Lyddie

by: Katherine Patterson

Multi-Genre Project

            A genre is a composition marked by a distinctive style, form, or content. For example, a poem is a genre. A persuasive essay is a genre. A cartoon is a genre. Each of these genres have a distinct style and form. A multi-genre project is a collection of pieces written in a variety of genres, informed by your research on a particular subject, which presents one or more perspectives on particular topic, in this case, Lyddie. A multi-genre project is personal, creative, and can’t be copied from another source. It involves you, as a writer, making conscious decisions about what information is important and how it should be presented.

            To express your understanding of the book Lyddie, you will be completing a multi-genre project for the book. This project is worth 100 points. Do not procrastinate and put this off until the last minute. I expect great things from you.

            To complete the project, you must create a collection of pieces written in a variety of genres. When successfully completed, each of the following items is worth a set number of points. You may pick what items you want to complete, but collectively, they must total 100 points. Follow the instructions carefully. Work must be done individually unless otherwise indicated. If you have any ideas for projects that are not included on this page, you can ask for approval. Good luck and work hard. It is apparent when you spend a lot of thought and time on a project. Make this the best you can do.

Each of the following is worth 10 points:

• Advertisement: Create an advertisement like you'd see in a magazine. You want to get your reader's attention, demonstrate the need for what you are selling, and show how your product/service will satisfy that need. Study professional ads to see how these goals are accomplished and use those examples as your models.  You should advertise something typical of the Industrial Age.
• Collage: Create a collage of images that represent the key ideas you are representing. The collage can include words and phrases to reinforce ideas. You must also include a paragraph explaining the significance of the images in your collage.
• Grocery list or Menu: This can be actual food items in places in the book, or it may describe a person or idea. For example, if you chose the character Lyddie, each menu item might be listed as people and events that were critical to her personal development.  The price listed might be ranked according the affect it had on her.
• Letter: A letter from one character to another. Minimum length is ½ page.
• Recipe: A recipe includes a list of ingredients, directions for mixing, preparing, baking or cooking and serving. You can choose a food item or a non food item. To create a recipe for something non food, such as peace or health, think of the essential ingredients. List these ingredients. Then show how these ingredients are used or managed. The recipe should be written in typical recipe form. See samples of recipes from magazines or cookbooks.
• Map:  Your map needs to represent the geography in the book. Make a legend to help the reader understand your map.
• Monologue or Journal Entry: A personal diary is a daily journal, a recording of the significant moments of the day. It begins with the date. Since a journal is meant to be personal, it often reveals feelings and thoughts that people tend to keep private. Minimum length is ½ page.
• Movie poster: Must include an illustration or drawing, which actors/actresses would play the major roles, when it’s coming out, tagline, and a brief synopsis.
• Travel poster: A travel poster can use graphics, photos, or drawings to reveal a certain place in the world relevant to your topic.  Make sure you use the space on you poster effectively.  Capture the viewer’s attention and keep it.  Your travel poster should reveal the essence of the destination and what it has to offer. 
• Wanted/Missing Poster: Create a wanted or a missing poster. Include a picture, brief description, where they were last seen, predictions of where they may be, a reward if any, and contact information if found.
• Warning Sign: Create a sign warning viewers against some harmful entity. Write a paragraph explaining the importance of heeding to the warning: Why is it important people follow the sign? What will happen if they do not? 
• Will: Write a document detailing the estate and possessions of a deceased person: what they are, who they will be passed to and why.

Each of the following is worth 20 points:

• Advice column: Like the ones you find in magazines or newspapers, an advice column features a letter from a reader who needs advice or help and a response from the columnist whose expertise allows him or her to sincerely give this help. You should consult a real column in a newspaper to see how you could format yours. You need at least 3 questions and answers. Minimum length ¾ of a page.
• Comic strip/cartoon or Drawing: A full page colored and detailed depiction of an event or character from the book. Based on research, it must accurately depict the time (clothing, buildings, etc.).
• Interview: Must include information detailing who is interviewing and who is being interviewed, complete with questions and answers. You need at least 3 questions and answers. Minimum length ¾ of a page. 
• Brochure: Needs to include pictures and research done on your own. It needs to be detailed, colorful, and catch the reader’s attention. Your brochure must discuss at least 3 aspects of your topic.
• Poem: Written by or about a character from the book. You can also write on another aspect from the novel.
• Resume of a character: Must be in proper resume format. Categories must include but are not limited to the following: personal characteristics, previous experience, education, and references.
• Newspaper Article: Minimum length is ¾ of a page. Write an article that might have appeared in a newspaper during the time of Lyddie. You must include your own research. 
• Obituary or Eulogy: Minimum length is ¾ of a page.
• Podcast: Minimum length is three minutes long. Here are some options: interview, sounds of the Industrial Revolution, instructions to the mill workers. You can do this with a partner.  This must be submitted on a CD.

Each of the following is worth 30 points:

• Photo album: This could be done either as a scrapbook of a character or as an overall visual presentation of the Industrial Revolution. This can be done as a PowerPoint or iMovie. Minimum of ten pages/slides. With each page/slide, you need a photo/illustration with an accompanying paragraph explaining it.
• ABC Book about Lyddie or the Industrial Revolution. For each of the 26 letters, you need to include a picture/illustration and a 2-3 sentence explanation. For example, A is for American. Lyddie takes place during the Industrial Revolution in America, even though the Industrial Revolution originated in England. (Note: You can’t use this example in your book).
• Movie: Ideas can include a day in the life of a character, or acting out chapters from the book. You must submit your written script along with the movie. This can be done with other classmates. The movie length depends on how many members you work with – you need to check if you have questiont.
• Essay: Minimum length is one page. You can write a persuasive essay on a theme or character in the novel.
• Write the next chapter of Lyddie, continuing her story.
• Survival Kit: What essentials would someone need to survive the daily life of the Industrial Revolution? Choose at least 6 things; these things can be character traits, physical attributes, actual tools, etc. List them in order of importance and write a paragraph explaining each choice and why it would be important.
• Lyddie Soundtrack: If you were the music director for a film production of Lyddie, your main job would be to choose the music you would use to underscore the actions, themes, and characters of the movie. Choose at least 6 songs as a soundtrack for Lyddie. It is important the songs fit the character’s personality, theme of the book, events in the story, and are age appropriate.  Pick one song each for Lyddie and Charlie. You may choose how you want to use the other four songs. You will need to write one paragraph explaining why you chose each song. Record the songs onto a CD. Type the lyrics and include these with your six paragraph paper. Be sure to give credit to the artist of each song. Decorate the cover of your soundtrack.
• Board game: Your board game could be modeled after a popular board game, but it needs to have specific aspects. It needs to contain an element of chance similar to the elements of chance in Lyddie and in the Industrial Revolution. It also needs to have specific situations similar to those of Lyddie and the Industrial Revolution. Your board game should contain research done outside of class and reflect a detailed account of Lyddie and the Industrial Revolution. It needs to have playing pieces and instructions. The overall quality of your game needs to reflect the high amount of points it is worth.

Lyddie
Essay Questions

Select one of the following topics and write an essay response.  Give special attention to formulating your thesis.  Remember, an effective thesis tells how the novel demonstrates important issues in life (theme).  The novel is used to teach these universal truths.  Use specific examples and quotes from the novel as your concrete details.

           Courage

           Slavery

           Labor Issues

           Industrialism v. Farming

Your essay should be five paragraphs long.  The Introduction and Conclusion paragraphs should range in length from four to eight sentences.  Each body paragraph must have a minimum of eight sentences (topic sentence, two chunks, concluding sentence).  Final draft must be submitted to MyAccess.