Quarter One - A Trip Down Memory Lane: A Podcast
More information headed your way soon!
Definition:
Podcast/Pod * Cast (noun) - podcasts (plural noun)
A digital audio file made available on the Internet for downloading to a computer or portable media player, typically available as a series, new installments of which can be received by subscribers automatically.
The podcast is like the radio programs of long ago. They are audio performances in a variety of genres and they cover a variety of topics. We will listen to examples in class. You are going to create one episode of a podcast based around a piece of children’s literature.
Tasks
This project is being given to you and discussed in class on Wednesday, September 13, 2023.
The PROJECT is due by Wednesday, October 4, 2023.
Ideas to use for your analysis script
Reader Response
Plot and Structure
Setting
Tone
Character
Theme
Diction and Style
Sound Effects
Dramatic Performance of Literature
Here’s a site that gives suggestions for finding sound effects for podcasts:
https://www.rode.com/blog/all/where-to-find-sound-effects-and-music-for-your-podcast
Suggestions for writing a quality book review
Though it is YOUR review, there should be no personal pronouns in the text. The reader will know these are YOUR thoughts.
Read the book and take notes. Write down your notes or use a voice recorder to document any thoughts or impressions you have of the book as you are reading. They don't have to be organized or perfect, the idea is to brainstorm any impressions you may have of the book.
Think about the book's genre and/or field of study. Consider how the book fits or does not fit in it's genre or field of study. If necessary, use outside sources to familiarize yourself with the field of study and the genre of the book. We have read some of “Hitler Youth” and watched videos about this topic. All of that information can be used to help you feel like an expert on the topic.
Determine the major themes of the book. The theme is often a lesson or overall message that the reader perceives between the lines. The theme can also be the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a book. Authors may present multiple themes in their writing, especially works of fiction.
This book is written in the first-person narrative. The author lived the events and is recounting them. Is this more powerful than someone else writing about the events?
Think about how well the author develops the major areas or points in the book. What areas are covered/not covered? Why? Locating gaps in the time frame or character development of the book can help you think critically. As well, noticing any well developed elements of the book will help you create good points for your review.
Consider any literary devices in the book. If the book is a work of fiction, think about how plot structure is developed in the story. Take notes on the book's character, plot, setting, symbols, mood or tone and how they relate to the overall theme of the book.
Think about how unique the book is. Does it add new information to a genre? The author may be trying to challenge or expand the existing rules and norms of a genre. Consider how the book does this, and how this may affect the intended audience's reception of the book.
Assess how successful the book is. Was the author successful in carrying out the overall purposes of the book and did you feel satisfied by the book's ending? Would you recommend this book to others?
To best write a book review, it is essential to keep track of the answers to the following questions, either as you read the book or as soon as you have finished it. All of the answers can then be incorporated into your review.
Questions to Consider in your Review
Narration
EVALUATION
Your Opinion
More information headed your way soon!
Definition:
Podcast/Pod * Cast (noun) - podcasts (plural noun)
A digital audio file made available on the Internet for downloading to a computer or portable media player, typically available as a series, new installments of which can be received by subscribers automatically.
The podcast is like the radio programs of long ago. They are audio performances in a variety of genres and they cover a variety of topics. We will listen to examples in class. You are going to create one episode of a podcast based around a piece of children’s literature.
Tasks
- Choose a book from your childhood that you remember as a favorite. Please consider more than one possibility, as some are better to perform than others.
- Think about sound effects, music, voices, etc. that will bring your book to life as you record yourself reading it aloud. Think of this as a performance of the book.
- After you have recorded yourself reading the book aloud, you will also record your analysis of the book. You will have the role of a high-level literary analyst looking for deeper meaning and metaphor in the book you have selected. Attached are some questions you can use in creating your analysis. Be sure you are not using personal pronouns in this analysis piece! You are never telling the audience this book is a favorite of yours. You are analyzing the book as a scholar!
- You will create a script for your podcast. The written version of your analysis will be turned in as part of your project. The script should be at least one typed, double-spaced page. If you’d like Ms. D. to read your script before you record your podcast, she will be happy to help you!
- To record, use any device you are able to feel comfortable with: Your phone, a computer, etc.You need to ensure it is a platform you able to turn in via Google Classroom.
- Think of a name for your podcast. It’s yours - so make it a good one! You must start the recording stating the title of your podcast.
- Presentation: You will play your podcast for the Realm and field any questions as the literary expert you are!
This project is being given to you and discussed in class on Wednesday, September 13, 2023.
The PROJECT is due by Wednesday, October 4, 2023.
Ideas to use for your analysis script
Reader Response
- As a reader, how did you initially respond to the work of literature?
- Did your response to the literature change after reading it a second time, analyzing the parts, and/or discussing it with others?
Plot and Structure
- What happens in the story, play, or poem?
- What kind(s) of conflict do you see in the work of literature?
- What do the different parts of the literature contribute to the whole structure?
Setting
- When and where did the story take place?
- Are there historical or cultural events that happened at the same time or place as the story?
