English 11B Project Descriptions
If you are actually working on English 11A and you ended up here, then this is the wrong page. Click this link to go to the correct class.
Listed below are all of the project descriptions for English 11B. Scroll down to the corresponding folder to begin the project. Any written projects can be submitted by e-mail to [email protected]. Any projects requiring presentation can be done in person, or, if the project is online, can be turned in via e-mail. You must write a five paragraph essay for each unless noted otherwise.
After turning in a rough draft, please continue on in the class.
After turning in a rough draft, please continue on in the class.
Modern Age
The Modern Era brought forth a variety of pieces of literature. With the First World War fading into the past and the Great Depression slowly getting better, literature and types of media began to change.
The project you're going to be working on is going to focus on description and your ability to describe something, whether it be a scene or how to do something. You can choose any of the options below.
Option 1:
You're going to write a one page description of a scenario (in Google Docs). You won't necessarily be telling a story, but showing a sequence of events using vivid descriptive language, much like in some of the reading in the lesson the Bonus Army. For examples, you may describe a concert you attended and the happenings of that concert, or walking to lunch on a cold, snowy day in Charlotte. The choice is yours to make. The scenario described must be a page long. You must correctly use at least 10 words from the College Board's 100 most common ACT/SAT words (link). In using that list, be sure to consult Dictionary.com to be sure you're using the word properly. The list is good, but the definitions they give are poor, so make sure you check Dictionary.com.
Additionally, if you want to use words not on the list, they must be rated as "few English speakers likely know this word" on Dictionary.com's difficulty index, located on the right side of the screen when you search for a definition on their website (you might have to scroll down a smidge to see it).
Please put in bold all words you want counted. In returning your rough draft, I'll mark which ones are used properly and which are not. I will only score words that are in bold.
here will be no words like "good" and "great" and "nice" here; use advanced vocabulary to describe your scenario. Thesaurus.com is a great resource for this. Choosing basic words will lessen your grade. Having a robust vocabulary will enhance your writing and secure you a stronger grade.
Option 2:
You are going to produce a video to teach me how to do something. You are going to describe a step-by-step "how-to" process focused on teaching me how to perform a specific task. Detail is something that is extremely important in teaching someone how to perform a task because you want them to get it right. In the lesson about manufacturing the 14AP4 picture tube, the author details the process of producing the picture tube, using a lot of jargon to explain the process. You will be doing something similar.
Your video will detail a 10 step process to make, build, or do something. That something is up to you, but it must have at least 10 steps to do it right. Some potential ideas you can choose are:
The choice is yours. The video must explain the process with a level of detail that makes the task idiot-proof, like, even Chris Brown could figure it out. Either bring in your recording or submit your recording to [email protected] by attaching the URL or file to the e-mail. Videos will be graded on level the level of detail in the video. Excellent level of detail will earn you a strong grade. Ambiguous explanations, or low detail, will lower your grade. Have fun! :)
The project you're going to be working on is going to focus on description and your ability to describe something, whether it be a scene or how to do something. You can choose any of the options below.
Option 1:
You're going to write a one page description of a scenario (in Google Docs). You won't necessarily be telling a story, but showing a sequence of events using vivid descriptive language, much like in some of the reading in the lesson the Bonus Army. For examples, you may describe a concert you attended and the happenings of that concert, or walking to lunch on a cold, snowy day in Charlotte. The choice is yours to make. The scenario described must be a page long. You must correctly use at least 10 words from the College Board's 100 most common ACT/SAT words (link). In using that list, be sure to consult Dictionary.com to be sure you're using the word properly. The list is good, but the definitions they give are poor, so make sure you check Dictionary.com.
Additionally, if you want to use words not on the list, they must be rated as "few English speakers likely know this word" on Dictionary.com's difficulty index, located on the right side of the screen when you search for a definition on their website (you might have to scroll down a smidge to see it).
Please put in bold all words you want counted. In returning your rough draft, I'll mark which ones are used properly and which are not. I will only score words that are in bold.
here will be no words like "good" and "great" and "nice" here; use advanced vocabulary to describe your scenario. Thesaurus.com is a great resource for this. Choosing basic words will lessen your grade. Having a robust vocabulary will enhance your writing and secure you a stronger grade.
Option 2:
You are going to produce a video to teach me how to do something. You are going to describe a step-by-step "how-to" process focused on teaching me how to perform a specific task. Detail is something that is extremely important in teaching someone how to perform a task because you want them to get it right. In the lesson about manufacturing the 14AP4 picture tube, the author details the process of producing the picture tube, using a lot of jargon to explain the process. You will be doing something similar.
Your video will detail a 10 step process to make, build, or do something. That something is up to you, but it must have at least 10 steps to do it right. Some potential ideas you can choose are:
- How to set up a wireless router for your family's house.
- How to change your car's oil.
- How to prepare a boat motor for winter.
- How to make an arrow.
- How to cook Beef Wellington.
