Summaries Giveaway, Round II
The deadline for programming proposals to Phoenix Rising is 11:59 p.m. Eastern on November 4, 2006. That's just ten days from today (and counting this one)! If you have a summary to give away, please feel free to jump in and put one up for adoption. Otherwise, please feel free to claim a summary that you'd like, and we'll remove it from the list.
Any of these summaries can be taken as they are or modified to meet your interests and presentation style. What they still need from you is an abstract: up to 500 words explaining your argument, your supporting evidence, and your conclusions--or, in the case of roundtable discussions, sample questions that you'd ask as the discussion moderator. Check out our previous post for many additional topics and a list of people seeking collaborators.
Reminder: We'll be hosting two chats where you can get live help and brainstorm topics this weekend. One will be from 10-12 a.m. Eastern on Saturday and the other will be from 3-5 p.m. Eastern on Sunday. We'll post the chat location later this week; no special programs or downloads will be needed for this web-based chat.
On to the free summaries!
1. Does Fanfic Help or Harm Original Writing: A Discussion
Writing fanfiction is variously known as a waste of time and talent, a hobby, and a springboard to becoming a published author--it all depends upon whom you ask. Three fanfiction authors, representing wildly different views on fanfiction's contribution to one's growth as a writer, will discuss the problems and rewards of writing fanfiction, and how it has helped or harmed their professional progress. They will then open up the floor for discussion of audience experiences. [This one is very, very editable to suit your situation!]
2. Knitting the Perfect Hogwarts Scarf
Have you ever wanted to create your own scarf in House colors? If you have basic knitting skills, or are willing to learn, you can create a Hogwarts scarf based on traditional knitting patterns. Needles and two colors of yarn are not required, but those who bring them along can get a jump start on making this popular accessory.
3. Drawing to Delight
Fanartists in the Harry Potter fandom face a number of challenges when it comes to interpreting their subjects -- in particular as there are a number of different, frequently contradictory, canon variations to consider. This roundtable will give artists a chance to debate the hot-button topics such as "Hermione: Just how big is her overbite?" and "To Goatee or Not Goatee? Every Snape Artist's Question."
4. How to Teach Using Harry Potter, Despite His Rampant Rule-breaking
Harry Potter has had his fair share of detention, deserved and otherwise. He lies, he steals, he spies, and he talks back to adults. In fact, Harry spends a lot of time breaking the rules. How can you integrate the Harry Potter series into your classroom while still taking a firm stance on classroom management issues? [Your name here!], who has taught the series to [number] graders, will demonstrate how to incorporate Harry into your curriculum--and encourage critical thinking skills--without inspiring mutiny.
5. World Influences on Harry Potter From Asiatic Anti-Venoms to Zombies
J. K. Rowling draws from global sources for inspiration for everything from spells to magical creatures. These sources are woven throughout the text to create depth and a sense of cultures beyond the one in which Harry lives. This paper will provide insight into some of the most interesting and most obscure references, including Afro-Caribbean inspiration for Inferi and Greek sources for Abraxan horses.
6. Wood, Weasley, McLaggen: Gryffindor Keepers
Quidditch-mad Oliver Wood is a tough act to follow--an excellent Keeper who led Gryffindor to the Quidditch Cup in his final year and then signed with Puddlemere United's reserve team. How did Oliver's reputation affect Gryffindor's new Keeper, Ron Weasley, whose nerves make him inconsistent? What about Cormac McLaggen? He seems to believe he knows how to captain a team, but where did he get this experience? Is he just an armchair captain who decided to give his favorite sport a go?
7. The Medium is the Message - Mass Media in the Wizarding World
Wizards get their news from an animated newspaper and their entertainment from a wireless radio, while Muggles surf the net, buy DVDs and watch news instantly on cable television. Is media the one area in which Muggle technology far surpasses wizarding innovation? Muggleborn witches and wizards surely bring a knowledge of Muggle media with them as they enter the magical world, so why isn't there a magical version of television? Should the students of Hogwarts be supplied with laptop computers and Internet access? If the medium is the message, what does this tell us about media in the wizarding world, where the media variations are minimal? This presentation will look at the differences between the prolific Muggle media and the subdued wizarding media, and the effects each media system has on its inhabitants.
