In Stage I of your project, you will turn in a brief (3 pages) report emphasizing the historical context of your project, key points you are getting across, and the primary and secondary sources you used to research the topic. Tell what you are doing for a project, and how the research you did has enhanced the value of the project.
In Stage II you will do the project, share your project within an online forum, and also give feedback to other students on their projects.
In Stage III, you write a reflection on the experience of doing a project and educating fellow students.
Key Steps for a Special Project, Stage I report:
Define your topic. Make sure it relates to events and themes we are covering in class. Narrow the topic so it has a clear focus.(“Migration to California” is too broad.“Migration to California during World War II” would work much better.)
Choose a project that will allow you to use your insights and creativity in approaching the topic. In your written report, tell me what kind of project you are doing and discuss how the project will help students learn about your topic.
When you research your topic, make sure you find at least two primary sources and at least two secondary sources.In your written report, tell how each of the sources is valuable to the project.Note strengths and weaknesses of each source.
Discuss the historical context of your topic.Note how your research helps us understand important events or ideas we are covering in class.
Identify three main points you want to get across to your fellow students.Discuss how your project will help get these points across.
When you write your report for Stage I, please tell me what you did for each of the steps above.It works well if you discuss your ideas and your research step by step, in the first person. (example: “I found a letter from…this is a great source because it shows…”)
Pages will be sent from “Competing Visions: A history of California” as a primary source and then find what you can on the internet for secondary sources.