The way you demonstrate your fulfillment of our course outcomes, and the way you earn a grade, is by completing our course assignments. Each of the following assignments is designed to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate competency with respect to one or more outcomes.
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Assignment 1. Collective Discussions (20 points total).
An evolving opportunity designed for you to demonstrate your skills and understandings with respect to Outcome 1.
Our class is a collective. As such, we will seek to learn from and with each other on a regular basis. Every Tuesday (unless otherwise specified), we will have a structured collaborative discussion on the readings. Each is a focused opportunity for you to provide evidence of your abilities with respect to our first course outcome.
Our format requires each of us to come to class prepared to perform each of THREE distinct roles. Preparation for each is the same: 1) do the readings; 2) take notes on the readings; and 3) type up and print out a one-page discussion “prep sheet.” The “prep sheet” is no more than ONE page long and is comprised of two parts: a succinct statement of one “essential understanding” you take away from the readings AND a list of 3 questions for further discussion.
On the day of our discussion, FIVE students will be chosen at random to DISCUSS and another FIVE to QUESTION. The rest of the class will COMMENT. And, at the end of discussion, ALL students will turn in their “prep sheets.” The expectations of each role are as follows:
Question: ask questions based on the readings; facilitate discussion by sharing your essential understanding.
Discuss: answer the questions and foster understanding through dialogue.
Comment: within 24 hours after the end of class, you must post a comment to the appropriate week’s blog post providing a follow-up or wrap-up of the recent class discussion. Comments should either 1) provide other questions and analyses not covered in class discussion; or 2) develop a fuller elaboration on something that was discussed.
Your final grade on this assignment will be calculated in two parts. Half (or 10 points) will be calculated from your overall participation, both verbal during our class discussions and written on the blog. The other half (10 points) is derived from your timely completion of the “prep sheets.” Each “prep sheet” assignment will be equally weighted, with missing or late deductions factored in.
• Collective Discussions (recurring)
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Assignment 2. Critical Evaluation Exercises (10 points each; 30 points total).
A recurring opportunity designed for you to demonstrate your skills and understandings with respect to Outcome 2.
At three separate times during the semester you will be required to write a 2-3 page interaction with a historical primary source. Each is a focused opportunity for you to provide evidence of your abilities with respect to our second course outcome. Each should be an organized but succinct essay, concerned primarily with the prompt provided to you on the “Assignment Sheet.” Each should also be composed in accordance with our “Writing Guidelines.”
• CE1 Exercise (due January 26)
• CE2 Exercise (due February 23)
• CE3 Exercise (due March 8)
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Assignment 3. Teaching the Freedom Struggle (50 points total).
A creative opportunity designed for you to demonstrate your skills and understandings with respect to Outcome 3.
The course semester project is a focused lesson plan and learning activity meant to teach a high school level student about some aspect of 20th century movements for change led by communities of color. It is a research-based, creative endeavor which will challenge your historical skills while providing you an opportunity to demonstrate evidence of your abilities with respect to our third course outcome.
The project is broken up into several specific parts, each building on the previous to lead you through the research process and then move you on to teaching others what you have learned. In order to assure each of you completes the project in a timely and deliberate manner, each part if due for review and assessment at a different time:
• Topic & Sources: 10 points total (due March 1)
• Questions & Evidence: 20 points total (due April 12)
• Final Project: 20 points total (due May 1)
Download a comprehensive “Assignment Sheet” for the project here.
A list of standards to be used for the project can be downloaded here if you want them in .docx OR here if you want them in PDF.
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