Historical Person/Event Research Project Unit
Standards:
Iowa Core Reading: ðRead for a variety of purposes and across content areas
ðUse a variety of skills and strategies to comprehend complex nonfiction and informational text
ðUse a variety of strategies to understand unfamiliar vocabulary found in narrative text, technical reading, and literary text
Iowa Core Writing: ðUse an effective writing process
ðUse knowledge of purpose, audience, format, and medium in developing written communication
ðEngage in the information literacy process: access, evaluate, and communicate information and ideas
ðAdhere to conventions generally established in spelling, punctuation, grammar, usage, syntax, and style
ðIncorporate technology as a tool to enhance writing
Iowa Core Speaking:ðParticipate in oral presentations for defined purpose
ðProduce a coherent message
ð Demonstrate control of delivery skills
Iowa Core Listening:ðListen for information and understanding
ðListen for interpretation, analysis, and evaluation
Student Objectives:
ð To effectively use the Internet to research a historical person or event of their choice from those studied in this year’s history class
ð To produce note cards and an outline that help students effectively develop and organize their message
ð To produce and deliver a 3-5 minute coherent message that informs their audience about a historical person or event
ð To produce a final expository research paper that adheres to current MLA formatting
Assessments:
ð research note cards, due ______
ð speech/essay outline, due ______
ð speech/essay rough draft, due ______
ð final MLA formatted expository research paper, due ______
ð a limit of 10 speech presentation note cards with no more than 20 words on
each card, due ______
ð 3-5 minute speech presentation due ______
ð The English grade total for this project is 200 points.
ð The history grade total for this project will be determined by your specific history teacher.
HISTORICAL PERSON/EVENT RESEARCH PROJECT
Your assignment for this historical person/event research project is to write a 3-4 page MLA documented research paper about the most interesting historical person or event you have studied in this year’s history class. You will then present that information in an informative speech. Remember that MLA documentation refers to the parenthetical citations that show where your information comes from. You must research a minimum of three (3) different sources. In addition to a strong introduction and conclusion that will set out the person or event of your choice in an objective third-person voice, your MLA-formatted, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12-pt. font research paper must address the following points:
Historical Person: 1st Main Point: Biographical Information
2nd Main Point: Character or Leadership Traits (How did these traits help him/her become an influential person?)
3rd Main Point: Historical Significance (How did the person change the world in their own time and even today?)
Historical Event: 1st Main Point: Cause of the event (What and who led to the event?)
2nd Main Point: Event Details (What happened and who was involved?)
3rd Main Point: Resolution and historical significance of event
Please remember that to develop your essay, you must include an introduction that creatively introduces your topic and its thesis, a body of paragraphs that each begin with a topic sentence, detail the information in 5-8 sentences linked by transition words, and end with a conclusion sentence, again using transition words to move your audience smoothly to the next paragraph, and then end your essay with a conclusion that summarizes your main points while reiterating your thesis. In addition to the introduction, body, and conclusion, you will also include a Works Cited page that documents your research sources.
In your essay, you must also include between one and three quotes, while all other research findings must be paraphrased in your own words. When paraphrasing or quoting in your essay, you must include a parenthetical citation (in-text citation) for each. Omitting citations is plagiarism and will result in failure of the entire project. This can be easily avoided by following the examples in this packet.
Historical Person/Event Speech Presentation Name:______
& Research Paper Outline
Title:______
I. INTRODUCTION:
A. Capture: ______
B. Assert: ______
C. Motivate: ______
D. Thesis Statement: (including your main points and how you’ll present them):
1. ______
2. ______
3. ______
II. BODY:
A. First Main Point: ______
1. Sub-point: ______
a. Support Material: ______
b. Support Material: ______
2. Sub-point: ______
a. Support Material: ______
b. Support Material: ______
3. Sub-point: ______
a. Support Material: ______
b. Support Material: ______
B. Second Main Point: ______
1. Sub-point: ______
a. Support Material: ______
b. Support Material: ______
2. Sub-point: ______
a. Support Material: ______
b. Support Material: ______
3. Sub-point: ______
a. Support Material: ______
b. Support Material: ______
C. Third Main Point: ______
1. Sub-point: ______
a. Support Material: ______
b. Support Material:______
2. Sub-point: ______
a. Support Material: ______
b. Support Material: ______
3. Sub-point: ______
a. Support Material: ______
b. Support Material: ______
III. CONCLUSION:
A. Transition to end: ______
B. Review/Summarize: ______
______
______
C. Link Back: ______
D. End with a BANG, a strong statement that reiterates your thesis: ______
______
______
MLA Formatting for Website Note Cards & Source Cards
Website
A period is placed after every entry except between
the name of the site/publisher and its date of creation,
where a comma goes.
Note card example
Organizing Your Note Cards
*When it comes to organizing information for a term paper or even a short two or three page paper, the "Note Card System" can be very useful. By using this system, you create note cards from blank 3x5 or 4x6 index cards that you fill with information pertinent to the subject that you are researching. The organization of the information can readily be adapted to use with word processing...
· In the upper left corner of the card, "code" the topic of your paper and where in the outline it may fall.
· In the upper right corner, place the author's name and/or source letter-number where the information came from.
· In the body of the note card, enter one single fact or thought you'd like to include in your paper
*Make sure the information is expressed in your own words, unless it is a quotation; unless paraphrasing a longer passage, avoid using complete sentences to prevent possibility of plagiarism. Write down mostly nouns, avoiding the original source’s verbs and adjectives.
