Проектная работа по английскому языку "Harry Potter and the magic of reading"

Государственное бюджетное образовательное учреждение города Москвы

«Школа 2000»        

Project work

Harry Potter and the Magic of Reading

     Authors: Machmudov              

                     Michael  

                     Class 6-4

     Teacher: Lozneva N.                                                                                            

                     Teacher of English  

Moscow

2017

Contents                                                                                                             Page

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………… 2

How we chose the theme of the project

The main aim of the project

         Research method

Magic pages ……………………………………………………………………………….  3

A fascinating journey into the world of childhood

Genre and plot peculiarities

Harry Potter’s lessons      

Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………...5

Analysis of the project results

Literature…………………………………………………………………………………….6

Introduction

         Thousands of people in Russia learn the English language. Hundreds of children learn grammar rules at school. However, according to the statistics people read four books a year on average. Is it true? Do people read in English? What do my classmates read? This problem seemed interesting to us. We decided to choose as an object of our research work “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”. Our choice is based on some reasons.

         First, this book has millions of fans across the globe. Nearly everyone knows it because of its screen version. Besides, its amazing plot and main characters cause great interest among children. We called our project work “Harry Potter and the Magic of Reading”.

Practical significance of the work.

      Nowadays many people prefer films to books. However, a book differs a lot from a film. Those who do not read a book will never know the most important moments of a book as the author sees them. In a movie, you do not have to imagine a scene. You just see it. While reading a book, you have to imagine how things are going on.

      The main aim of the project is to motivate schoolchildren to read more and to read in English in particular.

Objectives are set according to the aim of the research:

• to find out if our classmates read “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” in English;
• to analyze the what makes the book so popular with children

  Research method.

     We decided to do some research and chose class survey as a research method.

We used a questionnaire and interviewed 30 6-th grade students. These are the results of our survey.      

      According to the results, only 16 % read the book. But they did! Therefore, we decided to motivate schoolchildren to read books in English. As a result we made a small dictionary of some difficult words which are synonyms (words denoting sounds and movements) which is the product of our research work.

A fascinating journey into the world of childhood

      We asked our classmates why this book appeals to them and concluded that this is because of the main character. Little children read Harry Potter with excitement. For them, the whole Harry Potter’s world is something that they know from their childhood. In Harry Potter’s world children live without parents. They have to find answers of many questions and make tough choices. These kids do usual things: they go to school, do homework, study for exams like all other children do. These things make the book unforgettable and so interesting. Nevertheless, there is only one difference. Everything in this world is magic: magic books, magic things, teachers are wizards and Harry Potter himself is a wizard boy.

         According to the results of our survey 50% of the pollees said that they like Harry Potter most of all the characters.

Genre and plot peculiarities

       The second reason of interest to this book is that Harry and his friends live a life full of dangerous and breathtaking adventures.

       The wizarding world captures your imagination from the first pages of the book. It is not Harry but you go on flying on a broomstick or make your way to a dark dungeon to fight an awful troll.

     “Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone” has elements of a folktale. First, it is an imaginary world and its inhabitants are wizards, dwarfs, elves and trolls. The scene is set in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The wizards live in an invisible world for common people who are called muggles.  The world is full of miracles. The only way to get to that magic world is from Platform 9 ¾ at King-Cross Station. Their favourite game is Quiddich and they play the game flying on broomsticks. They study at school unusual subjects: Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, History of Magic, Defence against the Dark Arts, Astronomy and Herbology. Wizards have their own wands, which they choose by themselves, owls delivering mail. There is even A Sorting Hat at Hogwarts, which sorts students to a specific faculty due to his or her abilities. Harry Potter has an invisible cloak.

       People need tales. They inspire hope. They feed our imaginations. Wonder is something that is taken as a matter of fact in tales, so we are encouraged to look for wonder in our own lives. They are stories of love and hatred, birth and death, riches and ruin. However, there is only one thing that remains unchanged - in the battle of good and evil, good always wins.

     50 % of our classmates (15 out of 30 children) said that they liked adventures and miracles in the book most of all, and read this book because of its wonderful plot.

      However, if you read the book more attentively, you can find that the book also fits the definition of fantasy, a literature genre that is very popular nowadays both with children and adults. Fantasy is the genre of fiction in which magical or supernatural elements are used. Thus in “Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone” a reader comes across such mythological creatures as a unicorn, a symbol typical in myths and legends, centaurs, half-man, half- horse creatures. Gnomes, elves and trolls also live in the fictional reality of Harry Potter’s world.

       Fantasy leads down children to live in a world where anything is possible. And they love this.  

       When analyzing the genre of J.K. Rowling’s book we found some features of a detective story in it too. Detective stories usually contain crime and mystery, exciting twist of the plot and a clever detective who solves all the riddles and finds the criminal in the end. The plot of the book is based on Harry’s efforts to find the philosopher’s stone.

 What the book teaches

       Novels are not just a source of entertainment; they also contain problems and push us to solve them, to learn the tough situations of a real life. This can be seen in “Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone” by J.K Rowling. Harry Potter and his friends don’t live an easy life during their first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. During this time they have to struggle together to defeat Voldemort, who had tried to kill Harry, and Professor Quirrell, who helped Voldemort, trying to get the Philosopher’s Stone. In their attempts to win the evil, Harry and his friends face many challenges, which test their souls. The book teaches children always to be honest and brave, and then the good will surely   conquer the evil.    

