1. ENG 2D0
Books: Hot or Not?
Culminating Activity
This assignment is worth 100 marks and comprises 15% of your final grade.
Phase 1: Reading Process (30%)
1. Select a Novel: choose your own novel or select a novel from the available list of suggestions.
Your novel must address topics of oppression, discrimination, or injustice! You will be given
time, during class, to go to the school library and choose a book. Your novel must be at least 200
pages in length and at an appropriate academic reading level. If you cannot find the book you
want at school, you are expected to explore the many public libraries in the area. You also have
the option of purchasing a novel to read for this task. It is YOUR responsibility, as a young adult
enrolled in an academic English class, to obtain a novel to study. Your choice must be approved
by your teacher.
Students should select a novel and have it approved by Monday. May 7th, 2012. Students who have
not chosen a novel by that date and had their book approved by the teacher will be assigned a novel.
2. Reading Reflection: As you read the novel you are required to make notes on the following:
1. different themes of the novel (minimum of 4)
a. pick the most important of these and turn it into a properly-structured and formally-
written thematic statement
2. the obstacles the protagonist faces and how these relate to/help develop the conflict(s) (minimum
5)
3. outline how different specific settings in the novel contribute to the development of one of: the
mood/atmosphere, the plot, or characterization (minimum 4)
4. characters’ personalities and their development (or stagnation) throughout the novel (minimum 4
points for 3 different characters)
5. outline the major plot events in the novel, including (and indicating) the inciting event and climax
of the novel (minimum 10). For inciting event and climax, be sure to include why you think that is
the inciting event or climax
6. identify a minimum of four significant literary devices used in the novel and explain their
importance/significance
Element Quotation / Reference Importance/Significance
Characterization
-Jem “Atticus is a gentleman—just -Jem realizes that Atticus is
like me!” (126). does not need to brag about
his ability to shoot (that he is
humble)
-this makes Atticus more of a
gentleman or hero in Jem’s
eyes than someone who goes
around bragging; further
develops the theme of heroism
-brings Jem closer to Atticus
and teaches him an important
life-lesson
Plot

2. Literary Devices
Etc.
Due: Wed., June 6th, 2012
Phase 2: After Reading (70%)
Book Promotion
You will write a 4-5 minute persuasive presentation that shall be accompanied by a powerpoint or prezi-
based visual that provides information about your book and promotes it to teenagers, high school English
teachers, and teacher-librarians. You must include appropriate information about the book and prepare an
attractive and persuasive presentation that showcases the information you have. Presentations will take
place on Mon. June 11th –Wed. June 13th.
Objective: Students will demonstrate their clear and comprehensive understanding of their novel
(character, plot, theme, setting, conflict, literary devices, its genre, and background); they will demonstrate
the ability to creatively share their information in a public setting; they will demonstrate their ability to
produce an attractive visual aid; they will demonstrate the ability to speak professionally and convincingly
to an audience using persuasive language techniques and elements of rhetoric
PART A: Students will create a power point or prezi visual document that shares the required
information. Remember, your display is promotional and should persuade your audience to read your
novel.
PART B: Students will write and present a 3-4 minute speech/sales pitch for their novel. The presentation
should have a beginning (introduce yourself and the novel and outline your “thesis”), a middle (provide
information about your novel and describe why this makes this book worthy of consideration), and an end
(a final summation of your arguments/points/thesis as well as a final recommendation for a specific
audience). Essentially, the “thesis” for this presentation is: “You should buy, read, or teach this book
because it will better your life by… / increase your global awareness because…”

3. Must Haves for Presentation (Both oral and visual)
Beginning
1. The novel’s genre, its author, date of publication, and other relevant background information (setting,
historical context, etc.), as well as other books by the same author.
2. A thesis: “You should read/buy/teach this book because…”
Middle
3. A symbol that represents a character from the novel, accompanied by an explanation that justifies your
choice using evidence from the novel.
4. Different themes in the novel, including a properly-worded thematic statement. Provide at least two
examples from the text that support your thematic statement. Explain why these themes would appeal
to a particular audience of your choice.
5. A quotation from the book that will capture attention with an explanation of how it creates suspense,
expresses a central conflict, or relates to a character.
6. Promotional content such as a book cover or movie poster, along with a justified answer to the
question(s): “How will this book better your life?” or “How will this book increase your global
awareness?”
End
7. Your final opinion of the book. Make a justified recommendation for a specific audience.

4. Assessment and Evaluation
The Reading Process portion of your culminating task is worth represents 30% of your culminating task.
The Power point portion of your culminating task is worth 70% of your culminating task.
CHECKLIST
Reading Notes Include:
Item Complete Incomplete
-4 themes from the novel
-properly structured thematic
statement
-5 obstacles the protagonist
faces
-4 different specific settings
-4x3 character personality
points/development
-10 plot developments,
including the instigating
event and the climax along
with justification
-4 significant literary devices
Presentation Includes:
Item Complete Incomplete
-Intro Information: The novel’s
genre, its author, date of
publication, and other relevant
background information
(setting, historical context,
etc.), as well as other books by
the same author
-A thesis
-A symbol that represents a
character from the novel
-An explanation that justifies
your choice using evidence
from the novel
-Different themes in the novel
-a properly-worded thematic
statement
-At least two examples from
the text that support your
thematic statement

5. -Why these themes would
appeal to a particular audience
of your choice.
-A quotation from the book that
will capture attention with an
explanation of how it creates
suspense, expresses a central
conflict, or relates to a
character
-Promotional content such as a
book cover or movie poster
-A justified answer to the
question(s): “How will this
book better your life?” or “How
will this book increase your
global awareness?”
-Final opinion of the book
-A justified recommendation
for a specific audience.
-A well-developed visual aid
(powerpoint or prezi, etc.)