FINAL GROUP PROJECT: GUIDELINES & GROUPS

TO BE DELIVERED ON THURSDAY, 4/23

Final Project: Group PowerPoint Presentation (15 pts) Class Participation (5 pts)

The members of each group (I have assigned you to groups in one of the five categories below--scroll to bottom) will focus on one of the sets of linked themes listed below, and to analyze those themes as they are manifested in Herman Melville’s novella, “Benito Cereno.” As some of these themes overlap, you may also interweave some of the other relevant thematic discussions from other readings done during the semester into this group presentation. 

Your major theme should be considered as the central, controlling idea of your piece—again, if you find that other themes of significance are surfacing and converging with your major theme as you develop your project, please note them. Your thesis should reflect your theme in a clear, well-articulated manner. 

Sample sub-themes: American exceptionalism, the evils of slavery, human depravity, aesthetics (beauty), individualism, slavery, education, abolitionism, Puritanism, religion, alienation, industrialization, Transcendentalism, slave revolts,  equality, ethics/morality, family, femininity,  hypocrisy, identity, insanity, justice/injustice,  literacy, loneliness, masculinity, monstrousness, morality, poverty, race relations, racism, rebellion, sexual exploitation, the unreliable narrator. Some of these themes overlap—your thesis should reflect your theme in a clear, well-articulated manner. You will use photographs and text (including quotes from the primary source and secondary source texts) to create a PowerPoint presentation of your work (maximum 15 minutes in length). 

You must include a slide listing the “Credits,” i.e., the specific contribution made by each group member. In addition, you must create a Works Cited Page as the final slide of your presentation, using MLA-style. Refer to the MLA Style Guide on the course blog for MLA-style compliance. At our final class meeting, the group members will present their projects. I encourage you to be as imaginative as possible with these presentations. Below is a list of the criteria for your PowerPoint, adapted from a rubric adapted from a former colleague.
  

The FINAL VERSION of the PowerPoint presentation must be emailed to me by Wednesday, 4/22.

  
Final Project Rubric for PowerPoint Presentation: The following categories provide a clear list of the elements that are expected in each group’s project, regardless of its form and purpose.  Use these criteria as a tool to produce persuasive communication by means of innovation, creativity, and polished reflection. 

NOTE: Each category for your individual effort is worth points, for a total of 14, along with an addition of 1 point for the overall group effort, for a maximum of 15 percent of the final grade. The other 5 points for this project is based upon your total class participation, and may bring your total to 20 percent.

Thesis and Purpose: 3 Points

How clear is your thesis? Is the topic compelling and relevant not only to your own interests but to an issue of larger significance? How well do the images illustrate both the thesis and its related ideas in a cogent manner?

Composition: 3 Points

Does the project follow a logical flow of thought? Do the major themes transition well across the group? Is the project free of grammatical errors? Did you proofread your slides to ensure that they are MLA-compliant?

Technical Image and Quality: 3 Points

How well have you integrated quotations, titles, subtitles, captions, and high-quality digital files into your presentation? How does the overall final project look, including captions, titles, transitions, audio, and image?

Caption Information and Presentation:  3 Points

Is there a clear integration of the visual and written composition of the final project? How well have you complemented your images with written text--relevant quotes from the main text, along with quotes from secondary sources? How does the written text (approximately 350 – 400 words) act to amplify and enhance the quality of the project as a whole? Are original insights supported by relevant research in your written text or is it merely expository? 

Delivery: 2 Points

How well have you delivered your presentation? Did you speak clearly audibly? Was your confidence in your oral delivery transmitted to your audience?

Group Effort: 1 Point

How well have you worked with your group members to create a unified presentation? Have you rehearsed your delivery (individually as well as with the group) to ensure a smooth presentation? Can it be used as a model for other students in the future? 

Total (Individual) ____ Total (Group) ____ GRAND TOTAL___________

Violence

Karla, Dion, Anndrea, Yolanda, Genesis, Kethley, Mike

Good vs. Evil

Yasmine, Brandon, Judith, Rastaniela, JaQuan, Darwin

Racial Stereotyping

Karen, Miguel, David, Ernst, Wendy, Hemphstone

Manifest Destiny

Wadiah, Hawa, Wesly, Daisy, Talayna, Jhonatan

Humanity vs. Savagery

Giovanna, Carlos, Oliver, Dean, Joselyne, Charles