Students are expected to read independently for 15 minutes per day from an assigned non-fiction novel or biography. They must write in their reading log after, identifying connections between their book and themes of their life, world, interests, schooling. Weekly, students pick a task from the list to work on, like critiquing characters or creating a graphic. Their culminating project involves researching a topic from their book and presenting with an annotated bibliography, formal report, and original media.

1. “4 Corners”
Ideas, Connections, Extensions (I.C.E)
Your Non Fiction Novel, Biography and...
Your Life: needs explanation and examples
Your World
Your Interests
Your Schooling
Non Fiction Novel or Biography
Daily:

2. Each day students must write in their reading log after reading for 15 (uninterrupted) minutes. They are
to focus in this post reading activities on identifying, analyzing and elaborating on any connections
they see existing between their book and the “4 corners” listed above.
Weekly:
Students will add to the “What I am Working On” wall each week, for 5 weeks, one of the tasks from
the “Non Fiction Self Directed Weeklies” document.
Culminating Task:
Research based oral presentation with an embedded media design component. Students will be given
instruction on the research process as it is expected of them in the post secondary system and then
asked to research a specific, related topic/issue from their novel. Required submissions include an i)
annotated bibliography ii) a formal research report iii) an original media product.
Non Fiction Self Directed “Weeklies”
1. In a series of paragraphs expressing an opinion format, state your opinion of the novel and
focus on quality of: characters, story, any graphics/pictures.

3. 2. Find a series of articles from a magazine(s) or newspaper(s) and explain the
connection(s) between them and your novel/biography. As well how these articles
extend your understanding of your novel/biography.
3. View and then review via a brief oral presentation which is more of an informal
“chat or short talk” a movie that connects to or extends your understanding of
your novel/biography.
4. Create a graphic for your novel/biography. This can be a picture or a collage of
images that might be found on the dust jacket of this text. Alternatively a hand
drawn scene from the text or a portrait of a character.
5. You will create a “study guide” for students who will read your book in the future. This study
guide must include: internet links to related subject matter
and any alternate media sources (movies, TV shows, magazines etc.), and any other related
fiction or non fiction titles.