PBL: Call of the Wild Overview

Project-Based Learning Assignment

The Call of the Wild

• How do individuals adapt to new environments and challenges?
• What transformations occur within Buck as he embraces the wilderness?
• How does Jack London convey the theme of survival through Buck's experiences?

Essential Questions:

• Students will analyze The Call of the Wild by identifying key events and textual evidence that illustrate Buck’s transformation from domesticated to wild.
• Students will create visual and written representations of Buck’s journey, synthesizing textual analysis with personal reflection and creativity.
• Students will draw connections between Buck’s experiences and their own lives, reflecting on themes of survival, resilience, and adaptation.
• Students will present their findings and creative work effectively, demonstrating clear communication, organization, and engagement with the text’s themes.
• Students will evaluate the theme of survival as portrayed in literature, articulating how environment and experience shape character and identity.

Students will be able to:

Learning Objectives:

Project Overview: Students will create a multimedia presentation that traces Buck’s transformation from a domesticated pet to a creature of the wild, using textual evidence, illustrations, and personal reflections. The presentation should showcase Buck’s journey as an allegory for personal growth, resilience, and the instinct to survive.

Objective: Students will explore themes of survival, adaptation, and transformation in The Call of the Wild by Jack London through a project that encourages analysis, creativity, and synthesis of knowledge.

Overview: Project-Based Learning Assignment: "Survival and Transformation in The Call of the Wild"

Step 1: Research and Analysis

• Students will read and annotate key chapters that highlight Buck’s journey and character changes.
• Identify significant turning points in Buck's transformation (e.g., the call of the wild, his survival instincts, the influence of other characters).
• Note down quotes and instances that show Buck’s changing nature and how he responds to various challenges.

Steps and Components:

Step 2: Creative Expression: Visual Timeline

• Create a timeline of Buck’s journey with visual representations of his transformation.
• Include quotes from the book for each key event and illustrate (drawings, digital art, or collage) to depict Buck’s evolving appearance, demeanor, and emotional state.

Steps and Components:

Step 3: Comparative Journal Entries: Buck vs. Student Reflection

• Write journal entries from Buck’s perspective at different points in the story.
• For each entry, write a reflective entry from their own perspective, comparing how they would react if placed in similar situations or challenges.
• Create a "Survival Guide" that includes lessons learned from Buck’s journey, with tips on resilience and adaptability for students facing challenges in their own lives.

Steps and Components:

Step 4: Multimedia Presentation

• Compile the visual timeline, journal entries, survival guide and any other creative elements (such as music that captures Buck’s journey or short videos that symbolize survival).
• Present how each element demonstrates Buck’s survival instincts and his ultimate transformation.

Steps and Components:

Step 5: Reflection and Presentation

• Conclude the project with a written or recorded reflection answering the essential questions.

Steps and Components: