional, and effective.
30 points =
Acceptable work. The project shows a general understanding and
interpretation of the text. The student uses a few details, but observations lack
insight about the text. Project should be neater and more organized. Oral
presentation is unorganized and unprepared. Some components of the project
may be missing.
25 points or lower =
Poor work. The project shows little understanding, and in some cases a
misunderstanding, of the text. The student uses no details and fails to make
insightful observations about the text. Oral presentation is skipped or done
ineffectively. Important components of the project are missing.