Homework Policy
About Mrs. Gogas
Virtual Tours
Crossword Puzzles
English Classes
Reading List
Notebook Guidelines
Resources
Book Reports
Presentations

Projects

Home Rubrics Scrapbook Project Checklists Timelines Poetry 

Project #1                      <To Project> #2-- #3-- #4-- #5

*Before you work on any projects, please go to this web site below for copyright rules.

 

Background:  In the 1800’s the  only ways of effective communication was  word of mouth or the newspaper. 

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to apply your knowledge of the times, work in groups effectively, improve your writing skills, and to critically analyze the front page of the newspaper.

Task: Your task is to create as authentic as you can of the front page of a newspaper using the following criteria:

·        Announce the Gold Rush in the Klondike region
·        Include a headline and subheadings of related articles
·        Articles must either have historically correct or relate to the
     novel’s plot
·        Include at least one piece of related artwork, clipart, or photo
·        Must be typed or created on the computer

Procedure:      1.  Choose your group members
2.     Analyze the elements on the front page and identify them
3.     Decide which topics and articles you plan to write about
4.     Write your articles
5.     Plan your front page layout
6.     Review the rubric and follow the timeline
7.     Type your page in double columns and proofread it
8.     Make copies for each member of the group and the teacher
9.     Be prepared to share it with the class

 

Project #2

Background:

You have just read Call of the Wild and discovered many related historical topics about the Klondike region in Canada and parts of  northern California.

Purpose:
          The purpose of this research is to learn more about the historical
          significance of the novel to our country.  You will practice your
          research and writing skills.

Task:
          Your job is to write a three to five page paper about  one of the
          following :

bulletThe Klondike Region
bulletThe California Gold Rush
bullet  The  Transcontinental Railway
bulletWolves- Hunting and Social Behavior

Procedure:   
         1.      Choose one of the above topics.
       2.      Write questions about the topic that would be important to answer
            in order to better understand it.
       3.      Gather information from the library using books, encyclopedias,
            and the Internet (minimum 3 resources).
       4.      Use index cards for each question and take notes from your
            sources that answer your questions.
       5.      Organize your notes into a rough outline so you will know what to
            say in a logical order.
       6.      Write the first draft (Be sure you have introductory and concluding
            paragraphs, title page, bibliography, and a bound cover).
       7.      Have a peer or a parent read your draft to help clarify areas and 
            suggest revisions.
       8.      Write your final copy but be sure to proofread for written or typo
            errors and errors in the mechanics of writing (copy should be
            clean, neat, no erasures, or white out that is poorly applied).

Note:  Please refer to your timeline and rubric to ensure a quality paper and one
that is on time.

Project #3

Across Five Aprils
Individual Writing Assignment

Choose one of the following:

bullet

Write a letter that Bill Creighton would have written to his brother Jethro while in
one of the battles as described in the novel. Try to be historically correct using language that Bill would have used.

bulletWrite a letter that Jethro would have written to President Lincoln asking for help for Eb.
bullet

Using page 127, write John’s letter to Nancy as it would have been written based
on the description of what was said in the letter in the novel.

bullet

These letters must be at least one page using friendly letter format and neat and
organized as described in the rubric for paragraph writing.

Across Five Aprils
Performance Assessment Task

Background: The events in Across Five Aprils mirror the real historical events of the Civil War. You should have a sense of what it must have been like for people in those days, the loss of life, starvation, fear, hatred, etc.

Task: Your job is to choose one of the two topics and write a two to four page paper. It will be due in two weeks. Use the rubric and timeline to guide you.

bullet

Choose one of the Generals from the novel, either a Union or a Confederate and write a brief biography of him. (see list of generals)

bullet

Choose one of the battles in the Civil War and describe the incident. Include when, where, and who was involved, any errors made, and use a diagram or map to depict the event. (see list of battles)

Generals:

Pierre Beauregard  Jubal Early Albert Johnston John Pope 
Braxton Bragg Ulysses S. Grant  Joseph Johnston William Rosecrans
S.B. Buckner Henry Halleck Robert E. Lee John Scholfield
Don Carlos Buell John Hood  James Longstreet Philip Sheridan  
Ambrose Burnside Joseph Hooker  George McClellan  William Sherman 
Earl Van Dorn Stonewall Jackson   George Gordon Meade George Thomas

Battles:

Battle at Fort Henry Battle of Chattanooga Battle of Gettysburg Second Battle of Bull Run
Battle at Fort Sumter Battle of Chancellorsville Battle of Shiloh Siege of Vicksburg
Battle of Antietam Battle of Fort Donelson First Battle of Bull Run  
Battle of Chancellorsville Battle of Fredericksburg Pittsburg Landing  

Procedure:

  1. Choose one of the above topics.

  2. Write questions about the topic that would be important to answer in order to
    better understand it.

  3. Gather information from the library using books, encyclopedias, and the Internet
    (minimum 2 resources).

  4. Use index cards for each question and take notes from your sources that answer
    your questions.

  5. Organize your notes into a rough outline so you will know what to say in a logical
    order.

  6. Write the first draft (Be sure you have introductory and concluding paragraphs,
    title page, bibliography, and a bound cover).

