Lorax Project
Follow along with the due dates, so you are not rushed at the end of the
project. Have fun, pick a topic that is interesting to you, and I look forward to seeing
your projects!
Due Dates
January 16, 2015 Select the person who you would like to research, and find a 100200 page biography. Begin reading the biography. (Divide the book into 4ths and
complete 4 Reading Responses)
January 23, 2014 Biography Reading Response 1
January 26-February 12, 2015 Reading Responses 2-4
February 11, 2015 Outline and Character Trait Chart
February 19 -23, 2015 Speeches and Award
6th Grade language Arts
Lorax Award
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to
get better. It's not.”
People and Power: The Lorax Award
The Lorax spoke for the trees who could not speak for themselves. He insistently
pointed out to the Once-ler the horrible damage being done to the environment.
Though he failed in one sense: the truffula trees, air and water were destroyed, he
succeeded in another: the Once-ler finally realized what his greed had done to the
beauty ‘once’ enjoyed by the brown barbaloots, the swammy swans, the hummingfish
and the Once-ler himself. The Lorax championed a cause and overcame amazing
odds. Because of his courageous, wise, and diligent actions, the Lorax should have
been honored with an award, but sadly he was not. However, we can honor the
Lorax today, by honoring those in our lives that have contributed so much to the
world in which we live by dedicating a Lorax Award to him or her.
In commemoration of the Lorax, you have the honor of identifying and honoring
an individual in our world who has impacted the world and the people about
them, many times overcoming enormous obstacles to achieve great feats, and
there by making our lives richer.
There are so many who could be honored like: John Muir, George Norris, Margaret
Sanger, Cesar Chavez, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Jesse Jackson, Harvey Milk,
Joan of Arc, Golda Meir, and many, many more.
Your assignment is to research a person that you feel has made an impact on the
world in some way. You need to find and read a biography about the person as well
as at least 1 other source. You need to complete reading response tasks for the
biography that are assigned. Then, you will compose a 3-5 minute speech where you
pay tribute to the person and make an argument for why this person is deserving of
the Lorax Award. Your goal is to arouse and heighten the audience’s appreciation or
admiration for the person. Your speech should generate a deep sense of respect.
It should be written in such a way to stir the audience’s emotions to feel a certain
way towards the person receiving your Lorax Award.
Steps:
1. Select a biography, autobiography or memoir that is 100 pages or
more.
2. Tell me whose biography, autobiography or memoir you are reading.
(You need to tell me by January 16, 2015)
3. Read the book and complete the reading response assignments. (You
need to finish the biography by February 9, 2015)
4. After you are done with the book, complete the graphic organizer
that you will receive in class.
5. Complete an outline for your speech and review it with me.
6. Compose your commemorative speech that:
a. Uses clear, vivid language
b. Uses a hook in the introduction that informs the audience about
the person
c. Identifies three qualities that are hallmarks of the person,
supporting the qualities with examples and evidence from the text
and elaboration and explanation of the evidence
d. Uses language devices such as: similes, metaphors, alliteration,
repetition and parallelism
e. Includes a correctly formatted annotated bibliography
7. Edit and proofread the manuscript so that you present an error-free
copy to me.
8. Make an Award that you would, if you could, give to the person. You
need to MAKE the award which needs to be a 3-dimensional, original
design that is no larger than about 6” x 6” x 10”
9. Practice your speech
10. Present to the class your speech using effective mannerisms and good
eye-contact the week of February 18-23 (Days will be decided
closer to the 18th)
Commemorative Speech Example Speech
6th Grade Language Arts
Below you will find a former student’s example of a commemorative
speech. Notice the lines about the Lorax Award to show you how you
can mention the purpose of the speech: to make an argument of why
the person is worthy of receiving the Lorax Award. Note the use of
repetition, parallelism, alliteration, simile, and metaphor in this speech.
Additionally, note the format of providing a thesis, the categories (the
Reason/Detail/Facts) that you want to develop by sharing specific
examples, elaboration and explanation that illustrate your opinion of
your person.
Additionally, you will find the evaluation checklists we will use to
evaluate the presentation of the speech and the composition of the
speech manuscript, (the rubric for the manuscript itself is below.)
