Tome Society Theme Essay Competition
Instructions to Compete
Individual Event | Limit 1 entry per chapter Jr. Tome (6-8) and Tome (9-12) chapters only. (This event is not open to Club Tome grade level). |
Objective: Students will create an original essay inspired by the Tome Society Annual Theme (see website for current theme).
Anchor Standards:
- CCSS.ELALiteracy.CCRA.W.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
- CCSS.ELALiteracy.CCRA.W.5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
- CCSS.ELALiteracy.CCRA.W.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.
- CCSS.ELALiteracy.CCRA.W.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Method of creation: Document. We recommend MS Word or PDF format.
Product should include:
- A creative title for the essay
- A clear tie-in to the current year’s annual theme.
- Essay should contain at least three quotes or references from the current It List or Jr It List books
- References to personal connections to the theme.
Guidelines:
- Should have perfect grammar and spelling
- Organized and concise
- 500 - 750 words
- Must an uploadable document (PDF preferred)
Questions to consider when composing your essay (responses to all questions do not have to be included in the final essay):
- What does the theme mean?
- How can I connect the theme to my own life and choices?
- How do the topics of or things that happen in some of the books on the current It List/Jr It List relate to the theme?
- What advice can I give to others based on this theme?
Method of Submission:
Advisers will submit entries through the online Spring Adviser Competition Entry form. Directions will be emailed to paid chapter advisers prior to the deadline.
All entries must be submitted no later than the Spring Competition deadline found at tomesociety.org/competitions. Entries must be submitted by the Chapter Advisor only 1 entry per chapter (6-8) and (9-12) (This event is not open to Club Tome grade level).
Theme Essay Competition
Theme Essay Rubric
Student submissions will include the following and will be judged on the quality of each category.
ELEMENT | Exemplary | Proficient | Unsatisfactory | POINTS |
Title | The essay includes an appropriate, descriptive title. (5 points) | The essay includes a title but it is inappropriate and/or non descript. (1-4 points) | The essay does not include a title. (0 points) | |
Overall Theme | The essay is clearly inspired by the Tome Society Annual Theme and mentions the theme specifically at least once. (25 points) | The essay is inspired by the Tome Society Annual Theme and is specifically mentioned however, the connection is unclear to the reader. (1-24 points) | The essay has no relation to the Tome Society Annual Theme and does not mention the theme. (0 points) | |
It List Reference | The essay contains at least three quotes or references from the current It List or Jr. It List books. (15 points) | The essay contains 1-2 quotes or references from the current It List or Jr. It List books and/or the relevance of quotes is unclear or lacking in explanation. (1-14 points) | The essay contains no quotes or references to the current It List or Jr. It List books. (0 points) | |
Personal | The student makes clear connections between the theme and their own personal experiences or beliefs. (20 points) | The student makes connections between the theme and their own personal experiences or beliefs, however, they are not clear and/or lacking in explanation. (1-19 points) | The student does not make connections between the theme and their own personal experiences or beliefs. (0 points) | |
Mechanics | The essay contains perfect grammar and spelling, is written in formal language with no abbreviations, and is well organized and concise. (20 points) | The essay contains less than 4 spelling and grammar errors, is written in semi-formal language, and/or is adequately organized and concise. (1-19 points) | The essay contains more than 5 spelling and grammar errors, does not use formal language, and/or is unorganized and not concise. (0 points) | |
Format | The essay is 500-750 words and submitted as a link. (10 points) | X | The essay is not 500-750 words and/or is not submitted as a link. (0 points) | |
TOTAL | __/95 | |||
Theme Essay Competition
Classroom Lesson Plan
Unit: Tome Society
Unit Objective:
Students will be able to participate in competitions and conferences in order to showcase their knowledge with reading comprehension and technology.
Lesson:
Create an original essay featuring the Tome Society 2015 theme of Make your Mark. Limit 1,000 words.
Lesson Objective:
Students will create an original essay featuring the theme Make your Mark while referencing and/or quoting at least one of the current Tome It List books.
Standards:
- CCSS.ELALiteracy.CCRA.W.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
- CCSS.ELALiteracy.CCRA.W.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
- CCSS.ELALiteracy.CCRA.W.5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
- CCSS.ELALiteracy.CCRA.W.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.
- CCSS.ELALiteracy.CCRA.W.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Tools/Equipment Needed: Novels from the Tome Society, Word Processing Software/Online Tool, Computer/Mobile Device with Internet Connection
Links to Prior Knowledge/Activities: Students will have already read at least one of the current It List books and participated in book club discussion.
- Lesson Activities:
1. Teachers will begin by reviewing the novels the students have read for the Tome Society.
2. The teacher will then discuss the theme, Make your Mark. The class will brainstorm possible meanings and will connect their theme to prior knowledge and personal experience. Students will be given the guidelines concerning their assignment. The teacher will also take time to review the rubric from which the students will be graded.
3. Students will then have opportunities, both in class and outside of class to begin writing and to complete their assignment.
4. As students submit an entry, other students will peer review and proofread the project. The student will then be able to correct any problem areas.
5. After any corrections, students will submit their final project that will be graded both by their teacher and by the judges of the Tome Society using a rubric.
Assessment
The students’ completed essay will be graded according to a rubric and the finished product will serve as the assessment.
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