~ Monthly Book Report for October~
Due Date: November 2, 2012 (FRIDAY)
October is “Mystery/Suspense/Horror Month” in the seventh grade language arts
classes at Streetsboro Middle School. You are going to choose a novel from the
following genres to read and create a report on: mystery, suspense or horror.
A mystery fiction story is a suspenseful story about a puzzling event that is not
solved until the end. Characters can be detectives in the story or just be trying to
investigate and use clues to try and solve a puzzle.
Horror is a type of fiction that is usually intended to frighten or terrify its readers.
Suspense is the novel that you read which keeps you on the edge of your seat. It
causes a feeling of uncertainty and anxiety about the outcome of certain events in
the story.
What do I need to do for the project?
For this project, you are going to pick any combination of assignments from
sections 1, 2, or 3. Your assignment combination must add up to at least 50
points! Each assignment that you choose must be ONE PAGE IN LENGTH. It
may be typed or NEATLY handwritten.
SECTION 1: 10 points each (must be one page in length)
1. Discuss how the main character is like or unlike a person (or animal) that you know.
2. Pretend that you’re the author, and describe the part that was the most fun or the hardest
to write. Explain why.
3. Describe an experience you have had that was like the experience of a character in your
book.
4. Write any kind of poem about your book. (must be at least 16 lines)
5. Write an obituary for a character in the story.
6. Explain how a character in the book changed from the beginning to the end.
7. If the book has a villain, why was his or her punishment justified.
8. Explain why you would like to have one of the characters as a friend.
SECTION 2: 15 points each (must be one page in length)
9. Draw a color map of where a major part of the story takes place. Label the major
landmarks and points of interests.
10. Write a review of the novel, persuading someone else to read it.
11. Tell what you think happened before the story began. (create a prologue)
12. Write another part of the story where you describe what happened to the main character
after the story ended. (create an epilogue)
13. Explain how you would make your book into a movie – who would play the main
characters, where would you film it, etc? You must explain your choices.
14. Write a different ending for the story that makes sense.
15. Write a letter to the author of the novel.
16. Write two articles for a newspaper published at the time of a major event in the book.
Include all the newspaper article elements of structure in your article.
17. Write an interview with one of the major characters. Create the questions and their
response.
18. Write several diary entries made by one of the major characters. (at least 5)
19. List 15 interesting words from your book, and tell why each is interesting.
20. What problems did the major characters have and how did they solve them?
21. Make a crossword puzzle form the book. Include the answers.
22. Write a review of a movie or another book that is like your novel that shares a common
plot or general theme.
SECTION 3: 20 points each (must be one page in length)
23. Create a collage for the major theme in your novel or one that illustrates certain parts of
your novel.
24. Review the book that you read and compare it to a movie that is like the book. What
happened in each and which was better and why?
25. Find THREE songs that seem to relate to your novel. Write out the lyrics and then write
an explanation of how they relate.
26. Pretend you are a character in the novel. Describe the other characters in the novel and
what you think of them.
27. Make a scrapbook of pictures of the main characters. You could cut out pictures of
people and animals that you think look like the characters and places in the novel. Or
you could collect magazine and newspaper articles.
28. Compare your book with several TV shows that are similar. Explain your comparison.
29. Make a video tape about a part of the book. You could act as a news reporter and explain
an event of the story, or you could act out a part. If you have other ideas, please ask your
teacher first.
30. Do several pieces of art about the novel. (at least 3)
31. Keep a journal as you read your book: record the date and your reactions, thoughts, and
feelings.
32. Write a long poem or rap (20 lines or more) about the book.
33. Create your own original and creative assignment based on the novel. (Get the approval
from your teacher first!)
GENERAL GUIDELINES
1.
2.
3.
4.
You must hand in your assignments all together.
Make sure you number the assignments (1-33) that you choose from each section.
If you need reading or writing help, ask to come in for lunch or intervention!
START NOW!
___________________________________________________________________________
How Do I present my project?
1. You are going to become one of the characters of your novel. In doing this, you must use
the following three elements of character traits:
1. Appearance: You must dress like one of the characters of your
novel when presenting. You do not need to buy costumes or new
clothes to do this. Be creative and transform yourself.
EXAMPLE: If you were acting like Harry Potter, you could wear
a towel as a cape, old black frame glasses, and draw a lightning
bolt on your forehead.
2. Speech: Using your character’s traits, talk like them. Do they talk
in a very serious manner? Do they talk in a very hyper style?
3. Actions: Act out your character’s traits. Are they hyper, calm,
talkative, or quiet? Show us, don’t tell us!
2. Explain why you chose the assignment you did.
3. Three literary elements that are in the book that you read. (Setting, climax, resolution,
characters, etc.)
4. How your book is a mystery/suspense/horror.
Name of Student: ___________________________________ Core: _______
Mystery/Suspense/Horror Book Project Rubric
Your
Points
Project Choice:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Possible
Points
10/15/20
10/15/20
10/15/20
10/15/20
10/15/20
10
Overall Neatness
Presentation:
Your
Points
Possible
Points
Character trait: Appearance
Character trait: Speech
Character trait: Action
Explanation of your assignments
Explanation of literary elements
Explanation of why book is a mystery
Eye contact and clear voice
TOTAL
Teacher Comments and Suggestions for Next Time
5
5
5
10
5
5
5
100