Dan Rideout, Hawaii
2001 Historic Inquiry Research
Assignment for (Name)_________________________,
The Nationally recognized magazine *The King David Kalakaua
Historic Review is focusing their upcoming July 2001 publication on the theme,
“Celebrating The Ten Most Important Events In U.S. History.”
The publication is asking you and your group of Historic Investigative Reporters
to create a report on one of these top ten events. You will have until June
5th to complete the assignment.
There are a few deadlines you should try to meet in order to earn a substantial
bonus paycheck and personal recognition.
If you sign your Student/ Parent Contract by May 9th, you can earn a nice
signing bonus (15 “C” pts).
In order for you to earn a more substantial paycheck (actually 15 “B” pts),
you may present your self-evaluated rough draft to the Staff Editor (Mr. Rideout)
by May 31st.
There is an opportunity to earn the Prestigious Historical Investigator Writers
Award (actually 20 “A” pts), by sharing your project with the peers the last
week of May.
*The King David Kalakaua Historic Review is not a real magazine.
How to successfully complete this unit and meet the Standards:
Select one important event in US History between 1790-1865, by May 9th.
Historical Inquiry:
Frame several historical questions to guide your research surrounding
the event
Answer these questions using a wide variety of primary and secondary resources
Identify which of your resources are primary or secondary sources
Defend each resource for its usefulness and limitations with “the R.A.T.”
Historical Change, Continuity, Causality:
Identify the possible causes of this event Using facts and opinions of the period, explain changes and continuity over time Post your historical questions and answers on your chronological display.
Historical Perspectives and Interpretations
: Analyze and accept multiple perspectives (to avoid linearity and inevitability)
How to present your findings
1. Complete a Resource Assessment Tool (R.A.T.) for each
resource.
Be sure to make reference to evidence while developing an opinion or stating
a fact.
2. Create a timeline to illustrate the circumstance surrounding
your selected event.
The timeline should include: A title, capturing the essence of the event At
least 10 dates (events), which relate to the originally selected event Clearly
display how each event is directly or indirectly related A key to help with
viewer understanding
3. Write a Short Essay recounting the events leading up to
and events resulting from your originally selected event.
Your short essay should: Present the undisputed facts surrounding the event
from which all sides could agree Present the event from, at least two, different
perspectives supported by evidence Defend the positions of each perspective
supported by facts and opinions of the era
Resource Assessment Tool - R.A.T.
Validate each resource for usefulness, bias, and limitations.
(Describe why it is a good resource and how it is not such a good resource.)
Type of Resource/Document:
Almanac ___ Book ___ Diary ___ Encyclopedia ___ Film ___ Journal ___ Letter ___ Map___ Memorabilia ___ Painting ___ Photo ___ Reference ___ Other ________________________________
If you found a Primary source in another book, Almanac, etc., note the source below.
Title: Author: Copyright Year: Publisher: City: Pages: Other useful information: Primary Source or Secondary Source (circle appropriately, defend your answer)
What makes this resource so useful in answering your historical questions?
___ First-hand account ___ Provides commonly accepted facts ___ Shares various perspectives ___ Clearly understandable information ___ Photos/pictures/paintings ___ Quotes directly from a historic figure ___ Other reasons, explain What factors limited this resource in answering your historical questions? ___ No first-hand account ___ Presents few commonly accepted facts ___ Gives only one perspectives ___ Difficult to understand/read ___ No photos/pictures/paintings ___ Does not directly address my questions ___ Other reasons, explain
Does the author provide more than one perspective of the events? Explain.
List any resources found with a contradicting or different perspective.
Which historical questions can you (partially) answer using this resource? Summarize information that helps to answer your historical questions.
Historical Investigator Unit
United States History 1790 to 1865 Unit
Begin Date: _________ Name: ______________________ Unit End Date: _________ Period: _______
SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS BEING ADDRESSED: While completing
this unit you will be attempting to meet the following History Standards:
Historical Inquiry- Use primary & secondary resources to answer historical
questions
Historical Chronology- Recognize the situations leading up to & resulting
from an event
Historical Perspectives- Analyze & accept multiple perspectives to avoid linearity
ESLR’S needed to successfully complete this assignment: (please fill in the blanks)
Resourceful thinkers who… Set ___________ and establish achievable _________ Acquire and apply _________ and ____________ in all areas Solve problems ____________ and ___________ Recognize and produce quality ___________ and ___________ Effective communicators who... Work ____________ towards group goals. _________________ appropriately in a variety of ___________
ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR SOCIAL STUDIES NEEDED: Study Skills-
Arrange Information: Make timelines, Keep records, Follow directions. Thinking
Skills- Classify: Identify relevant factual information, Place in proper sequence.
Analyze: Form simple organization of key ideas related to a topic, Compare
& contrast credibility of differing accounts of the same event. Evaluate:
Determine whether or not the information is pertinent to the topic. Decision-Making
Skills- ID alternative courses of action & predict likely consequences of
each. Personal Skills- Express personal convictions, communicate own beliefs,
feelings & convictions. Group Interactive Skills- Participate in persuading,
compromising, debating and negotiating in the resolution of conflicts and
differences. Social and Political participation Skills- Work individually
or with others to decide on an appropriate course of action. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GRADES: 39 pts or less = F 40 - 55 = D 56 - 70= C 71 - 85= B 86+ = A ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A" level Project: 20 points
Present your project to the class by: reading the report; discuss how your project meets the standard; or post report with an explanation of how it meets the standards.
"B" level Project: 15 points
Read an AR book at your reading level. Use book as a resource in your report. Grade your own report using the rubric provided. Discuss score with Mr. Rideout.
"C" level Project:
Your C points will be earned from your report. You may earn up to 60 points from your report. You may earn up to 15 extra points from the activities to being completed in class.
*The King David Kalakua Historic Review Student/Parent Contract
Will I discuss my strategy to complete this project on time, with my parents?
YES / NO
What grade will I attempt to earn on this unit? A B C D How many points do
I need to earn the grade I want? _________ GRADES: A= 86+ B= 71 - 85 C= 56
- 70 D= 40 - 55 F= 39 or less
Do I need to do an “A” and/or “B” project to earn the grade I want? YES /
NO
Which A and B project look most interesting to me?
Why “A” project: “B” project:
How will I keep track of the points I have earned?
What am I willing to do to get the grade I want?
(Circle Yes or No for each question)
YES / NO Present work early for evaluation, make corrections before the unit
deadline?
YES / NO Accept a lower grade for this unit? YES / NO Other, Explain__________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________.
What responsibilities do I have to consider while I attempt
to complete this assignment?
How can Mr. Rideout help me complete my assignments?
Mr. Rideout’s Comments: This is the final Unit of the year. I am proud of
all of you for coming back to school ready to do your best work. As you know
I will be in my classroom before school, during lunch/recess and after school
most every day. I can better accommodate your questions at these times. Just
let me know when you plan to come for assistance.
Student signature/Comment: ___________________
Parents/guardians, look over this unit outline with your child.
Let them explain what needs to be done. Having them explain the assignment
to you will assist in a better understanding of what is required of them.
Making a plan and understanding the assignment will also give them a more
likelihood of successfully completing the assignment. Your child is developing
study skills to prepare them for high school and beyond. Please take some
time now to assure your child has created a plan, which will lead them to
success with this unit and with future studies.
Parent signature/Comment: ____________________
Historical Chronology Check list and Rubric 20 points possible
Historic Dates
Connections
Change
Continuity
20 points- Report displays at least 10 historic dates with easy to follow direct, or indirect, connections to the originally selected event. These dates present a clear explanation of the events leading up to, as well as resulting from the original historic event. Changes and continuities over time are discussed in detail.
