Independent Novels - Final Project

In order to report back on your reading answer the questions below, as indicated. Please ensure that all your answers have been carefully proofread by both yourself and a friend.

Copy and paste each question into your work. Use a different colour for the questions and your answers. You should write a minumum of a short paragraph for each question.


1. Give the author's name and a brief outline of his or her biography. Please use your own words in order to avoid plagiarism.
2. Name and describe the main character(s). Are they static or dynamic? What motivates them? (A static character does not change, a dynamic character changes as a result of his or her experiences)
3. What is the novel's setting? Why, in your opinion, did the author choose this setting for this novel?
4. Describe some of the main events. Where in your novel does the climax take place?

Choose one of the following questions to answer:

1. What are the scenes, incidents or moments which you remember most vividly?
2. Can you identify any important theme or idea with which the novel deals? Do the problems or issues get resolved or are they simply explored?
3. Did you learn anything from the story that you did not know before? Explain (this could be facts or simply seeing something from a different perspective?)
4. Does the novel interest you, irritate you or both? Explain
5. If you could be any character in the novel, who would you be? Why that character?
6. Would you like to read more books from the same author? Why?
7. Explain why the novel did or did not end the way you had hoped it would.
8. Can you imagine yourself reading the novel again in 10 years? Would you suggest it to a friend? Explain.

Each answer is worth a total of 4 marks. Your project will be marked out of /20 in total.

The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test

Next year will be here before you know it and it will be time to write the Grade 10 Literacy test. Read through the guide, prepared by the Ministry of Education, by clicking here.

Copy the following questions to your blog and answer them in full sentences:

1) In the tips for reading section (page 3), explain what three strategies you feel are your strongest.

2) What three reading strategies do you feel you should try to improve upon the most between now and the test?

3) Repeat instructions 1) and 2) for the writing tips on page 4.

4) Read page 5. What information do you find to be helpful or interesting?

5) Finally, what questions do you have about the literacy test (the OSSLT) that Mr. Pierce may be able to answer for you?

Sample Summary - The Third Man Theory

The Third Man

Many people, both religious and atheist, report being helped survive near death experiences by an unknown presence. Spiritual or religious people, no matter what their faith, say they were helped by a divine companion, while atheists see it as a brain function. Whether the Third Man is an angel or a survival mechanism is for people to decide.

Write Your Own News Report

Many of you asked yesterday if you could post your News Report on your blog... well, here's your chance.

For today, I would like you to create your own News Report. This is a new activity and you will be finding your own picture and making up your own headline. Just switch to google images and try googling something you would be interested in writing about to find a picture you can use. Save it to your M drive or the desktop so that you can upload it to your blog.

When you write your own News Report, be sure to follow the rules we have been learning:

You must:

-Plan your report by outlining the 5 w's + H.

-Make up a title

-Write a lead in which you fit all the 5 w's + H.

-Continue writing the rest of the story so that you have 100 to 200 words in total.

-Write in full sentences and paragraphs.

-Write in formal English

-Avoid using 'I' or 'we'.

(Be sure to reread your work carefully and spell check it before you hit 'PUBLISH')

Please work hard... I'll be looking to see who is able to complete their work and who is not when I return on Wdnesday.

Some Sample News Reports

News Report # 1

News Report # 2

News Report # 3

Now try your own News Report by accessing this link.

* Be sure to plan your answer by making an outline of the 5 W's +H.

We've finished Animal Farm...

Now that we've finished, I would like you to blog your opinion about the novel. Organise your response into one or more paragraphs. How much did you (or didn't you) enjoy reading about the novel? Why? What questions were you left with after reading?

Chapter 9

1. What was Boxer's one real ambition?

2. Why did Boxer sustain an injury?

3. What was Boxer's fate?

4. How did Squealor manage to make the animals feel better about Boxer's death?

5. What did the pigs purchase at the end of the chapter? Where do you think they got the money?