Thursday, April 26, 2012

Book Project Assignment

(This is an idea I "borrowed" from somewhere about 15 years ago.  I have no idea where; I just know this wasn't my brainchild.)

After finishing To Kill A Mockingbird, the students are to find 10 different examples of advice that Atticus gives his children at different times in the novel.  Then, they are to think of advice that their family and friends give them.  They have to create a book with the Atticus quotes and their advice from their own family.  It has to be pocket sized with a durable cover, and should include color and a little artwork. These guidelines are fairly broad, and it is based loosely on the "Life's Little Instruction Book" by H. Jackson Browne.

Here is a sample of some turned in.
I urge recycling and reusing.  I particularly love the Life cereal box cover.  (After the books are graded, they line the board trays so the kids can look at them.)
Wood is often the cover of choice, but this year was a first for a Victoria's Secret bag cover.
This was also a first.  A farm boy made his book cover out of limestone, with wire to hold his cardboard pages in.  Talk about heavy!  It isn't pocket sized (well, maybe for a Kangaroo), but it was so creative that he got bonus points to make up for that deduction.  I don't know how they come up with this stuff, but I am always amazed. (I think some of these books turn into family projects, and I kind of like that.)
Another farm boy took a different approach.  This is just construction paper, but he put hinges on it to form his book binding.  He also attached a handle so it would look like a toolbox.
The covers are interesting, but as with most books--it's what's inside that counts.

The advice of family is always a great reflection of their homes:
*God gave you a brain, use it!
*Being different makes a difference.
*Suck it up, Buttercup.
*In the end everything will be OK.  If it isn't OK, then it isn't the end.
*Be the bigger person.
*Can't never could.
*The way you treat others reflects on your personality--not their's.
*You can't fix stupid.
*Always remember where you came from and where you want to go.

This little book had a lot of great pages, but I'll share two.



Yep! Sometimes, I really love my job! 

7 comments:

Scriptor Senex said...

This is my first visit to Easy Street though I am a regular on Quoth She. I loved this and I shall be back!

Scriptor Senex said...

Meant to say- I've just bought To Kill A Mockingbird. I think I read it when I was younger but can't remember it at all. It will be fun reading it (perhaps again) and then coming back to this post.

Kim said...

What a great project! I enjoyed reading the quotes. This would be one project that it would be a pleasure to grade, I would think!

Katie @Can't Get There said...

Oh, I loved seeing those! Now I'm inspired to interview my girls. Maybe I'll have an Advice from 8 & 6yos post soon. :)

A said...

Share more quotes!!! Those ones are great (I want to remember some of them to share with my own future children!!!) I remember doing this project & it was definitely one of my favorites. It would be fun to find a way to incorporate something like this into a 4th grade project..

holybovine said...

What great imaginations your students have! I'm particularly fond of the limestone cover.

joyce said...

I can't imagine my son putting that much effort into any school project
:( ...I like the LIFE cereal cover as well.....and the advice of "Suck it up Buttercup" is hilarious.