|
Compact Disc Project |
Home
Page
Daily Lesson Plans
Vocabulary
Weekly Questions
Weekly Quizzes
Grammar Assignments
Writing Assignments
Journals
Projects
For this task, the students are to create a virtual CD based on Esperanza Rising. Although the project deals with the words within the songs and their relation to the novel, students should also use their creativity to design the accompanying CD jacket. The following description can be verbalized, or the Word file can be found right here and the PDF file can be found right here.
We have come across many symbols in Esperanza Rising, one of which is the rose that Alfonso and Miguel brought with them from Mexico. It can be used to not only symbolize the love that Esperanza's father had for her, but can also be used to symbolize the blooming of a relationship between Esperanza and Miguel, as well as many other things.
Although most of the symbols in Esperanza Rising are objects, a wonderful medium for symbolism is that of music. Often times, songs are created as symbols for events in people's lives. For example, the singer-songwriter Seal composed a song entitled Kiss From a Rose, and in that song, a rose symbolizes the beauty that is new love. If we were to take that same song and apply it to Esperanza Rising, we could use it as a symbol for the growth of something beautiful amongst a sea of gray.
Your group assignment is to find other songs that could serve as symbolic to events or individuals in Esperanza Rising. Look at musicians who sing songs of protest, like Rage Against The Machine, Bob Marley and P.O.D., but also look at everyday music. We often listen to songs hundreds of times before recognizing the lyrics. You should find at least twelve songs, but no more than twenty songs.
Once you have found all of the songs that you are going to use, your group will create a CD jacket to go on the inside of the CD jewel case. This jacket will contain all of the following information for each of the songs; song title, song performed by, song written by, as well as the song lyrics and a brief explanation of how it relates to Esperanza Rising. It should look something like this:
KISS FROM A ROSE
Written and Performed by Seal
Baby, I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the gray.
Ooh, the more I get of you
Stranger it feels, yeah
Now that your rose is in bloom.
A light hits the gloom on the gray,
I've been kissed by a rose on the gray,
I've been kissed by a rose on the gray,
And if I should fall, at all
I've been kissed by a rose on the gray.
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah
This song can be symbolic of many things such
as the rose (Esperanza) blooming in spite of the
gray surroundings in which it has been forced to
live.
The CD package will be graded on content and appearance. Artistic values are an important part of this assignment. The package should be comparable to other CD packages that are currently on the market. The assignment will be worth 35 points, and will be based on overall presentation, artistic value, contextual value, neatness, thoroughness and your contribution to the project (as determined by your team-members). If you would like to burn the CD, it will be worth an additional five extra credit points for each team member.