  7. Have a peer or a parent read your draft to help clarify areas and suggest revisions.

  8. Write your final copy but be sure to proofread for written or typo errors and errors in the mechanics of writing (copy should be clean, neat, no erasures, or white out that is poorly applied).

Note: Please refer to your timeline and rubric to ensure a quality paper and one
     that is on time. Use the same timeline and rubric as in Call of the Wild. 

Project # 5

 

 

  

 

Johnny Tremain Research Project

Background:  After reading Johnny Tremain by Ester Forbes, students will research colonial America during the American Revolution. This unit of study coincides with their studies in American History. This project has three sections with each divided into four subsections. Ms. Blanchard has determined which students will work in which section. Within those subsections, students can make choices in the type of research they will do. A procedure and set of guidelines are included as well as a rubric for quality of work. In addition, there are pages with some web sites to go to complete your research. Each part has points you can earn for each one. Everyone must have the scrapbook pages that you did during the reading of the novel (worth 100 points).

Purpose:  This research is designed to help students gain a better understanding of what it must have been like living in colonial American during the American Revolution.

Procedure:  Follow the procedure for your assigned section.

Section I

Part 1 (50 points):

Choice activity 1:

Map of Boston in Early America

            Begin with a current map of Boston. Mark the important landmarks. Go on a virtual walking tour using Ms. Blanchard’s tour: https://members.tripod.com/dscorpio and the Freedom Trail tour : http://www.vboston.com/Vboston/Content/FreedomTrail/Index.cfm . Review the map of Boston on the following websites: http://city.net/maps/view/?mapurl=/countries/united_states/massachusetts/boston&page=maps

http://earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/maps/bostonmap/index.html It is a thumbnail view of the city. Click on the thumbnail icon to enlarge the picture.

Choice activity 2:

Pamphlet as an Information Report  

            Take a virtual tour through Paul Revere’s house in Boston. View pictures of him and read several short articles about him. View some example of his work. After this research, design and create a pamphlet advertising Paul Revere’s Workshop and his products for sale. Use these web sites: http://paulreverehouse.org and http://www.history.org/life/trades/tradesil.htm (silversmithing)

Part 2 (30 points):

Choice activity 1:

A Revolutionary War Timeline:

            Create a timeline for the Revolutionary War. Include all the events that you believe led to the war’s outcome. Identify what you think is the most important battles. Identify what you think was the “turning point”.

Choice activity 2:

Illustrate a Revolutionary War Event:

            Pick an event and draw a scene that captures what went on there. Remember, it could be a camp scene, part of a battle, or any part that represents the Revolutionary War.

Part 3 (30 points): Complete a Revolutionary War WebQuest

Choice quest activity 1:

            Dear King George III http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Ithaca/8809/

Choice quest activity 2:

George Rogers Clark: Revolutionary War Hero (Grades 4-6) http://osf1.gmu.edu/~khayden/georgeclark.html

Part 4 (20 points): Report on one of the following in one to two pages:

Choice 1:

  1. Sons of Liberty
  2. Sugar, Currency, Quartering, Stamp and Townsend Acts
  3. Minute men

Choice 2:

  1. Valley Forge
  2. Continental Army
  3. Valley Forge

Choice 3: http://history.org/Almanack/people/people.cmf

  1. George Washington
  2. Martha Washington
  3. Thomas Jefferson
  4. Patrick Henry
  5. George Wythe

Section II

Part 1 (50 points):

Choice activity 1:

Write a Revolutionary War Journal

            Pretend you are a soldier, a spy, a loyalist. Tell what it would be like to experience this life. After reading about such things, choose a location and describe a campaign, battle, skirmish, or any other event. Write about this in your pretend experience in a journal (minimum two pages and can have several days journal entries).

Choice activity 2:

Compare and contrast two Revolutionary War battles. Use www.42explore.com/revolt2.htm .

            Use the comparison and contrast rubric and guidelines to write your essay.

