Christine Stringer-Ladrick                                      

Language Arts and Technology                     

Literature Circles Extension Project                  
Professor Susan Silverman

Fall 2006

 Literary Circles Reflection

Literature circles are a way to give students a chance to get a deeper understanding of a story through artistic forms. By using an extension students can revisit what they have read and continue to ask themselves questions and make even deeper connections. While reading Milkweed, along with my group, we were able to ask each other questions and I really found that helpful. I find that without any direction or a specific focus, I loose track of the story line, so asking each other question while we read was really helpful.  I really enjoyed reading this book it’s much different than other books about the holocaust. It gives a child’s perspective just like in The Diary of Ann Frank but it’s from an uneducated very naive child’s perspective. Misha is so naive that he doesn’t even know that the Nazi’s (Jackboots) hate him. He sort of believes its one big game, he taunts them, kicks them and even yells at them. As the book progresses we see Misha start to grow up a bit and take Janina under his wing like a big brother, he realizes that the Jackboots are horrible people that kill, he tries to save his new family, the Milgrom’s, but is unsuccessful. Every aspect of the book helps to mold Misha into the person he became and eventually he meets his daughter and granddaughter and starts to live.

 

Literary Circles Overview

Literary Extension Project - CD/DVD Cover

For my literary extension project I choose to design a CD/DVD cover. I feel that the Holocaust was a horrible time in the world’s history and it should never be forgotten. In order to here other stories like those told in Milkweed I feel that a CD/DVD combo would be a great way to honor those that went through this horrific ordeal. I designed the entire CD/DVD (front, inside and back) because I thought that just designing the front cover was too easy.

Along with a tribute to those who died the disc contains a complete history of the Holocaust, with letters, stories, pictures and individual accounts of what happened first hand by those who lived it. The first slide is the cover, the second slide is what it looks like when you open up the CD, complete with a chapter review. The next slide is a picture of the CD/DVD, and the final slide is the back cover of the CD/DVD. 

 Presentation

 Evaluation Assessment

 

Rubric   CD/DVD Cover	4	3	2	1
Description of Literature	The project includes detailed information from or about the story.	The project includes most of the information necessary for the project from or about the story.	The project includes some of the information from or about the story.	Descriptions are not detailed or complete.
Analysis of Art work	The CD/DVD cover accurately describes several dominant elements or principles used by the artist and accurately relates how they are used by the artist to reinforce the theme, meaning, mood, or feeling of the artwork.	The CD/DVD cover accurately describes a couple of dominant elements and principles used by the artist and accurately relates how these are used by the artist to reinforce the theme, meaning, mood, or feeling of the artwork.	The CD/DVD cover describes some dominant elements and principles used by the artist, but has difficulty describing how these relate to the meaning or feeling of the artwork.	The CD/DVD cover has trouble picking out the dominant elements.
Illustrations	The illustrations shown are relevant and help illustrate the meaning of the story.	The literal meanings shown throughout the book are shown in the CD/DVD cover.	Student can relate how the work makes him/her feel personally through the design project. However the illustrations are not relevant to the meanings within the story.	Student finds it difficult to use illustrations to help interpret the books meaning.
Evaluation	Uses multiple criteria to judge the artwork, such as composition, expression, creativity, design, communication of ideas.	Uses 1-2 criteria to judge the artwork.	Tries to use aesthetic criteria to judge artwork, but does not apply the criteria accurately.	Evaluates work as good or bad based on personal taste.