Flex Project: Essay Writing
Essay Writing
It is always important to be able to look at images, sources, and information and be
able to express view points in the Social Studies program. Writing is a process that
begins with research but also is a process. Learning the process means you can apply
this to any writing you may do whether it be persuasive or informative.
General Outcome:
8.2.1 appreciate how Renaissance Europe formed the basis for the worldview of the Western
world
8.2.2 demonstrate a willingness to consider differing beliefs, values and worldviews context
8.2.4 examine, critically, the factors that shaped the worldview evolving in western Europe
during the Renaissance
What do I need to do?
o You will write an essay on one of the following:
Exploring the Big Ideas (Medieval Times/Feudalism)
Famous People of the Renaissance
The similarities and differences of Renaissance Art and Poetry
o Use your notes and the text book to answer your choice question
o Make sure your pick either the mind map or linear outline and plan your essay
o Get either a friend or me to review your rough draft before writing your good
copy
Expectations:
o Your outline, rough draft, and best copy of the essay should be handed in
o A reference page must be included
o Grammar and spelling should be correct
o Complete sentences are a must
o Capital letters and periods in every sentence
o Neat and clear writing
Exploring the Big Ideas
Medieval Times/Feudalism
Instructions:
1. Use the chart below to explain how each factor in the column on the left affected
medieval society.
The Black Death
Changing
Technology
Increase in Wealth
Rise of Towns
Knowledge Transfer
From Other Cultures
2. How did the factors in the chart above affect social structures? Think about the feudal
hierarchy, how did the factors above affect or change the feudal hierarchy?
3. How might changes listed above affect people’s way of thinking?
4.
In one thousand years, people will look back at our current society as the Golden Age of
. Explain why you selected this label. What does it say about your
worldview? 5-8 sentences
5. Now that you have answered all of the questions above, write an essay on:
How did Medieval Times and Feudalism affect how the Renaissance people
lived?
Famous People of the Renaissance
As shown in the example above, your job is to
1) Find some back ground information on the Famous People of the Renaissance
and fill in the chart
2) Choose 3 of the famous people and write an essay on what influence they had on
the renaissance and why?
.
Person:
Leonardo Da Vinci
Medici Family
Filippo Brunelleschi
Galileo Galilei
Gerardus Mercator
Invention/Painting/Achievement Etc.
Michelangelo
Jan Van Eyck
Fra Mauro
Martin Luther
Erasmus
Copernicus
Johannes Genfleisch (Guttenberg)
William Shakespeare
Montaigne
Francesco Petrarca
Marco Polo
Amerigo Vespucci
Leonardo Fibonacci
Similarities and Differences of Renaissance Art and Poetry
1. Consider whether individual artists and writers during the Renaissance had the power to change
the perspective of others and perhaps a larger collective worldview?
2.
Consider whether the values and ideals that we as a Western culture continue to be expressed
in our art, and literature today? Have these ideals and values changed since the time of the
Renaissance? If so how?
Exploring Renaissance Art and Poetry
1. Students will be a conducting research on the following topics. This research will help them
compare the similarities and differences in art or poetry depending upon the topic.
Topic : Renaissance Art
Part 1: Miracle of the Thirsty Man: Giotto
Part 2: The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci
Part 3: The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci
Part 4: Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: Ceiling Frescoes
Part 5: Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: Creation of Adam
Topic Renaissance Poetry
Part 6: Old English Poetry example
Part 7: Christopher Marlowe: The Passionate Shepherd to His Love
Part 8: Sir Walter Raleigh: The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd
Part 9: Edmund Spenser: from Amoretti Sonnet 30
Part 10: William Shakespeare: Sonnet 18
Part 11: Petrarch: Sonnet 140
Activity 3: Report Your Findings
3. Inform students that they are to report their findings either in a visual or written format. Suggest
that they may want to respond to one or more of the following questions in a persuasive essay.
(Suggested length of response is approximately 500 - 800 words.)
(Format Microsoft Word Document)
4. "Often the clearest expression of an era's ideals and values can be seen in its art, and literature."
Use the visual and text examples provided in the web links posted to explain how artists and
writers from the Renaissance era demonstrated a change in values from the Middle Ages to the
Renaissance. Consider whether individual artists and writers during the Renaissance had the
power to change the perspective of others and perhaps a larger collective worldview? Expand
your thoughts to consider whether the values and ideals that we, as a Western culture share,
continue to be expressed in our art, and literature today? How have these ideals and values
changed since the time of the Renaissance?
5. Alternatively suggest to students that they may want to present a visual image, such as a
PowerPoint presentation, that responds to issue "To what extent do the ideas of the artists and
writers of the Renaissance shape our lives today?" Ask students to develop criteria for a powerful
visual presentation that might include
 Visually appealing
 Informative
 Relevant to the topic
 Evidence provided to support a position
Inform students that their visual must state a position on the issue and provide reasons/evidence
for that position.