Combined Studies History Summer Journal Essays

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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.
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