Today we started our first major assignment of the year, an essay on the topic "What Then Is The American? Students read through nine documents - extracts from speeches, letters, and statistical information - from various times of American History. I asked them to highlight words they did not understand or ideas they had questions about. After reading the documents on their own, we answered questions and discussed various ideas that came up.
Students should now reread the documents, highlighting key phrases and words that address the question. Begin writing your thesis. We will practice writing these after the test on Thursday. Also begin outlining your essay.
Students who earn an A on this assignment, will do a little extra research. This could be as simple as finding more up-to-date statistics, or researching one of the documents or authors, or finding another document to support your thesis (for example, an extract from a speech given by a different president).
Follow MLA format as you write your essay. Consult the rubric to know how I will grade your writing. Ignore rubrics # 6 & 7.
Due dates for your outline and essay will be posted soon. Nothing is due next week. (Next week will be a home-work free week, with the exception of regularly scheduled textbook reading and this assignment.)
After you turn in your essay, I will mark them and allow you to make edits to earn a higher grade. You will submit an digital document (either Word or PDF) of your finished essay for inclusion in your portfolio.
TEST Chapters 21-24
Consult the study guide on the downloads page (either Word or PDF). You will be asked to write on a selection of items on the guide. You may choose two of the essays to write on the test.