English 621 Independent Novel Study

Nineteen Minutes:  A WebQuest

Now that you’re at the end of page 308 of your novel, we’re going to explore some of the references made by your author, Jodi Picoult.  The following web quest has been designed so that you – the reader – will discover some context for your novel.

Some questions ask for information only while others ask you to apply your reading.  Since you have been asked to accomplish this quest using presentation format, it should make use of representative photos and other cool stuff.  Good luck.

Before You Begin

• Open a document in Microsoft PowerPoint (highly-recommended) or Corel Presentations and save it as ‘webquest’.  Your responses will be completed in the form of a presentation, each question on a new slide.  Please create a cover slide for this web quest.

Question One:  Nineteen Minutes – The Film

• Jodi Picoult often is asked why this powerful novel has not been made into a movie.  Her response:  I don’t know.  Of all my books that’s the one that I think would be the best big screen movie – and that would most deeply impact teen culture in a positive way. But so far, the studios that have looked at it are too scared to show a school shooting on screen – although psychiatrists have shown that rather than inspire copycat violence, that sort of story might actually create discussion about bullying, and ultimately reduce it.
  • Your task:  you are going to produce this novel as a film and now you have to cast it.  Choose five of the main characters, choose actors/actresses to fill the roles, provide pictures, and explain (in approximately 50 words each, why this actor/actress is perfect for the role).

Question Two:  School Shootings

• This novel has a lot of relevance to us as we live in a high school environment and Sterling, New Hampshire is a town not unlike our own.  In the past decade, there have been several school shooting worldwide.
  • Your task:  Investigate one of these and share your information by way of a narrative (told by a news reporter who is relating the full story to his/her viewers) after the fact.  Include pictures, etc.

Question Three:  Contact the Author

• One of the coolest things about Jodi Picoult is that she encourages her readers to contact her and provide feedback about her books.  She claims that she always responds to her e-mails personally (she doesn’t have – or want – ‘people’ to do that).  That means when you write her an e-mail, she responds.
  • Your task:  go to her website (www.jodipicoult.com) and take a look around.  Then write her a nicely-worded e-mail telling her your opinions of her book.  Also, ask her a question you would like to have answered.  Post your question into your webquest and – if she responds before the due date – post her response as well.  If not, please forward it to Coffin as soon as she does.

Question Four:  Bullying

• At the heart of this novel is, of course, the major issue of bullying in schools and society.  This novel seemingly chronicles all sorts of bullying, from sibling rivalry to physical altercations to cyber-bullying.  Do some searching around and discover other cases where bullying is the root cause of some sort of altercation.  Also, look for some mechanisms that have been created to stop bullying in schools and society.
  • Your task:  Find a news story which has bullying as it central focus (but doesn’t end in with the victim resorting to violence).  Summarize the story and comment on what you think the victim must have endured and how you think things could have worked out differently.  Then, find some organizations/groups who exist to help children cope with bullying at home and school.  Describe the group’s mandate and some of the interventions they recommend for kids who are victims of bullying.

Question Five: Social Networks

• If you were one of the teenage characters in this novel, what kind of a facebook or myspace page would you have?
  • Your task: Assuming students are familiar with the facebook environment – and assuming it isn’t too difficult to create a page, create a page for one of the main teenage characters.  Make sure to include the following:
    • A few quotations from your character that you thought were insightful, frightening, or inspiring.
    • Some friends (from Sterling and from Morell High) that you feel your character would have.
    • Some sites/bands/games/etc. your character might be interested in.
    • Anything else that provides us with knowledge and insight revealed about character.
  • If you are able to create a facebook page, please do so and simply post the link to your slideshow.  If not, please try to recreate the facebook page as a slide (complete with pictures, quotes, friends, etc).