Name: _________________________ Period: ____________ Date: _________
Into the Wild Research Project
Your Mission: After reading Into the Wild, research one of the following “rebels-outcasts-adventurers-non
conformists” and analyze that individual’s choice to live outside the “normal” bounds of society. Consider the
following questions as guides for your research:

How and why does the individual not conform to the traditional expectations of society?

How does society respond to this individual? Consider both positive and negative ways.

How does the individual reject the ideals and lifestyles of his or her society? Do these choices lead to
successes or failures in life for the individual?

What parallels in choices and outcomes does the individual share with Chris McCandless?
Then write and develop a claim in which you evaluate the success OR failure of the individual’s life. Support
your claim with evidence from Into the Wild, and at least 3 additional sources used to research one of the
subjects listed below.
To be Submitted:
 A four page paper, citing at least 3 different, credible sources to support your claim about the success
OR failure of the individual. Be sure to link your claim and research to characters, conflicts, and
themes developed in Into the Wild. Submit your final draft and work cited page on turnitin.com
before the start of class on due date. Print a hard copy of the paper and the Power Point slide and
attached the rubric for submission at the start of class.

One PowerPoint slide that summarizes your research, to be presented to the class. The slide must be
“googled shared” with me by 7AM on the due date of the assignment.
Possible Research Subjects:
Henry David Thoreau
Beryl Markham
Timothy Treadwell
George Carlin
John Brown
Galileo Galilei
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Jack Kerouac
Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Ted Kaczynski
Bill Hicks
Che Guevara
Sitting Bull
George Washington
Edward Abbey
Cheryl Strayed
Edward Snowden
John Muir
Paul Gauguin
Allen Ginsberg
Daniel Ellsberg
Mahatma Gandhi
Nelson Mandela
Ho Chi Minh
Crazy Horse
William Wallace
*you may research additional individuals with approval
Deadlines and Point Value:
Topic and outline of questions to guide research due:
______________
Typed and printed copy submitted during teacher conference
15 points
List of (minimum) 3 sources to support claims:
__________________
Use Noodletools to print out a list in proper LMA format
15 points
Rough draft for peer edit:
________________________________
Minimum of 3 full pages in MLA format- no need for work cited page
20 points
Final draft, with work cited page:
70 points
___________________________
Library dates: ______________________
Chrome book dates in class: ___________________________
Name: _________________________ Period: ____________ Date: _________
Into the Wild Research Project Rubric
Component
Possible
Points
Self
Asses
Teacher
Assess
1. Claim
Establishes and maintains a credible and substantive
claim throughout the entire essay. Claim takes a stance as to
the success OR failure of the researched individual.
__10__
______
______
2. Organization
Effective and logical order and flow of the paper that
enhances the reader’s understanding of the claim and support.
__5__
______
______
3. Support/ Development
Presents accurate details from research to develop claim.
Use of a minimum of 4 quotes, from a variety of sources,
properly cited, that directly support claim. Integration of
relevant and accurate content and minimal use of plot summary
from Into the Wild, or unrelated facts about researched
individual- no biography!
__25_
_______
______
4. Conventions
Clear, appropriate, formal word choices and proper
use of spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and well
developed, complete sentences.
__10_
_______
______
5. Logistics
Submitted on time, with rubric and slide attached before
coming to class. Work Cited page, in proper MLA format, is
included. Submitted to turn it in.com before the start of
class. For each day the paper is late, one letter grade will
be deducted. The penalty for not submitting a
Work Cited page will also be a full letter grade.
__5__
_______
______
6. PowerPoint Slide/ Presentation
One slide (submitted by 7am on due date) that includes
the name of the person researched and 3-5 bullet notes
that summarize the claim and research that support the
claim. Student shares his or her research with the class,
but does not directly read off the slide.
__15__
_______
______
TOTAL:
__70__
_______
______
Name: _________________________ Period: ____________ Date: _________
Into the Wild Research Project Outline
Use specific details and resources when filling out this sheet. You may bullet notes your research 15 points total
1. Individual researched: ____________________________________________________
2. Years alive and general influenced society: _________________________________________
3. Publically known for:
4. Ways in which the individual did/does not conform to the traditional expectations of society:
5. Successes OR failures of the individual:
6. Initial reactions to how society has viewed/ responded to the individual? (think positive or negative)
7. Possible connections or parallels to Chris McCandless:
Things that still need to be researched: