Reminder!

Natasha: Please email me your blog's url ASAP!

Dear seedlings

Please remember to take pictures of your PROCESSES and upload them onto your blogs.
During consultation today, some of you asked me how you should go about with the editor's page, acknowledgment page, introductory page for characters. This is where you do RESEARCH and add a post to your blog!

I have also suggested some ideas to a couple of groups during consulation today. Do update in your blog the measures or ideas that you would take or consider. You may back these ideas with research as well!

Group leaders please email me the names of your presenters by Friday evening so that I can come up with the schedule for presentation for next Monday! Do check the class blog on Saturday evening for updates.

Dear Seedlings,

I have seen your blogs and many of you have yet to upload pictures and/or research for your projects. Please be reminded that your teachers will assess your blogs based on the rubric which was given to you. Under 'visuals and sketches' in the rubric, your blog will be assessed based on how well your sketches have 'contributed to the conceptualization of the WHOLE project'. This means I would expect you to upload pictures and/or sketches of your project which show the PROCESS i.e. before and after stages of your progress.

Secondly, you are expected to do research and upload the references and/or or internet addresses i.e. urls of sites that you have visited or have taken things from. After uploading your research, you are expected to:

1. Give a brief description of the research (eg. pictures, videos, etc)
2. Briefly explain why your group decides to use this idea or research
3. Briefly explain how your group will translate this idea into your project

Ideas For Your Artefact!!

Here are some ideas that you may want to adopt for your scrapbooks and/or picture books. However, your crafts should be relevant to the context and themes of the text!

How To Make Cards That Move!

How To Make Texture Cards!

Note: Children would usually be attracted to books that have textures and possibly 'movements' i.e. books that involve the readers' sense of touch!

Examples of Videos for Research

Dear students,

Here are some videos which you may find useful as you work on your projects. However, you are still expected to do researches and do not forget to cite the web page(s). Refer to Rubric for Blog for more details.

SCRAPBOOKING For Beginners - Design Principles 

How To Draw Cartoon Facial Expressions

Note: As mentioned in the video, the cartoon template can be improvised creatively to achieve the expressions your want. Research online for more ideas! 

Dear all,

I have seen all your blogs and have given comments for most of you. Please do the necessary changes and/or improvements. Also, I noticed that some of you have not posted snapshots of your group members on your blogs. Most of you have also not posted your progress checklist for week 3 (4th April). Please do so BEFORE MONDAY'S CLASS.



For Monday's class 11th April - Week 4

Scrapbooking:

1. Bring researches (can be printed on paper, photos, objects or artefacts, etc) to class and decide how you will translate these into your 'events'

2. Bring your scrapbook and necessary materials (colour pencils, markers, glue, scissors, double-sided tape, etc)

3. Finalize your letter to the author

4. Leaders will assign tasks to group members and plan for the next meet-up session for your project


Picture book:

1. Bring your scrapbook and necessary materials (colour pencils, markers, glue, scissors, double-sided tape, etc)

2. Finalise your storyline (final draft)

3. Sketches and finalise how each character will look (bring researches if you have)

4. Finalise the settings that you will use

5. Leaders will assign tasks to group members and plan for the next meet-up session for your project

IN CLASS:

Recorders have to draw out the progress table on your exercise book (or A4 size paper if you have alot to write. Staple it onto a page on your exercise book) and dedicate one week to one page of your exercise book. See below. Click to enlarge.

At the start of your discussion, write down your aims or what your group wants to achieve this lesson.
At the end of the lesson, you will be given 10 min to fill in the rest of the columns (what your group have and have not completed, and what your group wants to change, remove or improve on). Group members are expected to help your recorder by contributing ideas and points. Your teacher will check your recorder's exercise book to track your group's progress.



POSTING OF PROGRESS CHECKLIST ON BLOG:

You are to type out (in point form with bullets or numbers) your group's progress checklist on your blogs by THURSDAY 8PM. Follow the format given below.

Post title: Progress Checklist - WEEK 1

What we aim to achieve:
1. finalize events for ...
2. decide on the characters we want for our scrapbook
3. ...
4. ...

We have completed:
1.
2.
3.
4.

We were unable to complete:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Areas we want to improve on or change/remove:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Things we will bring in the next lesson:
1.
2.
3.
4.


Note that you can add more points if you need to.

Weekly Routine

You are expected to upload new posts on your blog every week so that I can keep track of your progress!

All updates to be done by THURSDAY 8PM every week. Late work would have marks deducted.

Please also check the class blog every SATURDAY 8PM for instructions and updates from your teacher.

   You are to include the following in your blog...

