One Hundred Years of Solitude Web/Research Project

This is a project that will require NIGHTLY homework and time. You must manage your time wisely. This is a three part assignment and ONLY ONE OF THE THREE PARTS MAY BE COMPLETED IN PAIRS (which will be discussed below). This project will span the entire unit and will be due once the book is complete. You will still have to complete Active Reading, as it will continue to help with understanding the text and its themes, as well as help you complete this project. All work, except the final research paper, will be completed in a blog that you create (and link to mine) for this project. To view my blog, get copies of instructions, etc, visit http://mbrown8625-apenglish.blogspot.com/ This project will be due Friday, March 30, 2007.
The Set-Up:
1. Log on to www.blogger.com. Click “Create Your Blog Now”
2. Create a ‘Google’ account. Your must have a valid email address. If you do not have an email address, log on to hotmail, yahoo, or Google and create one. You must do this during the class period.
3. Create a password that YOU WILL REMEMBER. Follow all prompts.
4. Name your blog. YOUR NAME MUST BE SCHOOL APPROPRIATE AND RELATED TO ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE. Fill in the sections entitled “blog title” and “blog address”. DO NOT click on the advanced option.
5. Choose your template. You can change it later, so do not take too much time focusing on this portion of the project.
6. You are now ready to create your post. We will discuss how to do this in class. You can also find instructions on how to create a post on my blog.
Part One: One Hundred Years of Solitude—Student Section (Completed Individually)
1. This section of your blog will contain several posts. Make sure you Include “Student Section” into each post that you create for this section.
2. You must have three reflective blogs: worth 50pts
a. The first must keep track of all your thoughts, emotions (positive or negative), and questions (that you must attempt to answer). I expect portion to be updated at least once a week (each Friday at 11:59pm) Please include the date with each new addition to this post (I will be able to see the time you completed the post). This will be graded according to the reflective essay rubric (see attached)
b. Choose two more types of journals to write (see attached). Each will be graded according to the reflective essay rubric (see attached).
3. Create an Active Reading Blog: worth 100pts
a. Keep track of magical elements (this is magical realism)—anything that is/seems out of the ordinary (reality) fits here. Explain!
b. Keep track of characters. This is absolutely necessary. Track how each character changes/develops. Because names are often similar/same, it is important that you are able to know who’s who. Spark Notes will not help you as much as you think! You’ve been warned.
c. Plot summary: You know the drill. See me if you are unsure of what I expect.
d. Quotes: At least two per chapter. Find and explain those that jump out at you, are troubling, interesting, funny, or evoke an emotion.
e. Themes: Keep track of the themes in the text, and the way each theme drives the text and its characters.
Part Two: The Student as a Teacher Section—May Be Completed in Pairs (the only section)
In this section, you will be the teacher. Your job is to create a Unit Plan. This post must contain the following (and you can add links to the side of your page):
1. Resource page worth 25pts: There must be a link to every website you visit. Under the link, include a description of the major ideas, lessons, etc. that you found. Was the site helpful? How can it improve? Each annotation (the summary after the link) must be at least one paragraph. You must have at least five resources on your page. Worth 25pts
2. Three Lesson Plans—worth 10pts each: These lesson plans can be connected so that they serve as a mini-unit, or you can spread them out so that they can be taught at anytime. Each lesson must have a different objective (maybe you want to create a lesson per theme, or focusing on major characters, or on the book as a whole).
a. At least one lesson plan must incorporate technology (interactive ven diagrams…do the research; you can find it. Incorporating a blog, PowerPoint, or multimedia project? You decide.
b. At least one lesson plan must incorporate a hands-on activity that is related to the book. This can involve Role Playing, mock-debates, lit-circles, or anything else you can think of.
c. The other one may be a variation of the first two, or they can incorporate direct instruction (lectures), mini-lessons, and teaching across subjects (can you find a way to relate this to history? I’m sure you can).
d. Each Lesson plan must have goals that you want to meet and objectives for meeting that goal. What will the students do in class to meet that goal? How will you know that they’ve met the goal (how will you assess them?)
e. One Lesson CANNOT focus on test day.
3. For each lesson, you must create an assessment (besides homework) and a rubric (see attached). Please create your own. Do not replicate this one! Worth 15p
4. Class Presentation: During the course of this unit, you will teach one of your lessons to the class. You will give them your assessment. You will grade the assessment ACCURATELY and these grades will go into the grade book. Your teaching presentation is worth 30points.
5. A Reflection post: Write about your experience as a teacher. What was is like to lesson plan, execute the lesson, and grade assessments? What was positive about the experience? Negative? What went well? What could you do better?


Part Three: The Student as a Scholar—Completed Individually
The last section is dedicated to writing a scholarly, analytic paper which focuses on of the themes of the One Hundred Years of Solitude: Time, Solitude, Identity, magic realism, gender roles.
1. Choose one theme and determine how it drives the text and its characters. Refer to the student section of your blog if necessary.
2. Do the research: What have the scholars said about your topic? About the text?
a. For this section, you will create an annotated bibliography (see attached)
b. You must have 5-7 properly formatted (according to MLA standards… http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/) sources and annotations. Worth 25pts.
c. Outline: How will you write your paper? What is the focus? Use this to focus your writing.
d. Your actual paper: 8-10 pages according to MLA format. Use the guidelines for writing papers handout you received (should be in your notes. See me for extras). This includes the rubric for how I will grade your paper. Worth 100 points.
Total Points for this project: 375pts.