Pop Culture: Writing Project
Educational Problems project: Several of you have not yet posted your required reply with research to the MCC forum. Please do that. Various new topics have been added.
Research & Writing:
Using the advice and skills of research (see below), I would like you to brainstorm a pop cultural topic to write a "chapter" for what could be a longer "book". The topic may be a memoir, like The Undertaking, a journalistic autobiography/biography like The Other Wes Moore, or a documentary-style expose like Chew on This. Other basic types of non-fiction may include: autobiography, a guide or manual, history, new journalism, memoir, natural history, travelogue, philosophy, or a combination of any of these.
Here's a few other samples:
The Student Resistance Handbook
Bartleby.com: Nonfiction (search list for public domain samples of nonfiction work)
The Dangerous Book for Boys
To get started, brainstorm an idea:
Your project is an individual one. Work alone on this one. A draft of your project will be due during portfolio collection for marking period 2 (Week of Nov. 26). It will count as part of your portfolio, but you will also get a secondary grade based on effort that will be averaged into your final marking period grade.
All projects must include:
Alternatives to writing a chapter:
1. Create a documentary film. Films should be anywhere from 3 to 15 minutes.
2. Create and design a specific blog that covers your idea and the components listed above.
3. Other (your own option, let me know what you're thinking...)
HOMEWORK: At the end of class, we will be getting the graphic novel: V for Vendetta. Please read up to page: 30 (chapter 4) in the graphic novel. Please complete your reading of your non-fiction book. You will have a test next week and a forum post due for this assignment.
Research & Writing:
Using the advice and skills of research (see below), I would like you to brainstorm a pop cultural topic to write a "chapter" for what could be a longer "book". The topic may be a memoir, like The Undertaking, a journalistic autobiography/biography like The Other Wes Moore, or a documentary-style expose like Chew on This. Other basic types of non-fiction may include: autobiography, a guide or manual, history, new journalism, memoir, natural history, travelogue, philosophy, or a combination of any of these.
Here's a few other samples:
The Student Resistance Handbook
Bartleby.com: Nonfiction (search list for public domain samples of nonfiction work)
The Dangerous Book for Boys
To get started, brainstorm an idea:
1. Doodle in your notebook/journal until you have an ideaYour idea should be inherently significant (you will want to make sure you can conduct the research you need to) and tie into American culture in some aspect. Use the books (particularly the chapters) The Other Wes Moore, The Undertaking, and Chew on This as models of the kind of thing we're talking about here.
2. List
3. Create a mind-map
4. Freewrite
5. Combine any or all of these ideas
Your project is an individual one. Work alone on this one. A draft of your project will be due during portfolio collection for marking period 2 (Week of Nov. 26). It will count as part of your portfolio, but you will also get a secondary grade based on effort that will be averaged into your final marking period grade.
All projects must include:
- 1. a works cited page to collect research and supportive materials
- 2. a history of the topic
- 3. a purpose. See notes and posts about writing non-fiction below.
- 4. a working title
A. InterviewsPlease note that your work is a draft. Eager or interested students may continue this project during the year to complete a significant chapter/thesis from which to consider serious study post high school. You may also connect your idea or subject to your chosen field of potential study in college. Ex. If I want to be the manager of Burger King, I may write about Burger King. If I want to study zoology, I might write about environmental dangers to a specific species, etc.
B. Illustrations
C. Photographs or graphics
Alternatives to writing a chapter:
1. Create a documentary film. Films should be anywhere from 3 to 15 minutes.
2. Create and design a specific blog that covers your idea and the components listed above.
3. Other (your own option, let me know what you're thinking...)
HOMEWORK: At the end of class, we will be getting the graphic novel: V for Vendetta. Please read up to page: 30 (chapter 4) in the graphic novel. Please complete your reading of your non-fiction book. You will have a test next week and a forum post due for this assignment.
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