The students in English II made lists of every book they had ever read. Then, they were asked a big question: is reading fiction important to culture? Why should it be important for millions of people to read books that are simply a series of made-up stories and lies? The English II students chose books that are currently popular or influential and explored how these books play a role in our culture and why. Then, they imagined themselves as publishers and created marketing campaigns to advertise their books for the 21st century.
The students created “HawkNotes” to help other students better understand the novels. Check out some of their websites here, here, and here.
Many students also designed graphics or worked together to create hand-made billboards.
Take a look at their creations below!
The students created “HawkNotes” to help other students better understand the novels. Check out some of their websites here, here, and here.
Many students also designed graphics or worked together to create hand-made billboards.
Take a look at their creations below!
I was inspired to create this project after visiting San Francisco's literary festival with the same name (www.litquake.org). Every year, the city hosts a two-week event where authors invade, holding readings and workshops at venues of all kinds. I even went to a poetry reading held at a speciality honey store! San Francisco's LitQuake made me realize how special and important fiction is to our culture, even though it is not rooted in hard evidence, science, or fact. I decided we should have a literary festival of our own to see whether or not students see the value in fiction and to consider how imaginative books play a role in our lives.