Final Assessment: Multigenre Portfolio Assignment Guidelines

Texts: 

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos

Paper Requirements:

Formal Analysis Paper - One, highly revised paper, 600-800 words examining the development of a theme within both novels

Informal Essay Papers - Two, revised once, 400-500 words discussing your individual response to two of five prompts given in class

Found Poem - lines from both texts to create new poem

Journals - Twenty, one page journal entries, spell-checked only, 150 words

Reflection - A written reflection of the unit and portfolio experience, 600-800 words

Assignment:

While reading the two texts in class, we are studying and discussing themes of tolerance, prejudice, and discrimination.  Using a portfolio approach, along with prompts discussed in class, you will need to complete the paper requirements listed above.  Some of this writing will be individual and some will be completed using a writer’s workshop.  Instruction will be given, along with rubrics, for each genre required for the portfolio.  

Themes:

Prejudice

Tolerance

Discrimination

Journal Prompts:

1.  How does Scout and Jem’s attitude toward Atticus change and why?  What lessons do Scout and Jem learn about courage?

2.  Scout does not fit in well at school and goes to Atticus for help – Atticus says, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view – until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”  What does Atticus Mean?

3.  How does Atticus’ risking his life to protect Tom affect Scout and Jem’s attitude toward their father?  

4.  Choose one main character from the trial (ie. Tom Robinson, Bob Ewell, Atticus) and retell the events of the trial from his perspective.

5.  Considering the events of the trial and what else has happened so far in the novel, how have your attitudes toward the equality of all and toward civil rights been confirmed or changed?  Make specific references to the events of the novel to support your point(s).

*This assignment is not in complete final form, but is a work in progress until I meet my students this upcoming year.