15 points- Report displays at least 10 historic dates with a direct, or indirect, connection to the originally selected event. These dates present an explanation of the events leading up to, as well as, resulting from the original historic event. Changes and continuities over time are discussed.
10 points- Report displays up to 10 historic dates with a briefly described connections to the originally selected event. These dates may casually explain the events leading up to, as well as, resulting from the original historic event. Changes and continuities over time are briefly discussed.
5 points- Report displays up to 10 historic dates with little evidence of the connections to the originally selected event. These dates may casually explain the events leading up to, as well as, resulting from the original historic event. Changes and continuities over time are not mentioned or ineffectively discussed.
Historical Inquiry Check list and Rubric 20 points possible
Questions
Answers
Resources
Defend sources
20 points- Reporter creates 10 or more investigative questions using all three levels of questions. The answers to these questions present an in depth understanding of the historic subject being researched. Answers to these questions are clearly supported by 3 or more references. Each resource used is carefully evaluated for its usefulness and/or limitations.
15 points- Reporter creates less than 10 investigative questions using the three levels of inquiry. The answers to these questions present a deeper understanding of the historic subject being researched. Answers to these questions are supported by up to 3 references. Each resource used is clearly evaluated for its usefulness and/or limitations.
10 points- Reporter creates 10 or less investigative questions using the three levels of inquiry. The answers to these questions present a better understanding of the historic subject being researched. Answers to these questions might be supported by one or more references. Each resource used is briefly evaluated for its usefulness and/or limitations.
5 points- Reporter creates less than 7 investigative questions using one or more of the three levels of inquiry. The answers to these questions might present some understanding of the historic subject being researched. Answers to these questions are not always supported by references. Some resource used are evaluated for its usefulness and/or limitations.
Historical Perspectives and Interpretations Check list and Rubric 20 points possible
Perspectives
Defend perspective
Interpretations What if things were different?
20 points- Report clearly presents an accurate perspective of two or more social groups directly affected by the originally selected historic event. Each perspective discussed is carefully defended by evidence from three or more primary and/or secondary resources. Presents a clear interpretation of how the social groups interacted. A scenario supported by a rational explanation of “What if events had been different?”
15 points- Report presents an accurate perspective of two or more social groups directly or indirectly affected by the originally selected historic event. Each perspective presented is defended by evidence by at least two primary and/or secondary resources. An interpretation of how the social groups interacted is presented. A scenario is created to describe “What if events had been different?”
10 points- Report presents a brief perspective of two or more social groups directly or indirectly affected by the originally selected historic event. At least one perspective presented is defended by evidence by at least one primary and/or secondary resource. An interpretation of how the social groups interacted is attempted. A scenario is attempted to describe “What if events had been different?”
5 points- Report gives a brief perspective one or more social group directly or indirectly affected by the originally selected historic event. One perspective is defended by evidence from one primary and/or secondary resource. A brief interpretation of how the social groups interacted is attempted. A scenario is hastily put together with “What if events had been different?”
Historical Inquiry 6-8th grade History
Standard worksheet/Checklist Select a historical event/person/era to research.
Generate a set of questions which when answered will assist with a deeper understanding of a selected topic.
Consult several resources to gather information on the selected topic.
(Document resource information on Resource Assessment Tool. RAT)
Validate the resource/document for usefulness, bias, and limitations. Type of Resource/Document:
Book ___ Encyclopedia___ Film___ Letter___ Map___ Photo ___ Painting__ Reference ___ Other___ Date Resource/Document created: (MM/DD/YYYY)
Was the author an eye-witness? Explain.
Was the author presenting information from more than one perspective? Explain.
List any contradictory accounts of this event/person/era from another resources?
Discuss the Advantages/usefulness of this resource/document in answering your questions on this topic. Also, discuss the limitations of the resource.
With at least three different accounts (resources/documents) Infer your best answer to your question.
For each resource noted, discuss what makes the resource helpful and what prevents if from being an even better resource.