May 22, 2009 Dear Combined Studies Student: The summer reading for Combined Studies is preparation for our first unit of study: Ancient Civilizations. Please purchase a copy of The Source by James Michener. You will find it in our local bookstores. This novel is a series of stories about the inhabitants of a town in Israel from its origins to the mid-twentieth century. The first chapter, “The Tell,” begins the modern story that frames the other short stories. Each story focuses on a specific time period in the history of Makor. You will begin your reading with “The Tell.” Then read “The Bee Eater,” “An Old Man and His God,” “Psalm of the Hoopoe Bird,” and “The Voice of Gomer.” Imbedded within each of these stories is an additional section entitled “The Tell.” Please read each of these as well. English writing assignment: You are a newspaper reporter and have been chosen to participate in a journey through time. Your first stop will be the site of an archaeological dig in Israel in 1964 as described in the first section of the novel. From this point, you will travel back in time through each of the assigned readings, beginning with “The Bee Eater” and ending with “The Voice of Gomer.” Your purpose for making this trip is to gather information for five different items you are going to include in a newspaper of your own creation. (A list of possible items appears at the end of this paragraph.) From each chapter, gather specific detailed information to integrate into the five separate newspaper pieces. Try to choose an appropriate selection for each section. For example, you might want to write an exposé for “The Tell” section in order to provide an introduction and context to the reading. After you have completed all five of your selections, construct a newspaper similar to The Oak Ridger or The Knoxville News Sentinel. Make sure to create unique sections (local/national news, editorials, sports, comics, classifieds), and include all the customary elements found in an actual newspaper such as a table of contents, headlines, bylines, dates, pictures/drawings, advertising, and classifieds. To create a “real” feel to your paper, you might also include other typical newspaper entries: weather forecast, crossword puzzle, police reports, obituary page, etc. The attached rubric is a guideline of what is expected for this assignment. Suggestions for newspaper pieces: Comic strip News article “Dear Abby”/advice column Political cartoon Exposé Society column Editorial Letter to the editor History writing assignment: You will research one ancient civilization with its geographical origins in one of four great river valleys of the world. All of your writing will focus on this one civilization. Choose one of the following river valley civilizations: Mesopotamia (Tigris and Euphrates Rivers) Egypt (Nile River) India (Indus River) China (Huanghe or Yellow River) Your assignment is to complete three essays of your choice from the following five options. The three essays should address all aspects of your chosen questions for your civilization for the time period before 600 BCE. You are expected to include any relevant data you encounter in your research including specific events and significant individuals. Each essay should deal with a minimum of five pieces of specific evidence. Your essay, however, should be an analytical response to the question written in your own words, not merely a regurgitation of information from your sources. Avoid using general encyclopedias, including Wikipedia, as sources. An analytical essay includes facts but also your opinions, inferences, and conclusions based on those facts. Each essay should be approximately 1,000 words in length. Create a topical title for each essay, and put your name and the date you completed the work in the upper right hand corner of the first page of each essay. 1. Why was the Agricultural Revolution the first great human revolution? Describe the changes that took place in the lives of the people in your chosen river civilization. What role did availability of water and of technology play in this revolution? 2. How did your chosen civilization improve transportation and communication technologies? How did these technologies lead to specialized trades, social classes, trade with other civilizations, and interdependencies among the various groups in the population? 3. How did technological developments affect the shifts of power politically and militarily in your chosen civilization? 4. How did the development of written communication and of law shape your chosen civilization? How did these developments facilitate the expansion of your civilization from the location of its origins? What was gained and what was lost as a result? 5. What role did religion and/or philosophy play in your chosen civilization? Discuss the position and status in society of religious and/or philosophical leaders and the impact of their actions on the wider culture. These two written assignments are due the second day of school. They ought to be word processed in Times New Roman in 12 point. The English assignment needs to follow the layout of a newspaper. The history essays need a title page with course name, your name, and the date. We look forward to working and learning with you this year. Sincerely, Teachers of Combined Studies Summer Reading : The Source Newspaper A B C D Required Elements The newspaper includes all required elements as well as additional elements that give the paper a “real” feel. All required elements are included in the newspaper. A few of the required elements of the newspaper are missing. Several required elements of the newspaper are missing. Formatting and Construction The newspaper is similar in formatting and construction to a real paper containing unique sections with all the customary elements outlined in the summer reading letter. The newspaper is similar in formatting and construction to a real paper containing unique sections with most of the customary elements outlined in the summer reading letter. The newspaper has some similarity to an actual paper but may contain noticeable differences including but not limited to absence of unique sections and/or omission of several or all customary elements outlined in the summer reading letter. The newspaper has little or no similarity to an actual paper. There may be some attempt to include unique sections and customary elements, but they are for the most part omitted. ContentSupporting Detail The articles/items include supporting evidence that is insightful and extensive; they clearly demonstrate thoughtful reading and analysis of the sections. Evidence is organized in a logical way. The articles/items include supporting evidence that is insightful and complete; they demonstrate careful reading and analysis of the sections. Evidence is organized in a logical way. The articles/items lack or include little supporting evidence; careful reading and analysis of the chapters are obviously missing. The items may be unorganized or contain little or no discernable, relevant connection to the chapters. The articles/items lack or include little or no supporting evidence; careful reading and analysis of the sections are absent. The items are unorganized and contain little or no discernable connection to the chapters. Appearance The newspaper is neat and aesthetically pleasing and presents the information in a creative and original fashion. The newspaper is neat and aesthetically pleasing and shows some creativity and originality. The newspaper needs improvement in the areas of neatness, aesthetics, and/or creativity/originality. The newspaper has serious flaws in neatness, aesthetics, and creativity. Mechanics The newspaper contains no errors in spelling, punctuation, or mechanics. The newspaper contains minimal errors in spelling, punctuation, or mechanics. The newspaper contains a few errors in spelling, punctuation, or mechanics. The newspaper contains several errors in spelling, punctuation, or mechanics. CATEGORY