Part 2 (30 points):

Choice activity 1:

Discover Eighteenth Century Travel

  1. Use this graphic organizer: http://www.history.org/history/teaching/transorg.cfm
  2. Choose one of the four travel cards: http://www.history.org/history/teaching/trvlcard.cfm
  3. Fill in the organizer: http://www.history.org/history/teaching/travel_org.cfm

 

Choice activity 2

Attitudes and Behaviors about Slavery in Colonial Times

See the web site for directions.: http://www.history.org/history/teaching/attitude.cfm

Use the resource material to do the reading. Answer all four groups’ questions. Answer these questions in five-point essay format.

Part 3 (30 points)

Complete a Revolutionary War WebQuest choose one:

  1. Johnny Tremain: The Revolutionary War (Grade 5-8) http://www.macomb.k12.mi.us/wq/WebQ97/REVOLUT.HTM
  2. Journey into the Revolutionary War by Beverly Schwartzman & Diana Olague (Grades 3-5) http://www.esc20.net/etprojects/formats/webquests/fall99/SAISDWQRR/Neal%20Elementary /default.html
  3. Revolutionary Independence by John Finnigan (Grades 7-8) http://www.milton.k12.vt.us/WebQuests/jfinnegan/revolution.htm

Part 4 (20 points)

Choice 1:

Political Posters

                Design and create two 11x14 political posters that depict the opinions of the times just prior to the American Revolutionary War. Read through some of the web sites for the opinions of the day. Use cartoon type drawings, symbols, and words to show how people thought about what was going on during that very difficult time in history.

Choice 2:

A Colonial Newspaper

                Design and create a two page newspaper (8 ˝ x 11) that resembles the kind of newspaper of those times. Include one article about an event of the times, a brief editorial from a patriot or a loyalist, and a political cartoon. Use the additional web sites for resources.

Section III

Part 1 (50 points) Oral Presentation Report on Famous Early Americans:

Choose a historical figure or event in Johnny Tremain. Use the sites below to research and discover the historical facts about that person or event. Use the comparison and contrast graphic organizer to take notes. Write a one-page essay comparing the fictional person or event to the actual thing.

Graphic organizer: http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/actbank/scomp.htm

Pick one below:

John Adams: www.earlyamerica.com/portraits/johnadams.html

John Adams: www.grolier.com/presidents/aae/bios/02pjohn.html

Samuel Adams: www.earlyamerica.com/portraits/samadams.html

John Hancock: www.earlyamerica.com/portraits/hancock.html

Boston History: http://www.vboston.com

Boston Tea Party: (see additional resource page

Boston Massacre: http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/winter96/massacre.html

Battle of Lexington:  (see additional resource page)
You can also choose James Otis, Paul Revere, or any other figure mentioned in Johnny Tremain.

Part 2 (30 points):
Choice activity 1:

The Sons of Liberty Persuasive Essay

After reading the essay "Sons of Liberty - Patriots or Terrorists?," students will write a persuasive essay agreeing or disagreeing with the statement "one man's terrorist is another man's patriot."

URL: http://earlyamerica.com/review/fall96/sons.html

Comments: Essay discussing the role of the Sons of Liberty in the American Revolution. Reading level may be too difficult for less able students, but the challenge of the ideas presented should be a good stretch for most. Less able readers may be paired with more capable students for reading and discussion of ideas before writing.

Boston Tea Party  URL: http://www.northpark.edu/acad/history/WebChron/USA/TeaParty.html

Choice activity 2:

Compare and Contrast Two Lives

                Select two persons who were involved in the Revolution - male or female, British or American, loyalist or patriot, Native American, African American, soldier, or statesman - - then identify the likes and differences in their lives. You can find some information about Revolutionary War people at Revolutionary War biographies.

Got to http://www.42explore.com/revolt3.htm for more lives to choose from.

Part 3 (30 points)

Complete a Revolutionary War WebQuest choose one:

  1. Revolutionary War Handbill (Grade 5-8) http://www.aps.edu/aps/doubleeagle/5grade/huffstodt/revolutionarywarweb.htm
  2. Revolutionary War WebQuest (1997 ThinkQuest Project) http://library.thinkquest.org/11683/High.html

Part 4 (20 points)

The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere a Reading Response Literature

                What really happened on that midnight ride on April 18, 1775? How close is the action in Johnny Tremain to the actual occurrences? Students will read various articles that give a factual account of Revere's ride. They will read about William Dawes, who also rode to Lexington and Concord to give the alarm. Then they will read Longfellow's famous poem and another poem about Dawes. Finally, they will write a new stanza to add to "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" to share with their classmates.

