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Nonfiction Bestsellers: A Multimedia Production

published on: 5/27/2009

Contributing Teacher(s): Melissa Noel,

Subject Area: Communication Arts/Reading/literature,

Grade Range: High School (9-12)

Materials Needed:

• SmartBoard (if available, if possible) or Projector
• Computer 
• My website (<a href="http://msnoel.com">http://msnoel.com</a>)

Objective:

1. Students will evaluate a nonfiction bestseller by analyzing the author's stylistic and rhetorical choices to determine that book's merits.
2. Students will compare the book they select to another nonfiction book. They will give a multimedia presentation to argue that the book does or does not deserve to be a national bestseller.

Essential Question:

Instructional Strategy: Evaluating Student Understanding

Process Standards: Goal 1.4 use technological tools and other resources to locate, select and organize information
Goal 1.8 organize data, information and ideas into useful forms (including charts, graphs, outlines)
Goal 2.1 plan and make written, oral and visual presentations for a variety of purposes and audiences
Goal 2.2 review and revise communications to improve accuracy and clarity
Goal 2.3 exchange information, questions and ideas while recognizing the perspectives of others
Goal 2.7 use technological tools to exchange information and ideas
Goal 4.6 identify tasks that require a coordinated effort and work with others to complete those tasks

Content Standards: CA3, CA4, CA6, CA1, CA5,

G.L.E.:

Time Allowance: Students will be given one month to read the book and prepare the presentation. The teacher will provide 35-40 minutes a week for three weeks for group meetings. The presentations will take 1 week.

Technological Resources:
Most of the technological resources for this assignment will be put on the students. They will do the majority of the work for their presentations outside of class. They will prepare a multimedia presentation that is either a website, movie, music video, or a PowerPoint, but they will do this on their own time and on their own equipment. I will only provide a computer and SmartBoard for the presentation. I will allow students to post the website on my site, if necessary, by hosting their site, but other than that, I don't think I will need to provide any resources for this assignment.

Extensions:
Students may be asked to read another nonfiction works in the future to make other comparisons. Supplemental essays, letters, and websites may be introduced for extension activities. Those activities may or may not be related to the book they select this time. Companion pieces may be supplied for the work they are currently reading, or an unrelated work may be offered for comparison. Another nonfiction bestseller may be read, too.

Integration:
The nonfiction selections overlap into the other content areas, especially history. All of the books deal with true events from another place and time, and that's what is so appealing about nonfiction.

Differentiation:
For this assignment, it may be necessary to "strongly encourage" that those students who are not tech savvy end up in a group that has someone who is technologically advanced. If it happens that a group does not have someone who is good at making movies or writing websites, that group will be encouraged to make a PowerPoint, which is always a fine option and perfectly acceptable for this activity. As far as the content goes, the teacher will be there to guide and assist the students through the process to help the group evaluate the text to determine its worth as a bestseller. Since this is a month-long project, there is plenty of time to assist the group with the material during group meetings.

Assessment:

Description: Students will select a nonfiction bestseller from a list that I'm providing them. (I have read all of the books on the list and know that they are good selections, so I am gladly recommending them all to you.) I want students to read these books in groups of 3-5, because I want them to form book clubs. This will be the group that they do the presentation with, too. Students will be asked to evaluate the books according to standards that we've evaluated other nonfiction works in the past to see how these books measure up. The groups will prepare and present a multimedia presentation that presents an argument on the merit of the book and whether it deserves to be a bestseller based on the standards that we hold in high regard for nonfiction -- author's credibility and research being at the top of the list. We will also talk a lot about tone, organization, diction, syntax, and other stylistic devices, too. Everything is on my website on this page: http://msnoel.com/Nonfiction%20Bestsellers/Nonfiction%20Bestsellers.htm

Comments:

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Classroom Component:

The entire unit can be found on my website here: http://msnoel.com/Nonfiction%20Bestsellers/Nonfiction%20Bestsellers.htm.

Students will be asked to select a nonfiction bestseller from an approved list that I have compiled. They must get into groups of 3-5 students in order to form book clubs. Together, they will analyze and compare this book to other nonfiction works that we've read in the past according to standards that we've outlined. We will return to our discussions regarding the author's credibility and the importance thorough research with nonfiction. We will look at the author's purpose for writing the book in addition to his or her stylistic and rhetorical choices.

Students will have weekly book club meetings. At these meetings, students must bring double-entry notes with fifteen entries. There's a nice website here that details what should be included and how these notes should be done and why: http://www.teachervision.fen.com/writing/letters-and-journals/48536.html

It is also at these meetings that students will discuss what they are going to do for their multimedia presentations. Their presentations will be created outside of class. (Note: I teach AP seniors, so this isn't a problem for my students.) Students are allowed to center their presentations around a website, movie, music video, or PowerPoint. They will be given the scoring guide in advance so that they are aware of my expectations. The group must develop a professional, sophisticated multimedia presentation that will include a brief summary of the book; 3-4 major stylistic differences between this book and one of the other books that we've read; details and commentary on the author's research and his or her compilation of that work; and an argument on the merits of this book and whether or not it deserves to be a national bestseller.

In addition to this presentation, students must also logon to turnitin.com and participate in a discussion thread on that website a minimum of three times with students from my other classes. There will also be an in-class essay at the end of the unit. The essay will be an argumentative essay in which the student has to persuade the audience that the book is worthy of its bestselling status.

Please click here for the unit worksheets

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