8. Martin Miggs the Mad Muggle and Other Pop Culture Icons
Harry Potter is a pop culture icon in the "Muggle" world, appearing in books, movies, and as an action figure. He is studied, analyzed, discussed and worshipped. Through Harry, we get an insight into his world and all the delights it offers. This presentation will look at the reverse: What pop culture icons do the wizarding world hold up as ideals? Is Martin Miggs a fair representation of the Muggle world in Harry's universe, and what sort of effect has he had on wizarding children? What other pop culture icons can we see in the wizarding world, and do they have the same impact as pop culture icons in Muggle culture?
9. Creating the Fandom Manual of Style
Good beta readers -- those fans who functions as editors for fanfiction authors -- are difficult to find. Many communities and other sites attempt to match betas with authors, or permit authors to seek betas, but few of them test a beta to find out if he or she is even qualified in the most basic of grammar, let alone more advanced issues of characterization, plot, voice and "Brit-picking." A few sites, however, have begun to certify beta readers, awarding the credential to those who demonstrate at least a minimum mastery of editing tools. This roundtable will discuss whether beta certification is desireable, who should administer it, and what it should include.
10. Dumbledore's Army: The New Order?
During the first war, the Order of the Phoenix stood against the Death Eaters as Aurors, teachers, schoolfriends, families and spies. Depleted but defiant, the Order watched as baby Harry defeated Lord Voldemort. Fifteen years later, the Order is still losing members -- Emmeline Vance, Sirius Black, Albus Dumbledore. As the old guard turns, as Harry steps into the leader's role left by Dumbledore's death, will he bring a new generation of Order members with him, or will his army be left behind? What role will the other members of Dumbledore's Army play in the coming war?
Remember, if you want to see any of these topics -- or others that you're interested in -- on the programming schedule at Phoenix Rising, they have to be submitted to be considered.
Ready? Go! We look forward to receiving your proposals.
Cheers,
Hallie (on behalf of the programming team)
Any of these summaries can be taken as they are or modified to meet your interests and presentation style. What they still need from you is an abstract: up to 500 words explaining your argument, your supporting evidence, and your conclusions--or, in the case of roundtable discussions, sample questions that you'd ask as the discussion moderator. Check out our previous post for many additional topics and a list of people seeking collaborators.
Reminder: We'll be hosting two chats where you can get live help and brainstorm topics this weekend. One will be from 10-12 a.m. Eastern on Saturday and the other will be from 3-5 p.m. Eastern on Sunday. We'll post the chat location later this week; no special programs or downloads will be needed for this web-based chat.
On to the free summaries!
1. Does Fanfic Help or Harm Original Writing: A Discussion
Writing fanfiction is variously known as a waste of time and talent, a hobby, and a springboard to becoming a published author--it all depends upon whom you ask. Three fanfiction authors, representing wildly different views on fanfiction's contribution to one's growth as a writer, will discuss the problems and rewards of writing fanfiction, and how it has helped or harmed their professional progress. They will then open up the floor for discussion of audience experiences. [This one is very, very editable to suit your situation!]
2. Knitting the Perfect Hogwarts Scarf
Have you ever wanted to create your own scarf in House colors? If you have basic knitting skills, or are willing to learn, you can create a Hogwarts scarf based on traditional knitting patterns. Needles and two colors of yarn are not required, but those who bring them along can get a jump start on making this popular accessory.
3. Drawing to Delight
Fanartists in the Harry Potter fandom face a number of challenges when it comes to interpreting their subjects -- in particular as there are a number of different, frequently contradictory, canon variations to consider. This roundtable will give artists a chance to debate the hot-button topics such as "Hermione: Just how big is her overbite?" and "To Goatee or Not Goatee? Every Snape Artist's Question."