- Is the author of the literature making connections between the literary work and real life?
Tone
- What is the author’s attitude toward the subject area?
- How does the tone affect the meaning of the literature?
Character
- Which character does the reader most closely identify with? This character is the protagonist. Is there an antagonist (someone in conflict with the protagonist)?
- Character evaluation might include the use of adjectives, such as “flat,” “stale,” “round,” and “stereotypical.”
- What are the motives for one or more of the characters’ actions?
- How are the characters interacting with each other and with their environment?
- Do you see any changes in the characters’ actions, motivations, and/or interactions?
Theme
- What is the thesis or main point of the literature?
- What is the work of literature saying about humanity, the world, and/or some event?
- What is the meaning of the literature? How do the other parts (plot, setting, characters, diction, etc.) connect to the meaning?
- To discover a theme, a writer can begin by stating one of the subject areas that the literature is commenting on (for example: freedom); then, the writer can explain what the work of literature is saying about that subject area (for example: all people should be free.).
- Is there a moral or a lesson that the author communicates through the work of literature?
- What does the title suggest about the theme of the story, poem, or play?
Diction and Style
- What kinds of words are being used? (for example: formal, informal, slang, or childish)
- What kinds of words might a different author use?
- Images and Symbols
- What pictures does a reader create while reading the work of literature?
- Where in the literature does a reader create these pictures?
- What characters or objects are symbolic (stand for other things)? For example, a rose may stand for love, and a thorn may stand for a painful aspect of love.
- What do the images in the work of literature suggest to a reader?
Sound Effects
- Rhyme and rhythm are most often associated with poetry, but this type of analysis can also work with many stories and plays.
- To discover sound effects, a reader can try reading the work of literature aloud, listening carefully to the sounds, and analyzing how the sounds affect the meaning.
Dramatic Performance of Literature
- What verbal and nonverbal cues do the characters convey?
- Do you agree or disagree with any parts of the director’s interpretation of the literary work?
- How does a performance compare with a written version of the literature?
Here’s a site that gives suggestions for finding sound effects for podcasts:
https://www.rode.com/blog/all/where-to-find-sound-effects-and-music-for-your-podcast
Suggestions for writing a quality book review
Though it is YOUR review, there should be no personal pronouns in the text. The reader will know these are YOUR thoughts.
Read the book and take notes. Write down your notes or use a voice recorder to document any thoughts or impressions you have of the book as you are reading. They don't have to be organized or perfect, the idea is to brainstorm any impressions you may have of the book.
Think about the book's genre and/or field of study. Consider how the book fits or does not fit in it's genre or field of study. If necessary, use outside sources to familiarize yourself with the field of study and the genre of the book. We have read some of “Hitler Youth” and watched videos about this topic. All of that information can be used to help you feel like an expert on the topic.
Determine the major themes of the book. The theme is often a lesson or overall message that the reader perceives between the lines. The theme can also be the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a book. Authors may present multiple themes in their writing, especially works of fiction.
- Pay attention to the preface, any quotes, and /or references in the book's introduction, as this content will likely shed light on the book's major themes and viewpoint.
- A simple way to determine one of the major themes of a book is to sum up the book in one word. So, for example, the major theme of “The Book Thief” could be "perseverance”. Once you have your one word summary, stretch the single word into a message or lesson, such as "humans show perseverance even in the grimmest of circumstances.”
This book is written in the first-person narrative. The author lived the events and is recounting them. Is this more powerful than someone else writing about the events?
Think about how well the author develops the major areas or points in the book. What areas are covered/not covered? Why? Locating gaps in the time frame or character development of the book can help you think critically. As well, noticing any well developed elements of the book will help you create good points for your review.
Consider any literary devices in the book. If the book is a work of fiction, think about how plot structure is developed in the story. Take notes on the book's character, plot, setting, symbols, mood or tone and how they relate to the overall theme of the book.
Think about how unique the book is. Does it add new information to a genre? The author may be trying to challenge or expand the existing rules and norms of a genre. Consider how the book does this, and how this may affect the intended audience's reception of the book.
Assess how successful the book is. Was the author successful in carrying out the overall purposes of the book and did you feel satisfied by the book's ending? Would you recommend this book to others?
To best write a book review, it is essential to keep track of the answers to the following questions, either as you read the book or as soon as you have finished it. All of the answers can then be incorporated into your review.
Questions to Consider in your Review
Narration
- Who narrated the story?
- Was it first-person narration or third-person narration?
- Was the narrator a reliable source of information?
- Note the time period and location the book is set in.
- How did setting drive or influence the plot of the book?
- Note the overall theme or message of the book.
- What genre of literature was it?
- How did it compare to another work in this genre?
- Name the author.
- Discuss any previous works.
- How did previous works compare with this work?
- Give a brief plot summary without giving away any key details.
EVALUATION
Your Opinion
- This is the most important part of the review.
- Did you like it? Why?
- Dislike it? Why?
- Would you read more by this author? Why or why not?
- Would you encourage others to read this book? Why or why not?
