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What's
Your Genre?
A Literary WebQuest
for Readers at the
James F. Byrnes High School Media Center
Designed by
Karen Hill, Media
Specialist
Introduction
| Task
| Process
| Evaluation
| Conclusion
| Credits|
Introduction
Do you sometimes find it difficult
to decide what to read? Looking for novels in your favorite genre is a
quick and easy way to select a book. A genre is a distinctive category
or type of literary work. Maybe you enjoy the thrill of suspense in Stephen
King's books or sports novels by Walter Dean Myers. You can solve mysteries
along with the main characters in Lois Duncan's works or relive life as
it was long ago in the historical novels of James Lincoln Collier and Ann
Rinaldi. First, however, you have to know your likes and dislikes in regard
to reading. This webquest provides a way to explore various types of fiction
and whet your appetite for good reading in the future.
The
Task
You have just landed a job as a literary
agent in the Fiction Division of the Rebels Read Publishing House. To explore
the field, you must familiarize yourself with the various types of fiction
and read about authors and the books they write. Your first assignment
on the job involves the creation of a slide presentation for a promotional
campaign of an author who has written a book in your favorite genre.You
will complete the following:
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response journal from readings
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list of authors and book titles
in your favorite genre(s)
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read a book from the genre of
your choice and write a booktalk
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PowerPoint presentation about
an author and a novel
The
Process
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To become familiar with different genres
of fiction, you will investigate information in reference books in the
media center and on the Internet through links to this page. A step-by-step
process is outlined below.
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First you'll read about different
genres, such as mystery, sports, historical novels, horror, science fiction
and fantasy. Prepare a response journal about five of these genres from
the sources listed. On notebook paper, list the source at the top.
Then, write your reaction to the characteristics of the genre, including
thoughts about books mentioned that you would like to read or authors whose
work intrigues you. Also note why you think you would NOT like to read
in a particular genre, if that is the case.
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Next, type a list of 5 to 10
authors and titles which you'd like to read now that you have gathered
information about different genres. Include a graphic from Microsoft Word
that is appropriate for the genre(s) you have selected. Check out these
sources for suggestions:
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Select a book from your favorite
genre by an author you would like to research, check it out from the media
center or public library, and read it. You will have two weeks to read
the book. Then, on a 3 x 5 index card, write a book talk, or teaser for
your book. (Don't tell the ending.)
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Complete the tutorial for PowerPoint
presentations to practice using this software application.
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From the print and online sources
given here, take notes about your author and book on the sheets provided
to you. You are required to have at least three sources.
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Plan 8 - 10 slides on the storyboard
sheets provided. Include a biographical sketch with interesting facts
about your author; a statement about the genre in which the author
writes; a book teaser or commercial for the book you read (not a plot summary);
additional books by the author; and a bibliography of the sources used.
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Create a slide presentation about
your author and book in PowerPoint. Be sure to include interesting and
appropriate graphic(s), as well as varied layouts, transitions and effects.
Evaluation
Your grade for this project will be
based on the following scale:
| Task or Feature |
Maximum Points |
| Response Journal - address 5 genres. Correct spelling and grammar. |
30 |
| Book Teaser |
10 |
| Author/Book List - include 5 to 10 titles. |
10 |
| Power Point - biographical info., 10 points; graphic images,
5 points; book teaser, 15 points; varied layouts, transitions and effects,
10 points; bibliography, 10 points |
50 (total) |
Conclusion
When you complete this webquest, you
will know the various types of genres well enough to voice your likes and
dislikes. From your response journal, you will have created a list of books
you'd like to read or can refer to for future assignments in this course
or whenever you're looking for a good book. By preparing the Power Point
assignment on an author, you gained some valuable research experience and
presentation skills. Also, you will be able to find biographical sketches
and plot summaries when needed. Most iof all, you'll know just where to
go when you ask yourself "What can I read next?"
Credits
& References
Graphics courtesy of Library Media
and PR http://www.ssdesign.com/librarypr
Last updated
on August 15, 1999. Based
on a template from The
WebQuest Page
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