Conclusion.

       Having analysed the genre and plot peculiarities of the book we came to the conclusion that the particular features of a folktale, fantasy and even a detective story which comprise a blend of genres influence the children’s interest to read it. Harry Potter, the existence of two worlds within the story, the vivid distinction between good and evil, and the happy ending appeal to young readers and capture their attention. The results of our survey proved this fact.

      The second part of our research proved that not many children practice reading books in English. The reason of this lies in the difficulty of this kind of reading.

       We have made our Dictionary of difficult words to motivate children to read more.

References

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1998

http://rudocs.exdat.com/docs/index-484684.html

Small dictionary of some difficult words

«Словарь звуков»

1. babble        ['bæbl]        1) лепет, бормотание, болтовня 2) лепетать;    

бормотать;  болтать                                                                                                                

2. bellow        ['beləu]         1) мычание, рёв (животных) 2) крик, вопль, рёв (человека)        
3. cackle        ['kækl]         1) кудахтать; гоготать 2) болтовня, словесный поток
4. chuckle    ['ʧʌkl]                    тихий смех; смех про себя        
5. clang        [klæŋ             лязгать, бренчать, звенеть        
6. din                   [dɪn]                    шум, грохот, гул, неутихающий звон        
7. drone        [drəun]         бубнить, монотонно говорить; говорить скучным, занудным голосом        
8. falter        ['fɔːltə]          заикаться, запинаться, мямлить        
9. gibber        ['ʤɪbə]         невнятная, бессвязная, нечленораздельная речь
10. growl        [graul]         греметь, раздаваться, рокотать (о громе, буре, грозе, пушке)
11. grunt        [grʌnt]         хрюкать; ворчать; бормотать        
12. hiss        [hɪs]                   1) шипеть 2) (о)шикать, зашикать на кого-л.
13. hoot        [huːt]                   1) громко кричать 2) выражать неодобрение криками                                                                                                                    
14. howl        [haul]        1)        1) выть, завывать, стонать (о ветре) 2) плакать, рыдать, реветь
15. quaver        ['kweɪvə]       выводить трели (в пении)        
16. rasping    ['rɑːspɪŋ]        1) скрежещущий, резкий (о звуке) 2) скрипучий (о голосе)
17. rattle        ['rætl]                   трещать, грохотать; греметь (посудой, ключами и т.п.)                                                                                                                      
18. screech    [skriːʧ]          визжать или кричать пронзительным голосом        
19. shriek        [ʃriːk]                   пронзительно кричать, орать; визжать        
20. shrill        [ʃrɪl]                   пронзительный, резкий; визгливый; высокий (о голосе, звуке)        
21. sizzle        ['sɪzl]                   шипение, шипящий звук (при жаренье на огне)
22. snarl        [snɑːl]         рык, рычание, ворчание (животного)
23. squawk    [skwɔːk]       громкий, пронзительный крик; вопль        
24. squeak        [skwiːk  ]      писк, визг (издаваемый людьми или животными)
25. stamme    ['stæmə]       заикание; произнесение с запинкой, остановкой в речи
26. thud        [θʌd]                   глухой звук, стук (от падения тяжёлого предмета)        
27. whine        [(h)waɪn]     1) жаловаться, плакаться; ныть 2) завывать, подвывать, скулить    
28.  whoop   [(h)wuːp]     выкрикивать, кричать (обычно от радости, ликования)                                                                                                                        
29.  yell          [jel]             1) пронзительный крик 2) вопить, кричать

                  Глаголы, обозначающие различные движения

30. budge        [bʌʤ]                           шевелиться, двигаться, перемещаться (чаще в отрицательных    предложениях); пошевельнуть, сдвинуть с места
31. bolt [bəult]                           быстро двигаться; нестись стрелой, убегать; удирать, давать  
32.                                        дёру, рвать когти
33. clamber ['klæmbə]         карабкаться; цепляться; взбираться
34. dash [dæʃ]                      бросаться, мчаться, нестись
35. heave        [hiːv]                           поднимать; перемещать, снимать
36. hop [hɔp]                           подпрыгивать; двигаться подпрыгивая
37. jerk [ʤɜːk]                    резко дергать; поворачивать; швырять;, двигаться толчками,
38. limp        [lɪmp]                          хромать, прихрамывать
39. lumber ['lʌmbə]            тяжело ступать, неуклюже двигаться
40. scramble ['skræmbl]     пробираться; протискиваться с трудом; карабкаться, взбираться
41. skip [skɪp]                          прыгать, скакать; бежать вприпрыжку
42. stomp        [stɔmp]                топать
43. stumble ['stʌmbl]          спотыкаться, оступаться
44. swagger ['swægə]               ходить с важным видом
45. tread        [tred]                          идти, ступать, шагать
46. trot [trɔt]                          идти рысью (о лошади); спешить, торопиться;
47. waddle ['wɔdl]               ходить раскачиваясь, ковылять (как утка)