The Pimpernel Project Guidelines

Week One: Preparing the Blog

Mrs. Smith and I have found a great way for us to learn together… It is very exciting when we can do things a different way! Because your ThinkSpot blog responses were so impressive to both Mrs. Smith and me, we have decided to entrust your Lit Circle group with it’s very own blog! This project will be done at school following a set of rules outlined by us. There will be group requirements, as well as individual requirements. The big idea here is to create a community of thinkers, dedicated to analyzing and understanding the next novel, The Scarlet Pimpernel. You will work together to communicate, collaborate and CREATE a blog which demonstrates your personal, as well as your group’s thoughts about the characters and scenes in this fascinating novel. This is going to be an amazing way to learn from each other and develop our own ideas… We simply can’t WAIT to read what you have to say!

-Mrs. Cusick

Week Two: Variety

This week your group needs to assign each member a post in one of the following categories (if you have five members in your group, you may have two from either of the last two categories):

• Compose a welcome letter from your character, inviting others to become followers of your blog. Be sure to let them know the scope of your blog, introduce yourself, and hint at the ins and outs of who you are as a person.
• Compose a post focusing on your characters views on the French Revolution. Discuss what is currently happening in the novel regarding the situation in France. Reference historical events and figures, and give the reader your take on these events based upon the content presented to you about your characters political leanings.
• Choose a relevant current event in our culture for your character to share their opinions about. This could be a movie review or an advice column, a political debate, or a celebrity/news item. Be sure to base your opinions about this event on the moral and political views of your character.
• "Pop culture" is defined as contemporary lifestyle and items that are well known and generally accepted and/or cultural patterns that are widespread within a population. Choose one of these items inherent to modern pop culture and have your character share their commentary on it, always rooting their comments in their status and political/moral views.

Have fun, and impress us with your creativity!
Mrs. C & Mrs. S

Week Three: SP & Society

This week we are going to be focusing on the revelation of who the Scarlet Pimpernel is. Remember that your job is to accurately reflect the views of your character, in the first person, concerning the topic on which you and your group decide you should write. Your posts last week were great... take the time to explore ideas other groups had. It might give you some creative ideas for things you could do with your article.

1. Compose an article concerning your characters opinions about Sir Percy being the Scarlet Pimpernel. If you are the Scarlet Pimpernel, then you may write about the job itself... maybe what motivates you and what challenges you or what its like to lead your league. How do you feel about the job on which you are about to complete.
2. Write about your characters opinions about English society. Discuss the opera and the ball and your perspective on English social life, in general.
3. Pop Culture/Current Event... concerning new event that has been in the news this week or a pop culture item that is new. Please feel free to continue on with movie reviews or advice columns that you started last week.
4. Free Choice! Just clear it with me... and it must concern the chapters from LAST week's reading

Happy Blogging!!
-Mrs C & Mrs. S :)