There are four Research Projects assigned for this semester. You will
do one RP for each of the four units of this course:
GRADING. If you complete all four RPs, they can total up to 50% of your total course grade. Grades will be based on: (1) how well your RP follows the criteria for each type of Activity; (2) the difficulty of the your project; and (3) how well the RP satisfies the goals described in your PROJECT PROPOSAL.
In addition, you may---if you wish---include your own ASSESSMENT of how well you've done. If your own assessment of your work is thorough and thoughtful, it can add up to 10% to your grade, and may well influence my own thinking on your grade! This ASSESSMENT should be attached as a separate sheet.
Choosing one of the topics from the list provided, you will write a 2 - 5 page essay (excluding cover and reference pages) which argues a position connected with the topic. This is NOT a "report" about something. (If you want to research a topic in a broad way, you're better off with "Historical Fiction" or "Teaching a Class.") All essays will consist of the following:
The starting point for an essay is to do some general reading about a topic. As you read about a topic, your objective is to come up with a thesis statement. A good thesis statement is a position that can be argued and supported with details from your research. A good way to develop this position, is to ask HOW and WHY questions as you read. (Approach the topic as if you are the teacher, thinking up good, challenging essay questions for an exam!)
STYLE. Papers should be typed, double-spaced, in a font roughly the size of what you are looking at now. If you absolutely cannot submit a typed paper, make sure that the handwriting is very neat and legible. Errors in spelling and grammar will not, by themselves, count against your grade---except when poor spelling and grammar are part of an overall impression of haste and carelessness. Observe good margin rules: about an inch all around, a little more on the left. Use white or near-white 8-1/2 x 11 paper only. Include a cover page that includes title, your name, class period, and date. Keep it simple: one staple on upper left corner, and do NOT use plastic binding, covers, or folders.
Note: a more complete description of how to write the researched essay is available from Mr. D, and will also be discussed in detail in class.
Write a SHORT STORY, in the first or third person, that involves any
of the suggested topics for a unit. You may make up any sort of plot that
you wish: an adventure, a love story, a comedy, something based around
a specific historical event, whatever you prefer. Historical fiction is
distinctive because the characters are placed in a realistic historical
setting. You will be graded mainly on how authentic (realistic) your story
details appear to the reader.
All, some, or none of the characters in your story can be actual people.
All, some, or none of the events in your story can be historically known
events. If you are inventing characters and events, however, you must try
to make them authentic: they should seem to be people and events which
might really have existed in the time and place of your story. You should
aim to create a strong sense of what life was like during a particular
historical event or period.
As an alternative, you may write your historical fiction as a LETTER
or series of letters, or as a DIARY. If you do, the style of your language
becomes very important: you should aim to "sound like" real historical
characters. Your research, therefore, should include reading "period"
literature to become familiar with the speaking and writing style of the
times.
Your historical fiction piece must be at least 3, and no more than 6,
pages in length. Follow the "STYLE" guidelines for Activity One,
above.
For any topic, prepare and teach a lesson for the class. The lesson should take no more than 20 minutes. Your lesson should include (1) an introduction to the topic (2) some kind of presentation (e.g., video, posters, handouts, models, etc.); and (3) some kind of activity which can both help teach and help you assess what the class has learned (e.g., role playing, question-and-answer, a quiz, a short assignment, group discussion, etc.) Your introduction should make clear to the class what you intend to teach, why it is important, and what you expect them to know at the end.
Once you have scheduled a lesson date with me, this date is firm. If
you have a partner and he or she is not present, you will be expected to
go ahead with your lesson, anyway. You are free to hand in any or all of
the materials, notes, etc., used in your lesson; you MUST, however, hand
in (1) your PROJECT PROPOSAL, and (2) a REFERENCE page. Your own ASSESSMENT
of the class, should you choose to do one, can be submitted the next school
day.
For any topic, DO or MAKE SOMETHING which brings it to life. Suggestions: write and produce a video based on historical events, characters, or settings; live performance or audio tape of a skit, song, interview, etc.; posters or collages; drawings; paintings; sculpture; dance; music; scale models; mock trials . . . and so on. If you have some familiarity with the Internet, you might want to make a WWW site dedicated to one of the unit topics. Be inventive! Feel free to think of something not mentioned here.
Here, it is very important that you are very careful with your PROJECT PROPOSAL. Describe what you are going to do in as much detail as you can. (Example: if I have accepted a proposal which says you are going to make a realistic Medieval crossbow, then your grade will be almost completely based on how realistic your crossbow is!)
When you submit your Activity Four project, you must also include the following written material: (1) cover sheet; (2) reference page; (3) PROJECT PROPOSAL which was earlier submitted and accepted; (4) your own ASSESSMENT of the project, if you choose [this may be submitted on the following day if you gave a performance of some kind.]
For each unit, a bibliography of selected books will be included with the topics list you are given. You can choose to read one of these books as your project. You ought to choose a book on a topic which you have an interest, because they are full-length, and you should normally expect to be spending at least several weeks reading. [If you wish to read a book not on the selected list, you must get my approval in advance.]
You will keep a daily reading "log" in which you note pages read and a brief description of their content. This log will be submitted to me every Friday until the conclusion of your reading project. If your book is longer than 200 pages, you may choose to omit some portions, but you must explain to me what you plan to omit, in writing, in the PROJECT PROPOSAL.
When you are finished reading, you have a choice. You can write a brief
(three page maximum) book review. Or, you may schedule a conference with
me, at which we can discuss your reactions to the reading.
How about making your own webpage on an historical topic? See making webpages
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