Third Trimester Major Assignments in the Social Sciences
 

Fifty Years in Brief Test: The period from 1865-1914 is approached through mini-lessons and covers such wide ranging topics as Reconstruction, immigration, imperialism, Industrial Revolution, invention, Panama Canal, Indian Wars, and the Mexican Revolution.  The results are the perfect ingredients for a test over the period.  By the way, it is called Fifty Years in Brief, but don't get your hopes up.  By the time you've been in my class this long, you'll know better.

The test is worth 100 points and will be objective, with some map identification required.

World War I Propaganda Project:  As we begin our study of the 20th century, we inevitably look at the Great War, the War to End All Wars.  While our study of this war will be extensive, we will focus on one aspect of war that we hadn't considered before.  The use of propaganda has been around since humankind began interaction.  In WWI, it takes a place of prominence.  We will see some real examples, and after learning about some of the history of the period, the students will be assigned to create a piece of their own, using creativity and reason.  Propaganda could take one of several forms, such as music (song), radio (audio), TV (video), prose (editorial), poetry (ode or an epic), and visual (poster, sculpture, cartoon, slogan).  The object behind the propaganda is to imagine that the student will represent either the Central Powers or the Allied Powers during WWI.  Both sides would like the U.S. to join the war, on their side.  Later in the war, Germany of the Central Powers would rather convince the U.S. to just stay out of it.  The students' task is to use this propaganda to convince the U.S. to do one of three things - Join the Allied Powers, join the Central Powers, or stay neutral.  If a student chooses to do a poster, it should measure no larger than 14" x 20" in size.

The propaganda will be evaluated on the following criteria:  Use of space, use of color, use of words, correct use of propaganda, historical accuracy, effort, neatness, timeliness, grammar and mechanics, and overall effectiveness.  The project is worth 50 points.

World War I Test:  At the conclusion of the unit, the students will take a test.  It will include information about causes of the war,  new technologies in the war, major events leading to U.S. involvement in the war, geography related to the fighting, the armistice, the Versailles Treaty, and the end of the war.

The test will be 100 points and will be objective, a mix of matching, true/false, and multiple choice questions.

Cumulative Final Exam:  While we have generally continued to study 20th century U.S. history after the WWI unit, the reality is that we are often too close to the end to have any major evaluation over those units, quizzes and nightly assignments will rule the end of the year.  However, I am regularly curious about students learning over the course of the year, so on one of the last meetings of the year we will be taking a final exam.  This exam will be inclusive, touching on every unit studied in U.S. history this year.  It will be fair, but you will need to prepare carefully or it could damage your grade at the end.

The Final Exam will be 50 multiple choice questions, and worth 150 points.  Study, review, and ask questions.