Fahrenheit 451 Summer Reading Projects
Please choose ONE of the following projects to complete. The finished project is due on the first Friday of the new school year. It will be counted as a major test grade.
Project Options
A. Cartoon Project – Create a framed cartoon or comic strip that illustrates an important scene in the novel.
You may use any size paper, but each frame should be clearly boxed out. Be sure to leave room for captions.
You must have at least 15 frames. You must include both dialogue and captions.
The pictures may be in either black and white or in color, but may not be done in pencil. Again, your project must be final draft quality, and pencil suggests an unfinished draft.
The captions below the frames should give readers a brief explanation of what is happening, and the dialogue should sound similar to what is said in the novel.
Add a short written description of the scene’s importance at the end of the comic.
I've found the following website helpful in understanding the parts of a comic and how to put it together. Please read through it before beginning this project: How to Create a Comic Book Layout
Example: Comic Book Adaption Examples
B. Front Page Project – Create the first page of a newspaper that fits into Montag’s world.
You may use ledger, legal, or tabloid paper for this project. It would be a good idea to use the Canva website if you are familiar with it, as they offer newspaper layouts.
The newspaper may exist in the mainstream society of 451, or may be an underground publication.
All articles must be typed and arranged in newspaper columns.
Include these required parts:
Masthead: paper name, date, address, volume, issue number, and cost
Column layout for text and photos
Banner headline: a large main headline across most or all columns
Main story: use an event or detail that was mentioned or happened in the book; this article must be the largest item on the page and fully fill the space you give it
Photo(s) or drawing(s) that go with the main story, plus captions that explain the images
Add the following for visual appeal and realism:
∙ Sidebar stories (see any local newspaper to find a one-column story design)
∙ Teasers about what else might be in the paper
∙ Opinion piece or praise boxes (like the “Howls & Growls” in the Red and Blue)
∙ Ad boxes
Example: Front Page Project Example
C. Modern Connection Project- Create a Google Slides presentation comparing the novel to today’s world.
The Google Slides must include segments on how technology, censorship, or media are similar/ different in today’s world.
The Slide presentation must include:
A title slide with your name and the Project Title
A slide comparing how technology in the book is similar or different in today’s world.
Two slides explaining real world examples for technology, that include links to news articles about these examples.
A slide comparing how censorship in the book is similar or different in today’s world.
Two slides explaining real world examples for censorship, that include links to news articles about these examples.
A slide comparing how media in the book is similar or different in today’s world.
Two slides explaining real world examples for media, that include links to news articles about these examples.
A slide explaining your final thoughts on what we can learn about our world from these similarities and differences.
A final slide that lists all of your sources.
All slides must be formatted clearly, with appropriate backgrounds, and images or graphs to accompany each slide’s information.
Example Google Slides here: Modern Connections Project: Frankenstein Example
D. Alternate Ending: Rewrite the ending to Fahrenheit 451 or write a new chapter.
Many readers are disappointed that Clarisse does not reappear at the end, or that we never know exactly what happens to Faber, or Montag, for that matter. While writing, you must consider how the characters would actually act and what they would actually say and do based on our knowledge of them. For some ideas (Bradbury himself has questioned the ending and has been tempted to change it) see the Afterword. Your piece should clearly reflect your understanding of the themes and characters in the novel (in other words, don’t go completely off track and imagine Montag ending up in an ice crystal on Mars).
This should be:
-typed as a Google Word document with 12 point, Times New Roman font
-Have a title of the author’s choosing
-Contain dialogue between characters, as well as the character’s thoughts
- Be written in either first person or 3rd person limited narration
- Explain the outcomes for key characters, or hint at what might have happened.
-Reference previous events from the novel.
- Contain 600-900 words
Example here: Pride and Prejudice Rewritten: What to Do and What NOT to Do
EXTRA CREDIT OPTION: Video Book Trailer Worth up to 110 points.
Produce a book trailer starring you and as many family and friends as possible for the book. (Yes, it is also okay if you would just like to dress up as all the characters yourself.) The trailer should include key conflicts and themes, use images, music, or narration, and avoid spoilers for the novel. Canva is a great app to use to create a trailer.
The trailer should:
Be between 1-3 minutes in length
Feature at least 3 key scenes
Feature 4 key characters
Use dialogue from the book
Include a narrator
Have background music that fits the trailer’s feel
Example available here: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder Book Trailer