On the first day of the course, you will sign up to present on a text or set of texts about zombies. These texts are external to the course—your job will be to give your classmates insight into how the text you have read/watched/played adds to our understanding of zombies as they appear in popular media. We will select texts and sign up for presentations on the first day of the course.
Assignment:
Present the text(s) you have selected to the class. Use any or all of the various themes and ideas we have discussed thus far to explain how the text you are presenting elaborates our understanding of the zombie in popular media.
Expectations:
You may provide a brief plot synopsis, but the goal of the presentation is NOT to relay the plot to the class. The goal is to tell us what the text says about zombies.
You should draw explicitly on ideas and texts we’ve discussed or engaged with before. If your text seems to be heavily influenced by the Haitian voodoo zombie, say so and explain why.
Be entertaining! Bring visual aids, act out a scene from the text, bring music or other aural aids, make up a game. This presentation should be zesty and fun, but informative too.
Bring a handout about your text. This could include a brief plot synopsis along with your key points. Add your own twist to the presentation. What does your text tell us about zombies that we didn’t know? Does it add anything new to the zombie trope? Be sure to bring enough copies for everyone (21 including yourself).
Nitty Gritty:
You will have 10-15 minutes to present your text. You should not take less than 10 minutes, and you will be CUT OFF at 15.
Your presentation grade will be based on the four presentation expectations above. Here's a rubric that phrases them differently:
| Plot versus meaning. Did the presenter tell us about the plot and meaning of the zombie text? Did we learn something about zombies from this presentation? | 50 points |
| Class materials. Did the presenter draw on materials encountered in class? Did we learn how his text connected with the ideas we've already explored? | 50 points |
| Entertaining. Did the presenter think up creative ways to present her materials? Was the presentation FUN or BORING? | 50 points |
| Handout. Did the presenter prepare and distribute a handout? Was it a useful addition to the presentation? | 50 points. |
Tips for success
Practice! It's hard to time a presentation to 10-15 minutes without practicing it. Talk through your presentation at least twice. You can do it for yourself in front of a mirror or for your roommate. Be sure to time yourself.
Be prepared! This presentation is a big deal. Act like it.
Be fun! You only have to present once, but you have to watch 19 of them. If they're boring, we'll ALL be bored.
Make your handout a true supplement. Put screenshots or quotes on it. Include things that you won't cover or will just touch on in the presentation. Your handout should provide MORE than your presentation did.
Think about the three major communication channels -- image, sound, speech. Try to hit all of them.
Don't just lecture--come up with a game or an activity to do.
Choices
Books Monster Island by David Wellington World War Z by Max Brooks Cell by Stephen King Deadlands by Scott A. Johnson Autumn by David Moody or propose your own! Comics The Walking Dead volumes 1 and 2 The Goon any 2 volumes Marvel Zombies trade paperback The Dark Horse Book of the Dead Zombieworld: Champion of the Worms or propose your own! Games Stubbs the Zombie Resident Evil (any of them) Resident Evil (any of them) Dead Rising or propose your own! Films Day of the Dead & Land of the Dead Return of the Living Dead & Return of the Living Dead part 2 Zombie & 1 other Fulci Film House of 1000 Corpses & House of the Dead Evil Dead & Evil Dead 2 or propose your own!
