Beowulf Writing Project Guidelines
OBJECTIVES:
- To demonstrate the ability to SUMMARIZE both narrative and informational texts.
- To deepen understanding of a literary text by MAKING CONNECTIONS to historical evidence.
- To demonstrate the ability to properly CITE SOURCES when writing/presenting information
- To demonstrate ORAL PRESENTATION skills
OVERVIEW: For this writing project, you will be creating a Google Slides presentation that showcases
your ability to SUMMARIZE and draw CONNECTIONS between the literary story of Beowulf: A New Telling
and sourced information about real historical Vikings.
RESOURCES:
1) For this project, you will need your Beowulf: A New Telling novel.
2)You will also need to use several non-fiction texts that have been provided to you. These articles and video clips have either been
watched or read in class, or assigned as homework. All of these sources are available to you on LearningPoint in the Beowulf folder.
3) MyConnect: Go to the "Beowulf Writing Project" page to find any samples, web links, documents, instructional videos, the rubric,
or other resources for help with your project.
4) Finally, you will need to use a NoodleTools account to create proper source citations of the sources you use, and you will need to
use your GoogleDrive account to create and collaborate on your presentation document with your partner and share your work with
your teacher.
WHAT YOU ARE "IN CHARGE" OF:
1) Each person must create TWO SLIDES.
a. Each slide must be completely unique (cannot be the same topic/idea as your partner's slides)
b. Each slide must have a summary of a specific scene/page from the story Beowulf
c. Each slide must also summarize information from non-fiction text(s) that clearly connects to the Beowulf
summary on the same slide.
d. Each slide must have two images (one for each summary) that go with and enhance the summaries
e. Each image and summary must have a correct "parenthetical" citation that links to a full source citation
on the "Works Cited" slides
***See the following page or MyConnect for Mr. B's example slide!!!***
2) Each person must help to create the "Title" slide of the presentation
3) Each person must help to create the "Works Cited" slide
a. Cut and paste full source citations from your NoodleTools accounts
b. Put all citations into alphabetical order
c. Format them so that they are all the same font and font size
d. Follow the "hanging indent" format for all citations
4) Each person must orally present his/her slides in front of the class with his/her partner
WORKING ON YOUR PROJECT:
-There will be some class time to draft and generate ideas and some time in the computer lab to work, but the majority of the work
will have to be done on your own time. Do yourself a favor: work on this project a little bit at a time (15-30 minutes every couple
of days). If you do, the result will likely be great! If you do not, don’t expect to do a good job when you're rushing and/or working late
in to the night at the very end.
-MAKE TIME to work at the library, a friend/relative's house, or in the computer labs at school if you do not have the ability to
work on a computer/internet at home.
-"My computer/internet was not working" will not be accepted as an excuse. MANAGE YOUR TIME AND TECHNOLOGY! If
you are not ready to present your work on the presentation day, the same rule of 50% late credit applies!
-If you are confused or need help, GET HELP EARLY. Do not wait until the last days (or even the last week) to seek out help on
something that you should have been working on for weeks! I will always make time to help students who seek out help! If you do not
"get it" or know what to do, you only have yourself to blame if you never took any steps to get the help that you need.
WHAT YOUR SLIDES
SHOULD LOOK LIKE:
(see Mr. B's Presentation
template and Example
Slide in the "Beowulf
Writing Project" page
on MyConnect if you
want to see this bigger!)
HOW YOU WILL BE
GRADED:
Citations
Slides
Images
Writing
Presenta-tion
GRADING CATEGORY
1. INTRODUCTION: At the start of the presentation, the student acknowledges the
audience, formally introduces him/herself, and introduces the topic of the presentation.
2. EYE CONTACT: Student faces the audience and makes eye contact. Student does not
turn back to the audience. Student knows the presentation material well enough (has
practiced!) so that he/she does not need to read off of the projection screen. (May use notes
or note cards!)
3. VOICE: Student speaks clearly and at a volume loud enough for all audience members
to hear.
4. BEOWULF/REAL VIKING CONNECTION: The writing clearly links a specific
example from the story Beowulf to related information from one or more non-fiction texts
that we studied in class. (All posted on LearningPoint)
5. QUALITY OF SUMMARIES: Summaries are detailed enough (7-10 sentences each).
Summaries of Beowulf describe what happens in a specific scene/page and answer Who,
What, Where, When, Why, & How. Summaries of information from non-fiction texts
include a main idea and the relevant supporting details. ALL summaries are in student's
own words, with minimal quoted material. (If quoting, quoted words must be identified by
quote marks!)
6. SPELLING, GRAMMAR, and PUNCTUATION: Summaries have been edited
sufficiently to minimize errors.
7. IMAGES: The images selected for use on the presentation slides are of good quality (not
blurry or fuzzy) and they clearly help to enhance the audience's understanding of the
information conveyed in writing. The images are clearly relevant to and appropriate for the
writing.
8. VISUAL QUALITY OF SLIDES: Student's slides are organized neatly and the writing
on the slides is easy to read (font and font color chosen is easily readable). Parenthetical
citations are in correct positions. All images and text are lined up neatly.
9. PARENTHETICAL CITATIONS: Every image and summary is followed by a
parenthetical citation. Parenthetical citations are in the correct format and clearly link to a
full source citation which is included on the "Works Cited" slide(s).
10. WORKS CITED SLIDE(s): All citations are from sources that were used in class
and/or posted on LearningPoint (no sources you found by yourself on the internet or
elsewhere). Citations are presented in alphabetical order. Citations use the proper "hanging
indent" format (first line of each citation IS NOT indented, and any additional lines ARE
indented). Citations are complete and correct.
MIS.
0
BAS.
6
PROF.
8
ADV.
10