The Metamorphosis Project

The Metamorphosis Informative Group Project

Assignment: Being able to present informative information which is beneficial to a group of people in a clear and professional manner is an essential skill for college and career readiness.

For this project, you will work with a group to create an informative poster or powerpoint that will teach the rest of our class about some aspect of The Metamorphosis not immediately obvious to those who have already read the novel (This project is similar to an Informative Essay, the standards for which are listed on the back of this sheet).

Your group must choose a topic to research and present your findings on that topic in such a way that the class will learn something. Boring, dry, or overly confusing projects are not likely to be informative. One option is to present an analysis of the book using one of the many types of literary criticism. The types are listed here: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/722/1/ (or you can search “OWL Literary Criticism” on Google).

You can also come up with your own topic (you can study bugs, for example or you can do research in psychology on stress in the workplace) but you need to BOTH inform the class about something they do not already know AND prove that you have read the book. Hopefully, your informative project will benefit us in some way (you might provide tips on how we can avoid stress, for example, as one part of your project).

Be sure to see me when you have your topic, so I can approve it.

Your group will present your poster or powerpoint during class on Thursday, May 22^nd (Due to time limitations, some groups may need to present on Tuesday, May 22^nd, but everyone must be ready to turn in their projects on the 22^nd). Posters must be big enough for the class to see from anywhere in the room. Powerpoints must be in .ppt format (not .pptx – although you can create it in .pptx and then convert it to .ppt when you are finished). You may use Presi instead of powerpoint if you wish.

A large part of your grade for this project is how well you present your information to the class. Everyone in your group must come to the front of the room and speak at least once. Your presentation must be professional and rehearsed (think, a business presentation).

Grading:

This project is worth 100 points. The following rubric will be used to grade your project:

	A (18-20 points)	B (17-16 points)	C (15-14 points)	D (13-12 points)	NM (0 points)
Professional	All group members were professional	All group members were mostly professional	Some issues with professionalism	Mostly unprofessional and/or casual. Laughing, etc.	Unprofessional
Informative/ Interesting	The class really learned something	The class learned something	Some members of the class may have learned something	Only a few members of the class learned anything	No one (or very few students) learned anything new
Topic/Research	The topic was well-chosen with excellent research	The topic was well-chosen with mostly good research	The topic and/or research may have had some issues	The topic and/or research had serious issues	There was little to no research or the topic was incorrect. Wikipedia may have been used
Book	The group clearly read the book and referenced it in a meaningful way	The group read the book and referenced it well with quotes, etc.	The book was referenced, but was perhaps not clearly tied to the topic	The book was referenced in a non-meanigful way and/or the group had little knowledge of it	The book was not referenced and/or poorly referenced. It was clear that one or more members did not read the book.
Speaking	Information was presented clearly with a distict perspective. Ourstanding, practiced speaking skills.	Clear presentation with above average speaking skills.	One or more members may have been too loud/quiet, slow/fast, etc. Presentation may have lacked practice.	Obviously unpracticed by one or more members. Unclear in parts, etc.	Unclear and unprofessional. For example, we may not have been able to hear or understand one or more members.

Standards:

SPEAKING & LISTENING:

Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks.

WRITING:

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience's knowledge of the topic.

Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts.

Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such as metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic.

Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.

Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic).