Democratizing Twentieth Century America - Semester 2 Essay and Presentation Rubrics
Second semester will focus on the Movements of the New Left. Your understanding, interpretation, and analysis of these movements will be assessed in several ways: a response essay, a group presentation, homework, class participation, and a final exam.
**Your notes moving forward should be angled toward a claim that addresses the questions posed in these assessments. Notes should reflect your thinking and evolving arguments. What work will you need to do along the way to write a thorough and sophisticated essay and to make an engaging and sophisticated presentation?
Due Thurs, March 25
The Response Essay:
We are studying WWII and the Cold War as a context for understanding how and why the struggle for civil rights got underway when it did. In this essay you will demonstrate your understanding of this movement--its roots, its successes and its limitations. You will also demonstrate your understanding of the historical context by including a discussion of the United States' emergence as a super power and its quest for world dominance during the Cold War.
This essay should be 5-6 typed pages, 12pt font, double spaced and you must include evidence obtained from the following sources:
a) Howard Zinn - "Or Does it Explode" and "A People's War"
b) Franklin, John Hope - "Fighting for the Four Freedoms", "African Americans in the Cold War Era", "The Black Revolution"
c) Who Built America - "The Rights Conscious 1960s" pgs 607-630 **(this book is only available in class and you must use class time to take your notes)
d) Gosse, Van - Movements of the New Left
e) notes from "Eyes on the Prize"
f) notes from class lectures, discussions and other selected handouts short films
Rubric for Essay
HISTORICAL CONTENT
16 - Demonstrates a clear, sharp,
and sophisticated understanding of the historical time period and the cause and
effect relationship between significant events.
-
Accurately discusses WWII, the Cold War, the Supreme Court, youth, technology,
and/or their/its impact on the Civil Rights Movement.
- Accurately compares,
contrasts, and critiques arguments presented by different historians regarding
WWII, the Cold War, the Supreme Court, youth, technology, and/or their/its
impact on the Civil Rights Movement.
12 - Demonstrates understanding of
the historical time period and the cause and effect relationship between
significant events.
- Accurately discusses
WWII, the Cold War, the Supreme Court, youth, technology, and/or their/its
impact on the Civil Rights Movement.
8 - Demonstrates a basic or
superficial understanding of the historical time period and the cause and
effect relationship between significant events
- Attempts to discuss WWII, the
Cold War, the Supreme Court, youth, technology, and/or their/its impact on the
Civil Rights Movement.
4 - Demonstrates little or no
understanding of the historical time period and the cause and effect relationship
between significant events
- Does not discuss WWII, the Cold
War, the Supreme Court, youth, technology, and/or their/its impact on the Civil
Rights Movement.
ORGANIZATION
4 - Writer creates a well-organized essay. Arguments and
analysis are sequenced logically to support the claim.
Writer makes effective use of
transitions to link all parts of the essay.
3 - Writer creates an organized essay. Arguments and
analysis are sequenced logically to support the claim.
Writer uses transitions to link
most parts of the essay
2 - Writer creates a somewhat organized essay. Arguments
and analysis are not always sequenced logically to support the claim.
Writer attempts to use transitions to link parts of the essay.
1 - Writer provides very little to no organization. Writer
does not use transitions to link any parts of the essay.
CLAIM AND CONTEXT
4 - Writer’s claim provides a precise, nuanced interpretation of
the sources that is grounded in multiple perspectives, historical, political,
and/or social scientific context.
- The introduction engages the
reader and persuasively lays foundation for a passionate argument. It
identifies topic of the essay and provides ample contextual information that
builds the readers’ understanding of the claim.
- The conclusion continues and
strengthens the claim. It highlights significance, expands insight and
makes recommendations for future action.
3 - Writer’s claim provides a precise interpretation of the
sources that is grounded historical, political, and/or social scientific
context.
- The introduction identifies
topic of the essay and provides ample contextual information that builds the
readers’ understanding of the claim.
- The conclusion continues and strengthens
the claim. It mentions significance and makes recommendations for future
action.
2 - Writer’s claim provides a general interpretation of the
sources OR a lack of clarity detracts from the claim.
- The introduction identifies
topic of the essay and provides superficial contextual information that gives
readers a partial understanding of the sources.
- The conclusion summarizes
arguments and restates the claim.
1 - Writers claim only states a fact about the sources and offers
no interpretation.
- The essay lacks a clear
introduction.
- The essay lacks a
coherent conclusion.
EVIDENCE, ANALYSIS, AND
COUNTER-CLAIM
4 - Writer develops claim thoughtfully and persuasively using
numerous relevant, convincing pieces of evidence from both secondary and
primary sources (including direct quotation), and statistical/numerical data.
- Writer cities specific textual
evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary
sources.
- Writer includes statistical data
as part of the evidence to bolster claims and/or devalue counterclaims
- Writer provides insightful, thorough analysis of the evidence to
support the claim, using the following critical reading strategies:
Explanation of what the text says directly as well as analysis of meanings
that are implied, hidden, hinted at, or left ambiguous in the text.
Analysis of how the authors’ word choices impact the biases of the
sources. Writer considers and discusses bias of authors when analyzing
evidence.
Evaluates the claims, premises, and evidence in both primary and
secondary sources in order to challenge counter arguments and bolster
initial claim.
3 - Writer develops claim using sufficient relevant, convincing
pieces of evidence from both secondary and primary sources (including direct
quotation), and statistical/numerical data.
- Writer cities textual
evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
- Writer includes
statistical data as part of the evidence to support claims and/or devalue counterclaims
- Writer provides thorough analysis of the evidence to support the
claim, using one or more of the following critical reading strategies:
Explanation of what the text says directly as well as analysis of meanings
that are implied, hidden, hinted at, or left ambiguous in the text.
