Students are required to read two books each semester. Students will show that they have read and comprehended the book by completing 1 of the 6 book projects listed. All students will complete a double-entry journal for IR #1. After that, students may choose which book project to complete, but each project may only be completed once, except for the oral book test and the double-entry journal, which may be completed once a semester. Grades are based on the number of pages read and the quality of the book project. Students who choose to read more than one book in order to meet the page requirement must complete a book project for each book they read. The total page count restarts after each due date. Students may not use a current or past class novel as an IR book.
The goal of completing a book project is to prove that you have read the entire novel. Make sure to include enough details from the text to illustrate that you have, in fact, read the novel. If I have any doubt that you did not read the novel or did not finish the novel, you will not receive full credit on this assignment. Samples of each project are posted in the classroom.
A+ = 375 pages, A = 325 pages, A- = 275 pages, B+ = 250 pages, B = 225 pages, B- = 200 pages
(If students read 10 pages each night or 65 each weekend, they’ll easily meet the page requirement.)
(For graphic novels, divide your book's page count by 5, and that's how many pages you'll earn credit for reading. You will likely need to read an entire series to reach your page goal.)
Turnitin.com: Use the book project type as your submission title. Include the title of your novel, author, and page count as the assignment title in the heading of your document.
Projects
Oral Book Test: Schedule a book test time at least two days in advance and bring your book to your appointment. Give a brief 2 minute summary of the novel. Be sure to discuss the main characters, the conflict, and the resolution. Be prepared to give an in depth explanation of at least 3 quotes selected by me at random. You may not use any notes. This project may be completed once a semester.
Graphic Novel: Create a graphic novel to highlight and summarize the important events from your book. Fill out the Plot Structure Diagram to include with your project. Your graphic novel must include at least 3 full pages folded in half to create a booklet. Include the following information on each page: page 1/cover: the title, author, page count, your name, and an image, page 2: exposition/setting, page 3: exposition/characters, page 4: conflict, page 5: rising action #1, page 6: rising action #2, page 7: rising action #3, page 8: climax, page 9: falling action #1, page 10: falling action #2, page 11: resolution. Include at least 4 quotes from the novel. Each page must include both text and images that are neat and in color (no naked stick figures). Submit to the in-box in the classroom.
Movie/Book Essay: Read a book that has been made into a movie. (Caution: it must have been a book FIRST. Books written from screenplays are not acceptable.) Write an essay contrasting the movie version with the book. Write a minimum of 5 paragraphs highlighting major differences. Use quotes from both the book and the movie to support all of your claims. See: Class Website- Resources for a sample outline.
Music Album: Create an album/playlist for your novel. Divide your novel into 12 to 16 sections. Select a piece of music that you think captures the feel or tone of each section of the novel. For each song/section: Write a brief paragraph explaining what is happening in the novel and why that piece of music fits that section of the novel. Use quotes from the novel to support your claims.
Double Entry Journal: Create two columns in a digital document (Google Docs). The left-hand column will have a note, question, concern, observation, or important quote from the chapter, and the page number. The right-hand column will contain your reflections, comments, an attempt to answer your question, any connections you see, why you found the quote to be so striking/significant, why this section of text made you think. Create one entry for each chapter of your novel. All students will complete a double-entry journal for IR #1. This project may be repeated once for IR #3 or #4.
Symbol and Theme Essay: A symbol is an object, action, or event that represents something or that creates a range of associations beyond itself. In literary works, a symbol can express an idea, clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning. Select a novel or play and, focusing on one symbol, write an essay (minimum of 5 paragraphs) analyzing how that symbol functions in the work and what it reveals about the characters or themes of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot. Include quotes from the novel to provide evidence for your claims. See: Class Website- Resources for a sample outline. (2009 AP Literature Open-Ended Response Prompt)
Due Dates:
9/30/25
11/18/25
3/10/26
5/12/26
Project Rubric
Points/Pages Breakdown