___________________________________________________________________________________
Lorax Speech
Hank Atkinson, by Valerie Main
Every day people are born and people die. Human beings come into this world
and leave it—most without their names being immortalized in any history books.
Millions of people have lived and worked and died without making any great claims to
fame or fortune. But they aren’t forgotten—not by friend and not by their families. My
uncle, Henry (Hank) Atkinson, was one of these very special people. Growing up in the
mid 20th century, Hank learned the value of hard work on his family’s farm in Barry,
Illinois where he woke at 4 am every morning to help feed the sheep and milk the cows.
He entered the profession of law as a district attorney for the city of Boston after
overcoming a horrific auto accident during college where he was paralyzed from the
waist down. In Boston, he spent 50 years of his life prosecuting many of the most
vicious criminals the city encountered: murders, child abusers and thugs from various
gangs. But is that why he is so special? No. So what made him so special? Why is he
remembered not only by friends and family, but by casual acquaintances as well? Very
simply, he was the essence of love. More than that, he was the essence of what I think of
as “active” love. Hank was a compassionate, loving man whose words of kindness, acts
tolerance and moments of courage were not empty, they were his way of life; for this I
honor him today and dedicate this Lorax award to him.
Hank didn’t just pay lip service to kindness; he lived and showed it on a daily
basis. During the Great Depression he took homeless people off the street into his home
when they needed a place to sleep. He gave them food when they were hungry. Though
he wasn’t a rich man by any means, he gave them money when he had none. On one
occasion his father remembered driving up to the old train station outside of Barry to pick
Hank up who was home for a few days during college and seeing Hank empty his pockets
of what ever loose money he had and hand it over to a bedraggled man who looked as if
he had nothing to his name. Those people off the street will remember the man who had
enough love in his heart to share with them all that he had.
Additionally, Hank didn’t just speak of tolerance; he lived it. During the 1960’s,
when his peers were condemning those “long-haired hippies,” Hank would drive in his
car, picking up dozens and dozens of those “long-haired hippies” who were hitchhiking.
He would go miles out of his way to give them a ride somewhere. In the summer of 62,
Hank was driving from Chicago to Boston, when he encountered Seth, a young man of
19 who looked and smelled as though he hadn’t seen a shower or a set of sheers in a long
time. His green army jacket was as greasy and grimy as his hair, and the length of his
beard dangled to his chest. Seth was thumbing his way across the country, “searching for
himself.” After a lengthy conversation, he told Hank his mom still lived in Roan
Mountain, Tennessee, and that he hadn’t seen her in two years. Hank sensed sadness in
Seth, and asked if he wanted to see his mom. Seth said yes, but didn’t have means of
getting there. So Hank, though the car reeked of old sweat and dirty clothes, drove Seth
13 hours and 21 minutes out of his way to reunite the family. Certainly Seth and the
dozens of other men and women will remember the man who had enough love in his
heart to bridge the gap between his world of suits and ties and theirs to practice the spirit
of brotherhood.
Hank didn’t just speak of courage; he proved his courage time and time again. He
proved it to a little girl who was trapped in the basement of a burning building. He pulled
her out of the flames and gave her back her life. That little girl, now a grown woman,
will remember the man who had enough love in his heart to risk his life for a person he
didn’t even know. He also proved his courage, in a more personal way to his family. In
1966 he was told he had leukemia and only a year to live. He immediately started
chemotherapy treatment, and I don’t know which is worse—the effects of the disease or
the effects of those treatments. In the ensuing year we saw his hair fall out, we saw his
skin turn a pasty shade of gray, and we saw him lose so much weight that he seemed to
shrivel up into half the size he had been. We didn’t want to see him go out that way. And
we didn’t. He fought that disease like a wild animal, with all the strength and courage of
a tiger. And despite the pain, he endured; he never complained, and continued to work
for the city of Boston. I think about him when I catch myself complaining about my
“tons of chores or homework” or a “terrible headache.” And suddenly that work or that
headache doesn’t seem so terrible after all.
He lived through that first year, and he lived through eight more, and that disease
never stopped him from working, and it never stopped him from caring. All through
those years of suffering, he continued to show compassion and tolerance and courage.