Analysis of how the authors’ word choices impact the biases of the
sources. Writer considers and discusses bias of authors when analyzing
evidence.
Evaluates the claims, premises, and evidence in both primary and
secondary sources in order to challenge counter arguments and bolster
initial claim.
2 - Writer develops claim using some relevant evidence from the
texts, including direct quotations that support the claim.
- Writer provides a basic
explanation of how the evidence supports the claim.
1 - Writer uses irrelevant or insufficient textual evidence to
support analysis of text.
- Writer’s analysis of the
evidence does not support the claim.
STYLE AND CONVENTIONS
4 - Writer uses a range of precise and varied vocabulary to
elaborate or clarify ideas.
- Demonstrates command of the
conventions of capitalization, punctuation (extends to hyphenation), and
spelling consistently throughout the text. - Mechanical and
grammatical errors are rare or nonexistent.
- Writer follows accepted
conventions for formatting text citations such as MLA standards, footnotes, and
parenthetical notes.
3 - Writer uses a range of vocabulary to elaborate or clarify
ideas.
- There are few mechanical or
grammatical errors.
- Writer mostly follows accepted
conventions for formatting text citations and adheres to MLA standards.
2 - Writer uses basic vocabulary to elaborate or clarify ideas
- There are many mechanical or
grammatical errors that do not generally interfere with the reader’s ability to
understand the essay.
- Writer attempts to follow
accepted conventions for text citations and works cited page.
1 - Abundant mechanical and grammatical errors interfere with the
reader’s ability to understand the essay.
- In text citations and works
cited page are missing from the essay
Wed-Thurs, May
27-28: The Presentation
**There will be 10 presentations spread out
during the school day for students and in the evening for parents.
Your presentation will be based on
one of the following movements:
Black Power
Anti-War
Women's Liberation
Multiculturalism: Latino and
Chicano Cultural Movement and/or Red Power
LGBT Liberation
Your presentation should be 30-40
minutes and there will also be a 10-15 Q and A session with audience. Your
presentation should answer following questions:
1. Why then? Why did the endeavor
for this reform get underway when it did?
2. What gains were won?
3. What gains were sought but not
won?
4. If the reform was only partially
achieved, what limited its attainment?
Rubric for presentation
HISTORICAL SYNTHESIS AND UNDERSTANDING
10 - All
group members demonstrate a sharp and sophisticated understanding of the
historical time period and the cause and effect relationship between
significant events.
- Accurately discusses WWII, Civil Rights Movement, and/or the Cold War
as context.
- Accurately compares,
contrasts, and critiques arguments presented by different historians
- Accurately responds
to questions from audience
- Uses content vocabulary such as Cold War consensus/liberalism
8 - Most group members demonstrate an
understanding of the historical time period and the cause and effect
relationship between significant events.
- Discusses WWII, the
Civil Rights Movement, and/or Cold War as context.
6 - Demonstrates a basic or superficial understanding of the
historical time period and the cause and effect relationship between
significant events
- Attempts to discuss WWII, the
Civil Rights Movement, and/or the Cold War as context.
4 - Demonstrates little or no understanding of the historical
time period and the cause and effect relationship between significant events
2 - Does not discuss WWII, the Civil
Rights Movement, or the Cold War as context
CLAIM AND EVIDENCE
4 - Group effectively
organizes presentation around a clear and complex claim and develops the claim
thoughtfully and persuasively using relevant textual, numerical, video, and
artistic/musical evidence
3 - Group effectively organizes presentation
around a clear claim and develops the claim thoughtfully and
persuasively using relevant textual, numerical, video, and artistic/musical
evidence
2 - Group attempts to organize
presentation around a clear claim and attempts to develop the claim
thoughtfully and persuasively using relevant textual, numerical, video, and
artistic/musical evidence
1 - Group does not organize
presentation around a clear and complex claim and does not develop the claim
thoughtfully and persuasively using relevant textual, numerical, video, and
artistic/musical evidence
SIGNIFICANCE
4 - Group members insightfully and
thoroughly articulate how claim is significant in relation to a larger social,
political, or economic issue, and members also use powerful evidence to support
said assertion.
3 - Group members thoughtfully discuss how claim
is significant in relation to a larger social, political, or economic issue,
and members also use evidence to support said assertion.
2 - Group members struggle to
discuss in a deep and meaningful way how the claim is significant in relation to a larger social, political, or
economic issue, and members use only anecdotal or no evidence to support said
assertion.
1 - Group members do not discuss
how claim is significant in relation to a larger social, political, or
economic issue, and members do not evidence to support said assertion.
ORAL COMMUNICATION AND ORGANIZATION
4 - Organization of all ideas
is logical; includes introduction, background and context, transitions, and
conclusion
-
Sophisticated and thorough knowledge of content is evident and presented in an
articulate fashion
-
Extensive and effective use of visuals to enhance presentation
-
Effectively answers all questions posed by audience
-
Spoken language is clear, audible, and articulate.
3 - Organization
of all ideas is logical; includes introduction, background and context,
transitions, and conclusion
-
Knowledge of content is evident and presented in an articulate fashion
-
Appropriate use of visuals to enhance presentation
-
Answers all questions posed by audience
-
Spoken language is clear, audible, and articulate.
2 - Knowledge of
content is somewhat evident
-
Some use of visuals to enhance presentation
-
Answers some questions posed by audience
-
Spoken language is clear and audible.
1 - Knowledge of
content is not evident
-
Little use of visuals to enhance presentation
-
Answers some questions posed by audience
-
Spoken language is unclear and inaudible.
