Ms. Shepard’s 8th Grade English Class OMAM Project is Here!

Ms. Shepard’s 8th Grade English Class

Of Mice and Men

Project

Homeskillets, the following is a list of options for your OMAM project. Whichever project you choose to complete must be neat and organized. Effort must be visible. The grade is based on creativity, neatness, accuracy, and effort. Choose a project that appeals to your own personal talents and interests. (There is a big difference between something you jot down in a few minutes and something you put time into).  Ms. Shepard will know the difference. This assignment must be individual work. There are no groups allowed.

Part 1: Choose ONE of the following:

1. Poem—write one long poem (at least 30 lines) or at least three short poems (totaling at least 30 lines) in the form of your choosing about the story, a theme or lesson learned from the story, or one or more of the characters. The poem can be from your own perspective or it can be from the perspective of one of the characters—for example, Lennie is writing the poem or George, etc. (MS. SHEPARD WILL NOT ACCEPT elementary school rhyming “roses are red/violets are blue/Lennie is sweet/and George is, too.” —She wants thought and insight.)
2. Only for those who are talented illustrators: Create a five-frame cartoon strip or a cartoon motion flipbook that captures what happens in the scene from the novel that is most memorable to you.
3. Create a mobile or collage (at least 11 x 14) that captures one important aspect of the story—it can be about one character or one theme or one symbol, etc. (When making a collage, the poster board should be filled). On a separate, typed piece, write an explanation for each item you chose to include. Explain: why did you include it, what does it represent?
4. Film yourself performing a song/rap characterizing an aspect of the story. (Make sure when you write it, it looks like a song written in stanzas with a chorus.) The song must be at least 3 minutes long.
5. Create an online literary scrapbook. Using PowerPoint, gather images, backgrounds, text, video, clipart and sound that express the relationship between George and Lennie. Limit the amount of text you use, just like a personal scrapbook. Include a Works Cited slide at the end with a list of the websites you used. 

6. Censorship Defense – Of Mice and Men has been frequently challenged by special interest groups.  These groups often feel that this novel is inappropriate for students to read because of foul language, violence, and the presentation of stereotypical viewpoints.  You must decide whether you agree or disagree with this argument and write a letter to the editor of a newspaper defending your opinion of this issue.  You must use specific details from the book and information you find about censorship (research if you need to) to support your opinion. Your work must be two typed pages.

7. Take on the persona of two characters from the novel. These two characters will have chosen to keep in touch after the death of Lennie.  You must write 2 letters each (4 total) that are exchanges that pen pals might have. Your letters must be one page each (front and back= one page; 2 typed pages=four pages) 

Part 2: Everyone must complete this portion.

Use your chapter 6 re-write: Re-write the ending of chapter 6. You can create an epilogue or an explanation of what happens after Lennie dies or you can change the ending completely. Your re-write should be one typed page in length.  (You may need to add to what you have already written in class.)

Due Date: Tuesday, February 17, 2015 at 3:30 PM. There will be no late submissions. NONE.

This assignment is worth one homework assignment, one classwork assignment, and one assessment grade. Please see attached rubrics.