The choice is yours. The video must explain the process with a level of detail that makes the task idiot-proof, like, even Chris Brown could figure it out. Either bring in your recording or submit your recording to [email protected] by attaching the URL or file to the e-mail. Videos will be graded on level the level of detail in the video. Excellent level of detail will earn you a strong grade. Ambiguous explanations, or low detail, will lower your grade. Have fun! :)
Experiment and Conflict
For this assignment, you're going to write a reflective story.
This reflective story is going to be a true story about you. Reflective stories look back upon your life in order to explain something about who you are today. That "something" can be positive or negative. I had a friend once who had a distinct fear of dogs which I always felt was odd, until one day he told me the story of how he'd been attacked by a dog when he was younger. Because of this, whenever dogs would come near him, he would step away from them and do his best not to let them touch him, despite how cute and happy they looked.
For an example including myself, my fifth grade teacher helped me become interested in writing, which eventually caused me to get a degree in English. My teacher, Mr. Chester, would have us free-write for 30 minutes every morning. We could write about whatever we wanted, but we had to at least write something; about half a page each day. At the time, I'd wanted to be a weatherman, so I wrote about a fictional news station that reported the events of the school, events of my life, and, naturally, the weather. I enjoyed writing this so much that it kept me writing for fun many years after I'd left fifth grade.
Reflective essays are meant to be personal memoirs of how you came to be the person you are today, how something or someone influenced your personality, beliefs, values, or life choices. For this assignment, you will be writing one in the style of one of the stories you read in this folder.
The story must have some key aspects. It must be:
You will turn in a rough draft to me through Google Docs which can be accessed through any Google e-mail account (your school e-mail is one such example). I will make marks on a printed copy for you with suggestions and edits. You will make those corrections on your paper and then resubmit it to me. If you have questions, my phone number is (517) 667-8468 and my e-mail is [email protected]. I look forward to reading your story :)
This reflective story is going to be a true story about you. Reflective stories look back upon your life in order to explain something about who you are today. That "something" can be positive or negative. I had a friend once who had a distinct fear of dogs which I always felt was odd, until one day he told me the story of how he'd been attacked by a dog when he was younger. Because of this, whenever dogs would come near him, he would step away from them and do his best not to let them touch him, despite how cute and happy they looked.
For an example including myself, my fifth grade teacher helped me become interested in writing, which eventually caused me to get a degree in English. My teacher, Mr. Chester, would have us free-write for 30 minutes every morning. We could write about whatever we wanted, but we had to at least write something; about half a page each day. At the time, I'd wanted to be a weatherman, so I wrote about a fictional news station that reported the events of the school, events of my life, and, naturally, the weather. I enjoyed writing this so much that it kept me writing for fun many years after I'd left fifth grade.
Reflective essays are meant to be personal memoirs of how you came to be the person you are today, how something or someone influenced your personality, beliefs, values, or life choices. For this assignment, you will be writing one in the style of one of the stories you read in this folder.
- A stream-of-consciousness story, in a style of Journey.
- A first person chronological narrative, in the style of Raymond's Run.
- A third person limited omniscient story, in the style of The First Seven Years.
- A series of flashbacks, in the style of Son.
The story must have some key aspects. It must be:
- Representative of one of the narrative structures used in this folder (listed above).
- True and about you.
- Three to four pages, double-spaced, in Google Docs.
You will turn in a rough draft to me through Google Docs which can be accessed through any Google e-mail account (your school e-mail is one such example). I will make marks on a printed copy for you with suggestions and edits. You will make those corrections on your paper and then resubmit it to me. If you have questions, my phone number is (517) 667-8468 and my e-mail is [email protected]. I look forward to reading your story :)
Contemporary America
Your last essay is going to be a response to literature essay. A response to literature essay is an essay in which you explain the meaning of a book or story, and is often one of the most difficult essays to successfully write. It requires you to use information and examples from the book to prove your thesis, and the thesis is often not easy to find.
This essay will read much like a persuasive essay. You are persuading the reader on an observation you have made in a piece of literature.
There are three types of response to literature essays, and for this assignment you’ll be choosing only one. What you write about is totally up to you, but it should fit into one of these three categories.
1. Critical overview – An analysis of a particular author’s writing, common traits, and what they tend to write about. For instance, George Orwell often wrote about politics and dystopian futures, futures where things get worse instead of improving.
2. Analysis of one particular work – An analysis of one particular story. Instead of writing about George Lucas, you could write about a single movie in the Star Wars series. A possible thesis could be "George Lucas' Star Wars is an example of 'the hero's journey' genre of literature.
3. Analysis of a specific literary element – An analysis of one literary element within a story. For example, John Green in The Fault in Our Stars references many other stories (allusion). You could write about how those references are used as well as the overall effectiveness of those references or the effect it had on the story as a whole.
It does sound tricky, I know, but I’m here to help you. Before starting your essay, you must conference with me. Let me repeat that, YOU MUST CONFERENCE WITH ME. Finding a topic is hard, and I’m here to help you. If you are at school now, come find me and we’ll talk. If it is after school, you send me an e-mail or text ([email protected] or (517) 667-8468 ), and request a day and time. If it is during my after-hours times (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 5 to 7 PM), we can talk then.
