Flowers+for+Algernon

"Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes is a very interesting, thought-provoking story about a mentally challenged adult who undergoes an experiemental operation to artificially increase his intelligence. In Charlie's own voice, readers will get to see Charlie Gordon's intelligence increase to genius levels through the writing of his progress report journal entries. Themes such as what defines intelligence, is scientific testing on humans and animals ethical, and should nature be tampered with are addressed in this engaging, emotional story by an award-winning American author.

__**Major Assignments:**__ __**In class assignments and homework:**__
 * Vocabulary:** definitions and relationships between concepts/ideas and their application in the story.
 * Journals:** from the point of view of another character, charting what happens to Charlie both emotionally and scientifically throughout the story.
 * Multiple Intelligences:** identifying and understanding the different types of intelligence that exist; investigating personality traits and career options for each intelligence type.
 * Extended Response Questions:** answering open-ended questions from the story with extended response answers; rubric included for expectations when answering questions.

Charlie's Experiences Timeline Assignment
 * DUE: 8B Jan. 25; 8D & 8F Jan. 26; 8G Jan. 27**

http://www.thematzats.com/algernon/
 * Online WebQuest Activity:** Take a Rorshach Test, IQ Test, complete a crossword puzzle and answer questions from the story.

__Directions__: Create a "person" that possesses a combination of intelligences--similar to combinations given in the homework assignment yesterday. Create this individual as if you were a scientist trying to creat the "perfectly balanced and intelligent" person. Name your individual. Illustrate your creation with labels that describe his or her characteristics. You will profile this individual in these areas; make sure to address each of these in your creation: 1. best subjects at school 2. job or career aspirations/goals 3. college goals 4. personality 5. social skills 6. hobbies, interests, etc. 7. music, sports, books
 * Creative Writing:** Create your own person!

__Format__: 1. Comic Life is recommended as the program to use for this assignment 2. Create a chart with another application OR create your person with hand drawn images. 3. Another creative format would be to make up a recipe for this "perfect" person. Use the actual names and "amounts" of any of the eight intelligences, famous peoples' attributes, and physical features as ingredients. Use culinary vocabulary such as dash, sprinkle, combine, incorporate, mix, fold, garnish, etc. in your recipe write-up.

__Writing__: Along with the visual image and descriptions of your character, you will also summarize a typical day for your creation. Handout will be given in class for the rough draft of this part of the assignment.

You will be given two days in class plus time at home to work on your person...the printed Comic Life/chart/original illustration/recipe AND final draft of a day in the life of your character will be due at the beginning of class two days from now.

Test: Vocabulary, Multiple Choice, True/False, to be given in class after watching the film version of the story, entitled //Charly//.