4. How to Teach Using Harry Potter, Despite His Rampant Rule-breaking
Harry Potter has had his fair share of detention, deserved and otherwise. He lies, he steals, he spies, and he talks back to adults. In fact, Harry spends a lot of time breaking the rules. How can you integrate the Harry Potter series into your classroom while still taking a firm stance on classroom management issues? [Your name here!], who has taught the series to [number] graders, will demonstrate how to incorporate Harry into your curriculum--and encourage critical thinking skills--without inspiring mutiny.
5. World Influences on Harry Potter From Asiatic Anti-Venoms to Zombies
J. K. Rowling draws from global sources for inspiration for everything from spells to magical creatures. These sources are woven throughout the text to create depth and a sense of cultures beyond the one in which Harry lives. This paper will provide insight into some of the most interesting and most obscure references, including Afro-Caribbean inspiration for Inferi and Greek sources for Abraxan horses.
6. Wood, Weasley, McLaggen: Gryffindor Keepers
Quidditch-mad Oliver Wood is a tough act to follow--an excellent Keeper who led Gryffindor to the Quidditch Cup in his final year and then signed with Puddlemere United's reserve team. How did Oliver's reputation affect Gryffindor's new Keeper, Ron Weasley, whose nerves make him inconsistent? What about Cormac McLaggen? He seems to believe he knows how to captain a team, but where did he get this experience? Is he just an armchair captain who decided to give his favorite sport a go?
7. The Medium is the Message - Mass Media in the Wizarding World
Wizards get their news from an animated newspaper and their entertainment from a wireless radio, while Muggles surf the net, buy DVDs and watch news instantly on cable television. Is media the one area in which Muggle technology far surpasses wizarding innovation? Muggleborn witches and wizards surely bring a knowledge of Muggle media with them as they enter the magical world, so why isn't there a magical version of television? Should the students of Hogwarts be supplied with laptop computers and Internet access? If the medium is the message, what does this tell us about media in the wizarding world, where the media variations are minimal? This presentation will look at the differences between the prolific Muggle media and the subdued wizarding media, and the effects each media system has on its inhabitants.
8. Martin Miggs the Mad Muggle and Other Pop Culture Icons
Harry Potter is a pop culture icon in the "Muggle" world, appearing in books, movies, and as an action figure. He is studied, analyzed, discussed and worshipped. Through Harry, we get an insight into his world and all the delights it offers. This presentation will look at the reverse: What pop culture icons do the wizarding world hold up as ideals? Is Martin Miggs a fair representation of the Muggle world in Harry's universe, and what sort of effect has he had on wizarding children? What other pop culture icons can we see in the wizarding world, and do they have the same impact as pop culture icons in Muggle culture?
9. Creating the Fandom Manual of Style
Good beta readers -- those fans who functions as editors for fanfiction authors -- are difficult to find. Many communities and other sites attempt to match betas with authors, or permit authors to seek betas, but few of them test a beta to find out if he or she is even qualified in the most basic of grammar, let alone more advanced issues of characterization, plot, voice and "Brit-picking." A few sites, however, have begun to certify beta readers, awarding the credential to those who demonstrate at least a minimum mastery of editing tools. This roundtable will discuss whether beta certification is desireable, who should administer it, and what it should include.
10. Dumbledore's Army: The New Order?
During the first war, the Order of the Phoenix stood against the Death Eaters as Aurors, teachers, schoolfriends, families and spies. Depleted but defiant, the Order watched as baby Harry defeated Lord Voldemort. Fifteen years later, the Order is still losing members -- Emmeline Vance, Sirius Black, Albus Dumbledore. As the old guard turns, as Harry steps into the leader's role left by Dumbledore's death, will he bring a new generation of Order members with him, or will his army be left behind? What role will the other members of Dumbledore's Army play in the coming war?
Remember, if you want to see any of these topics -- or others that you're interested in -- on the programming schedule at Phoenix Rising, they have to be submitted to be considered.
Ready? Go! We look forward to receiving your proposals.
Cheers,
Hallie (on behalf of the programming team)