 Use the web sites below for your research.

Paul Revere's Midnight Ride

URL: http://www.paulreverehouse.org/midnight.html

Comments: A clear, factual account of the events on April 18, 1775, complete with map of Revere's and Dawes' routes.

Old North Church

URL: http://www.oldnorth.com/

Comments: This site gives a detailed history of the Old North Church, including Paul Revere's ride.

What's In a Name?

URL: http://www.colorpro.com/wmdawes/theride.html

Comments: This is a poem about William Dawes, Paul Revere's partner in that famous ride of 1775.

Paul Revere's Ride

URL: http://www.paulreverehouse.org/events/poem.html

Comments: This is Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's famous ballad of Paul Revere.

Online Rhyming Dictionary

URL: http://www.link.cs.cmu.edu/dougb/rhyme-doc.html

Guidelines:

  1. Choose the topics you will research in each of the four parts.
  2. Begin with reading and taking notes on the information you research.
  3. Gather the necessary materials you will need to the final product.
  4. Review the rubrics and check lists for expectations and quality products.
  5. Write an outline if needed and a first draft.
  6. Revise and proofread for errors.
  7. Write or create a final copy or product.

Basic Five Paragraph Essay Pattern

I. Introduction

includes the attention-getting device thesis statement

II. Support Point #1-2nd strongest point

topic sentence introducing first support point explanation of first support point at least one or two examples of first support point

III. Support Point #2- strongest point

topic sentence introducing second support point explanation of second support point at least one or two examples of second support point

IV. Support Point #3- weakest point

topic sentence introducing third support point explanation of third support point at least one or two examples of third support point

V. Conclusion

review of support points one, two, and three reemphasize thesis statement with final thoughts refer back to attention-getting device from introduction be careful not to be repetitious though

 

Johnny Tremain Unit Contract (3 weeks) Group 1

Name______________________________________Date______________Per.________

Write a Diary Entry          

Choose one of the characters & write about an event in the story as if you are the character.

Draw a Map                        

Use descriptions from the novel and draw one location and illustrate the setting using vivid details.

Inspiration Web                 

Create a web of characters with Johnny Tremain in the center. Use good descriptions for each.

Compare and Contrast     

Choose two characters from the novel and write a five point essay.

Crossword puzzle

Create using twenty words from your vocabulary list.

Write an epilogue             

Use good descriptive language. Use at least ten vocabulary words from the vocabulary list.

Political Cartoon              

Illustrate a cartoon that criticizes some political issue of the times. Be sure to write a brief explanation about what it’s about. You may use clip art in your design. No existing cartoons!!

Research a famous historical character                            

Choose one of the characters from the novel who really existed during the American Revolution. Give brief personal facts and what his/her contributions to our American culture are.

Patriotic Songs                  

 

 

Listen to some patriotic songs of the American Revolution. Write your own song.

Student Choice #1           

 

 

 

 

 

Student Choice #2             

 

 

 

 

 

Student Choice #3              

 

 

 

 

 

Teacher signature_______________________________________________Date___________


Johnny Tremain Unit Contract (3 weeks) Group 2

Name______________________________________Date______________Per.________

Write a Diary Entry         

Choose one of the main characters & write about an event in the story as if you are the character.

Draw a Map                        

Use descriptions and pictures from your novel and illustrate one of the settings using vivid details.

Inspiration Web                 


Create a web of characters with Johnny Tremain in the center. Use good descriptions for each.

Compare and Contrast     

Choose two characters from the novel and complete a graphic organizer.

Crossword puzzle              

 

Create using ten words from your vocabulary list.

Write an epilogue              

 

Use good descriptive language. Use at least five vocabulary words from the vocabulary list.

Political Cartoon               

 

 

Location a political cartoon from the American Revolution. Create your own caption or slogan.

Research a famous historical character                             

Choose one of the characters from the novel who really existed during the American Revolution. Create a timeline of the major events and his/her contributions to our American culture are.

Patriotic Songs                 
 

 

 

Listen to some patriotic songs of the American Revolution. Add another stanza to the song.

Student Choice #1            
 

 

 

 

 

 

Student Choice #2             
 

 

 

 

 

 

Student Choice #3            

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teacher signature_______________________________________________Date_____________

 

 About Ms/Classes/Discipline Policy/Homework Policy/Philosophy/Poetry/Projects/Reading List/Novels/Rubrics/Timelines/ Resource/Presentations/Checklist/Virtual Tours/Links