Remember, you must conference before you can start. If you don’t you will receive no credit for your project and have to do it over again. If there is a conflict in conferencing, we can work something out. There is no excuse for not conferencing.
After we conference and I clear you to begin, you will create your first draft. Once you complete that, you must submit it to me through either Odyssey Writer, Google Docs, or e-mail. Within 24 hours, I will return it to you with my marks and notes. You will revise your essay and make any changes you would like. After this is done, you will submit your final draft to me.
This essay will read much like a persuasive essay. You are persuading the reader on an observation you have made in a piece of literature.
There are three types of response to literature essays, and for this assignment you’ll be choosing only one. What you write about is totally up to you, but it should fit into one of these three categories.
1. Critical overview – An analysis of a particular author’s writing, common traits, and what they tend to write about. For instance, George Orwell often wrote about politics and dystopian futures, futures where things get worse instead of improving.
2. Analysis of one particular work – An analysis of one particular story. Instead of writing about George Lucas, you could write about a single movie in the Star Wars series. A possible thesis could be "George Lucas' Star Wars is an example of 'the hero's journey' genre of literature.
3. Analysis of a specific literary element – An analysis of one literary element within a story. For example, John Green in The Fault in Our Stars references many other stories (allusion). You could write about how those references are used as well as the overall effectiveness of those references or the effect it had on the story as a whole.
It does sound tricky, I know, but I’m here to help you. Before starting your essay, you must conference with me. Let me repeat that, YOU MUST CONFERENCE WITH ME. Finding a topic is hard, and I’m here to help you. If you are at school now, come find me and we’ll talk. If it is after school, you send me an e-mail or text ([email protected] or (517) 667-8468 ), and request a day and time. If it is during my after-hours times (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 5 to 7 PM), we can talk then.
Remember, you must conference before you can start. If you don’t you will receive no credit for your project and have to do it over again. If there is a conflict in conferencing, we can work something out. There is no excuse for not conferencing.
After we conference and I clear you to begin, you will create your first draft. Once you complete that, you must submit it to me through either Odyssey Writer, Google Docs, or e-mail. Within 24 hours, I will return it to you with my marks and notes. You will revise your essay and make any changes you would like. After this is done, you will submit your final draft to me.
Research Project
For this assignment, you’re going to be writing a research paper. A purpose of a research paper is to perform research to draw a conclusion. Often, you’re seeking to answer a question. You should not know the answer to this question already; you may have an idea of what the answer is, but you don’t actually know for certain.
For this assignment, you will conference with me before starting. You must conference with me. If you submit a rough draft before conferencing, I will not accept it.
The purpose of conferencing is to find a topic you would like to research. You are allowed to research anything. I just want to help you find something that you can actually write about substantially.
Some possible research topics include:
One key thing to avoid is picking something that you have an opinion on to avoid bias. A research paper is meant to present findings, not promote how you already think. Oftentimes, students will use their research paper as a soapbox for their opinion. That should not be your focus. Choose a topic you are interested in, and then work your way to a question you want to answer.
Because it is a research paper, you will have to do research. Your paper must include information from at least five credible sources. Use the CRAP test to judge your sources. If you are still not certain on if what you are using is a reliable source, speak with me. You must identify your sources in text with parenthetical citations (come talk to me if you don't know what those are), as well as a bibliography cited in MLA format. For creating a bibliography, I always recommend easybib.com. Be sure to save the sources you use and turn in a bibliography with your final draft. "I didn't write my sources down so I can't make a bibliography" is not an acceptable excuse for not making a bibliography. Save your sources!
I look forward to reading what you write :)
For this assignment, you will conference with me before starting. You must conference with me. If you submit a rough draft before conferencing, I will not accept it.
The purpose of conferencing is to find a topic you would like to research. You are allowed to research anything. I just want to help you find something that you can actually write about substantially.
Some possible research topics include:
- The effect of Abraham Lincoln’s leadership on the Union’s victory in the American Civil War.
- The difference between how men and women communicate through body language.
- How Americans perceive America in music.
- How Edgar Allen Poe’s life experiences influenced his writing of The Tell-Tale Heart.
One key thing to avoid is picking something that you have an opinion on to avoid bias. A research paper is meant to present findings, not promote how you already think. Oftentimes, students will use their research paper as a soapbox for their opinion. That should not be your focus. Choose a topic you are interested in, and then work your way to a question you want to answer.
Because it is a research paper, you will have to do research. Your paper must include information from at least five credible sources. Use the CRAP test to judge your sources. If you are still not certain on if what you are using is a reliable source, speak with me. You must identify your sources in text with parenthetical citations (come talk to me if you don't know what those are), as well as a bibliography cited in MLA format. For creating a bibliography, I always recommend easybib.com. Be sure to save the sources you use and turn in a bibliography with your final draft. "I didn't write my sources down so I can't make a bibliography" is not an acceptable excuse for not making a bibliography. Save your sources!
I look forward to reading what you write :)