1. Names of all group members and roles at the side bar

2. Include snapshots of individual group members and
    indicate your name at the bottom of each photo    You  
    are to indicate your name at the bottom of each
    photo...

3. Font size has to be visible and readable. The font for

4. Ensure that you have a WEEKLY progress checklist posted
    on your blog

5. You are to keep your blog alive and UPDATED by posting
 
6. Title each post appropriately and ensure that the 
    date of posting is reflected. 
    your researches and/ or snapshots of your
    product/ artifact so that your I can assess your progress.


7. Your blog should be the same size as the font in this   
    blog

You are expected to bring your materials along to class for every lesson and use class time wisely so that you would have time to prepare for presentation at the end of the 4 weeks.

As this is a public space, do NOT insult other groups' work. You are, however, allowed to give encouragement and positive feedback on others' blogs. You are also NOT allowed to copy any ideas wholesale or plagarise anything from the internet.

TASK 2: Picture Book - Description and Suggestions

TASK 2: Picture Book - Description and Suggestions

You are a children's author. You've recently met Linda Sue Park at a writer's convention and discussed her book When My Name Was Keoko. She 's impressed with your books for young children and has asked you to turn part of her young adult novel into a children's book. You love her book and are delighted to be asked, so you accept. Your editor has given you some basic elements that must be included with your book

1. Illustrations:

Children's book are beautitful to look at and tell a large part of the story through images. Sometimes, characteristics are exaggerated through an element of costume. There is rarely white spaces left on the page.

•  Minimum number of pages: 12 quality pages!(but not limited to 12 pages should you require more pages)
• Story has to be concise so that it can be easily read by children. Select parts of the story you think is significant and these events have to flow!
• Images: Since it's a novel about war so your pictures have to be relevant yet creative and interesting.Pictures have to be colourful to sustain the interest of children.

I found this link on the net which i think may help you with your project - http://www.elmhurst.edu/~susanss/rutgers/illustrations_files/frame.htm Examples of picture books:

NOTE: The Wall is a children's book about a father and his young son's visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. You may want to research on its author, Eve Bunting, who is known for writing about serious subjects in a way that makes them accessible to young children. 

• Think about how you can make your story appealing, interesting and accessible for children. Choice of pictures is important! Since it's a war novel and written from the perspectives of Tae-yu and Sun-hee, you may also want to include pictures that express their feelings/ emotions (eg. facial expressions)
• Language: Simple and concise!

Rhyming text: Children are most engaged by rhyming or rhythmic text which makes it easy to follow and understand. 
  NOTE: You can use a poem or lyric poetry to express personal feelings or emotions of your characters. Research on examples of lyric poems if you need.

2. Plot:

(i) Introduction to setting and characters


(ii) Action leading up to conflict


(iii) Situation where the main character has to overcome an obstacle

 (iv) Moral of the story (lesson learned. has to be clear to children)

3. Final product:

• front cover - title, appropriate and interesting picture or illustration
• dedication and copyright page
• text of your story
• a back cover that includes an "About the Author" section

TASK 3: Scrapbooking - Suggestions and Resources

Listed below are some of the things you may want to consider when working on your scrapbook:

Examples of significant objects from your early life in Korea:

• bicycle
• war pamphlets/ posters (eg. pro-Japanese pamphlets, posters from the resistance, American military pamphlets, etc)
• old and significant newspapers that you have kept
• leaves from the Sharon tree
• Japanese flags
• portrait of your family/ family tree
• old portable radio

 Some helpful links and resources:

photo editing: http://fotoflexer.com/

digital scrapbooking software:

http://www.scrapbookflair.com/downloadsoftware.aspx 
http://freedigitalscrapbooking.com/digital_scrapbooking_tutorial_getting_started.html 




**WARNING!!
You are NOT to copy anything wholesale from the internet. However, you are allowed to use the ideas and/or resources that you have found to recreate/translate into something that is original and meaningful in relation to the text and its context. Please consult your teacher when in doubt.

SA1 Project

Of the following 3 projects, decide among yourselves which one your group would want to take on:

Project #1 : Video Game

As a group, you are to design a video game based on the novel, When My Name was Keoko. All characters, history, setting, game play has to be linked back to the text and demonstrate a sound, in-depth understanding of the novel, its plot, characters, history, and the themes/issues it deals with.

Project #2 : Children’s Book

As a group, you are to write and illustrate a children’s book inspired by the novel, When My Name was Keoko. The book is targeted at children aged between 6-8 years old. It should be clear how your book is linked to the novel.

Project # 3 : Scrapbook

As a group, you are to imagine that you are the long lost Tae-yul that the author, Ms Park, had based her novel on. You want to write a letter to explain who you are and provide evidences enclosed as a scrapbook to prove your identity.