Project, Sullivan Ballou assignment reminder:

As we read more about the Civil War, keep your mind open for a person, battle, event, or cultural representation that you would like to explore through a paper and an alternative digital medium. What medium you choose may depend on your topic.

While you search, take time to make yourself conversant in the lives and historic effects of two men, Dred Scott and Frederick Douglass. They are covered in your text and in many places online.

My goal is for you, during Wednesday's class, to explore these two men together, using notes you take between now and Wednesday afternoon, and arrive at one or more big question or observation about their places in our country's complexion.

Also, after you listen to the last ten minutes of the first Civil War episode, defend or challenge the filmmakers' use of Sullivan Ballou's letter in the closing minutes of their introduction.

Write this as a short essay, three to five paragraphs. Revise it at least once, edit it and put it in a Google Doc. Then share it with me by Friday, sooner is fine.

Here is a rubric that will cover this essay.

Three Paragraph Essay Rubric

1. The initial paragraph of the essay summarizes what the piece is about.
Exceeds: Demonstrates insight and outside connections, amplifying original assignment beyond original question
Meets: Covers topic clearly
Partially Meets: Does not describe the topic fully

2. The second paragraph gives the writer's clear opinion on the subject.
Exceeds: Opinion is clear and supported by evidence placed smoothly into the exposition
Meets: Opinion is clear and supported by connected evidence
Partially Meets: Has either opinion or evidence or neither

3. The third paragraph provides a conclusion and ties the essay together.
Exceeds: Demonstrates depth of analysis, research and/or new insight gained
Meets: Ties ideas and information together to demonstrate accurate examination of topic
Partially Meets: Information provided does not relate to earlier ideas, or conclusion only partially connects previous thoughts

4. The essay is clear and easy to read and is well researched/explained.
Exceeds: Fluent use of language adds to the reader’s understanding
Meets: Language used provides accurate and interesting information
Partially Meets: Language obscures meaning

5. The essay is free of spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.
Exceeds: No errors
Meets: 1-2 errors
Partially Meets: Enough errors that the meaning is obscured

6. Word choice.
Exceeds: Word choice demonstrates deep understanding and appreciation of topic, including appropriately placed terms of art
Meets: Word choice offers clear understanding
Partially Meets: Word choice obscures meaning

7. Paragraph coherence and unity.
Exceeds: All paragraphs contain topic sentences and unified, coherent supporting sentences and all three paragraphs relate logically
Meets:  All paragraphs contain topic sentences and supporting sentences and all three paragraphs relate to one another
Partially Meets: Paragraphs are disconnected from each other and sentences do not relate