He died in 1975. And like the Lorax, he left this world without ever making the pages of
a history book, but he still left the world a great deal. He left to the people who knew
him a spirit that exemplifies life—a spirit of unconditional, selfless and truly inspiring
love, and thus is so deserving of the Lorax award.
Bibliography
Main, Phillip. Personal Interview. 16 January 2008.
Phillip was Hank’s brother, and also my uncle. I was lucky to have
him as a primary source who knew specific stories Hank told him.
Main, Rufus Henry. For My Family. Chicago: Haymarket Publishing,
1976.
This is a short biography written by my grandfather where I found a
lot of the
information about events that happened to Hank.
PROJECT CHECK LIST
ORGANIZATION
___Introduction gains attention and sparked interest
___Introduces subject clearly
___Provides a clear thesis and establishes person is a worthy recipient of the
Lorax Speech
___Previews the body of the speech
___Main ideas (Reason/Detail/Fact) are clearly found throughout the speech
___Uses clear and varied transition words and phrases
___Uses specific examples, elaboration or explanation to develop each of
the three main ideas
___Prepares audience for ending
___Reinforces thesis and main points in the conclusion
___Ends with a strong final thought
CONTENT
___Deals with topic in a creative way to inspire audience
___Language is clear and concise. Avoids words like “good” and “thing”
and vague examples.
___Word choice is vivid with use of language devices such as:
____Simile____Metaphor____Alliteration____Parallelism
GUMPS
____Manuscript is error free of spelling and punctuation errors
____MLA Bibliography entry at end of speech to document the text(s) or
sources read and used
DELIVERY
____Began speech without rushing.
____Maintained strong eye contact with all of the audience
____Avoided distracting mannerisms—touching hair, clothes, rocking,
nervous movement
____Used vocal variety in rate, pitch, volume to add impact
____Used gestures effectively
____Articulated words clearly
____Communicated enthusiasm for the topic
AWARD
____ Award is 3 Dimensional
____ Award is hand crafted
____ Award is clearly labeled
____ Award is sturdy
PROJECT RUBRIC
Criteria
1. Introduction
2. Use of Perfect
Paragraph to explain
each trait
3. Transitions
4. Conclusion
5. Use of Metaphor,
Simile, Alliteration,
Parallelism
4
3
2
1
Your intro grabbed the
audience’s attention and
included a clear thesis
and a preview of the
three traits you wanted
to prove.
You used a clear topic
sentence for each trait
that set the stage for you
to explain the trait. You
also used specific
examples to illustrate
each trait.
Your use of transitions
throughout the speech
made one idea flow to the
next.
Your intro was
catchy, but didn’t
clearly state a clear
thesis and preview of
the traits you wanted
to prove.
You used clear topic
sentences, but your
supporting
information was very
vague.
You had an intro, but it
wasn’t smooth and
didn’t contain much
information. The
thesis and preview
were unclear.
Your topic sentences
were vague, and your
supporting evidence
was vague.
You had an
intro, but it was
very shallow.
Your use of
transitions helped
your speech flow, but
you missed areas that
really needed a
transition to help the
speech flow.
You concluded your
speech by restating
the thesis and the
traits, but you didn’t
include a final
thought.
You used transitions,
but they really didn’t
connect one idea to the
next.
You just jumped
from one topic
top another.
You concluded the
speech, but just
restated your thesis
and preview
You concluded
the speech, but
didn’t restate
your thesis.
You used a metaphor,
simile, Alliteration, or
Parallelism that is
clear.
You used a metaphor,
simile, Alliteration, or
Parallelism
You have all
necessary elements,
but they are in the
wrong order.
You looked up at the
audience at least
once during the
speech.
You left out one
element in the
bibliography.
Your voice was
audible, but once or
twice the audience
had to strain to hear
you.
Your voice was clear,
but you really didn’t
pause.
You voice was really
soft, but with effort the
audience could hear.
You used a very
loose, vague
metaphor,
simile,
Alliteration,
orParallelism
You left out
more than one
element in the
bibliography.
You stared at
your paper the
whole time
except when
you started and
finished.
You spoke so
softly, you were
told to speak up.
The award was
sturdy and clearly
labeled.
The ward is somewhat
sturdy, but appears to
have had little effort
put into it. It does not
have the name of the
recipient.