· Organize the cards to coincide with the outline of your paper
· Write the term paper following this sequence - use topical, concluding, and transitional sentences to link the information on the cards
· Keep a separate set of cards called source cards with the complete information about the books, magazines, films, websites, articles, etc. These will be used for creating your works cited.
**Any research paper note card should include the following important elements:
· Topics or the main idea that is highlighted in the upper left-hand corner;
· Sources of information in the upper right-hand corner;
· The number of page where you found this idea in the bottom right-hand corner;
· Paraphrased ideas in the middle of your research paper note card.
·
***
*http://www.studygs.net/wrtstr5.htm **http://writing-services.org/blog/2009/10/02/research-paper-note-cards-a-system-of-organizing-information/ *** https://sheehy-english.wikispaces.com/Note+card+format
Sample Title Page
Sample Works Cited______
In–Text Citation Examples
______
HISTORICAL PERSON/EVENT RESEARCH PAPER RUBRIC
Strong= shows control & skill
Effective=strengths outweigh weaknesses;
Developing=strengths & need for revision are about equal
Emerging=need for revision outweighs strengths
Requirement / Strong 20 / Effective 17 / Developing 14 / Emerging 12 / Omitted 0Note Cards / At last 25 note cards plus 4 source cards / 20-24 note cards
plus 4 source cards / 15-19 note cards
plus 4 source cards / Less than 15 note cards & less than 4 source cards / No note nor source cards submitted
Outline / Bare bones outline completed with introduction, all sub-points, at least 2 forms of support material each, and conclusion / Bare bones outline submitted w/ intro, all sub-points with at least some support material, and conclusion / Bare bones outline submitted w/ intro, at least 2 sub-points w/ minimum of 2 support materials each, and conclusion / Bare bones outline submitted but without or incomplete intro, all sub-points, support materials, or conclusion / Bare bones outline not submitted
Rough Draft / Rough draft complete and submitted on time / Rough draft completed and submitted after due date / Rough draft not submitted
Peer Reviews / 2 peer reviews with thoughtful & constructive comments / 2 peer reviews with adequate comments / Less than 2 peer reviews or less than productive comments / No peer reviews conducted or inappropriate comments
MLA Formatting & Works Cited / Includes proper MLA formatting in-text citations / Includes mostly proper MLA formatting & in-text citations / Includes some proper MLA formatting in-text citations / Includes little proper MLA formatting in-text citations / Did not include MLA formatting &Works Cited
Pre-Write Total / ______/100
Strong 10 / Effective 9 / Developing 8 / Emerging 7 / Omitted 0
Organization
Voice
Word Choice
Fluency
Conventions
Total / ______/50
Speech Rubric / Excellent
(A) / Good
(B) / Satisfactory
(C) / Needs Improvement
(D)
Introduction / (1) Captures attention of the Audience,
(2) Asserts topic message clearly,
(3) Motivates audience to continue listening,
(4) Previews the main points of the speech / Meets any three of the four criteria / Meets any two of the four criteria / Meets only one of the four criteria
Preparation / Completely prepared, has obviously rehearsed the speech / Prepared, but could use additional rehearsals / Somewhat prepared, but it seems that the speech was not rehearsed / Unprepared
Non-Verbal Expression / Non-verbal and facial expression and body language convey strong enthusiasm and interest / Non-verbal & facial expression and body language sometimes convey strong enthusiasm & interest / Non-verbal & facial expression & body language seem flat and/or disinterested at times / Apparent disinterest in the topic
Eye Contact / Eye contact with entire audience virtually all the time (except for brief glances at notes) / Eye contact with audience less than 75% of the time or not entire audience / Eye contact with audience less than 50% of the time / Little or no eye contact
Language Use
& Expression / Expression & use of language contribute to effectiveness of the speech, and vocalized pauses (um, uh, like, etc.) are not distracting / Expression & use of language sometimes contribute to effectiveness of the speech, and vocalized pauses (um, uh, like, etc.) not distracting / Expression and use of language do not have negative impact, and vocalized pauses
(um, uh, like, etc.)
are not distracting / Expression & use of language is too flat & causes potential confusion, and/or vocalized pauses
(um, uh, like, etc.)
are distracting
Voice / Speaks neither too quickly/slowly nor too loudly/softly / Speaks either slightly too quickly/slowly or too loudly/softly / Speaks either too quickly/slowly or too loudly/softly / Tempo and/or volume of speech is inappropriate
Posture / Presents self naturally, straight, tall without fidgeting, swaying, or flipping hair / Presents self naturally, straight, tall with some fidgeting, moving, etc. / Presents self with some slouching, fidgeting, swaying, or hair flipping / Considerable slouching, fidgeting, swaying, or hair flipping
Clarity / Speaks clearly and distinctly all the time, no mispronounced words or stumbling / Speaks clearly and distinctly nearly all the time, w/ only a few mispronounced words/stumbling / Speaks clearly and distinctly most of the time, w/ occasional mispronounced words/stumbling / Often mumbles or can not be understood, more than one mispronounced word
Topic / Well focused, creative and appropriate / Appropriate and reasonably focused / Topic is appropriate but lacks some focus or strays a bit / Inappropriate topic
Visual Aids / Visual aids well chosen and presented / Minor problems with visual aids / Significant problems with visual aids / No visual aids
Conclusion / (1) Transitions audience that end of speech is at hand
(2) Reviews main points with interest
(3) Links back to intro (4) Ends with a bang! / Transitions audience and brings closure / Brings closure / Does not bring closure; the audience is left hanging
Time / Within allotted time / Within 10% of allotted time / Within 20% of allotted time / Not within 20% of allotted time
Score: / ______/50