You concluded your
speech by restating why
you gave the award and
the traits but in a
different way from the
intro. You also used a
strong final thought.
You used a strong well
thought out and placed
metaphor, simile,
Alliteration, or
Parallelism
6. Bibliography
Your bibliography
included all necessary
parts in the right order.
7. Use of Eye Contact
You regularly looked at
the audience.
8. Audibility
Your voice was loud and
clear.
9. Clarity of Voice
Your voice was loud and
you spoke at a pace that
was not too fast or too
slow. You used pauses
effectively.
10. Physical Award
Score (x5)
The award was creative,
original, threedimensional and met the
size requirements. It was
sturdy and well made. It
included the name of the
recipient in a neat
fashion.
You only looked at the
audience once during
the whole speech.
You spoke so fast the
audience had trouble
understanding you.
Your topic
sentences did
not match the
information you
used.
You stumbled
over most of
your words or
spoke so fast
nobody really
understood you.
The award is
twodimensional,
doesn’t have the
name, appears
haphazardly
thrown
together.
0
The information
you used was
written as a
biography.
You didn’t even
attempt to use a
metaphor.
You didn’t even
include your
source.
You didn’t bother
to make an
award.
Character Traits
Name_______________________________
I know ____________________________is character trait because
is (character trait)
because in the text (evidence)
6th Grade language Arts
Biography Reading Response 1 through 4
For the biography, you will be completing a reading response for every
¼ of the book. So, divide the number of chapters by four. You’ll do a
reading response after each fourth.
You need to finish the book by February 9th, so work backwards, and
plan accordingly to get your book finished.
Your first reading response is due tomorrow January 21, 2015. Turn in
the other reading responses (2, 3 and 4) as you finish the sections; all
four of them will be due by February 12, 2015.
For the first response you need to incorporate into a paragraph the
answers to the following questions.
- who you are reading about
- the title of the book
- the number of chapters and the number of pages
- the author
Then you will need to make a list of the following:
- 3 important events that happened in the first chapter
- 1 quote or line you like from the chapter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------For each of the following reading responses for the biography:
- list 3 important events that happened in the section
- write 1 quote or line you like from the section
- and write a paragraph on one of the following (you can only do
a choice once)
- why you admire the person.
- obstacles the person faced
- who the person affected and how
- the impact the person created
- problems the person faced
- events happening around the world at that time
Lorax Speech Outline
Have this approved/checked by Mrs. Arnett by Wednesday Feb 11, 2014
Use your own paper if necessary
Thesis statement(Answer the question on why do you want to give this person the
Lorax award)
____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Three admirable traits(these are written in your preview)
___________________________________,_____________________________,________________________________
Outline:
¶ 1: Introduction: = Hook + Thesis Statement+ Speech Preview
a. Attention grabber; scene setter; anecdote; quote, biographical data with
elaboration and explanation _______________________________________________________________
b. Thesis ____________________________________________________________________________
c. Preview (traits)____________________________________________________________________
¶ 2: Paragraph developing the first trait
a.
____________________________________________________________________________
b.
____________________________________________________________________________
c.
____________________________________________________________________________
¶ 3: Paragraph developing the second trait
a.
____________________________________________________________________________
b.
____________________________________________________________________________
c.
____________________________________________________________________________
¶ 4: Paragraph developing the third trait
a.
____________________________________________________________________________
b.
____________________________________________________________________________
c.
____________________________________________________________________________
¶ 5: Conclusion
SAMPLE OUTLINE FOR SAMPLE SPEECH
Hook:
General overview of people
Hank’s background
Three traits:
His acts of kindness, his moments of tolerance
and his feats of courage
Thesis:
His acts of kindness, his moments of tolerance and his feats of courage
were not empty, they were his way of life, and for this I honor him today
with the Lorax award.
First Trait:
compassion, he lived and showed kindness on a daily basis.
a. helped people during the depression
Second Trait:
tolerance, he lived it
a. Kind to hippies
Third Trait:
courage, he proved his courage time and time again
a. saved little girl
b. faced and overcame leukemia
Conclusion:
sum-up his continued fight
mention all three trait in a different way from the intro
restate Lorax Award