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Standards

Content:

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the major events of the Revolutionary War

Process:

Students will cooperate, collaborate, and compromise with classmates
Students will identify main ideas from a reading passage
Students will organize thoughts
Students will present ideas in an understandable manner to the class

General Task Description

In this activity, you will be utilizing your knowledge of key events during the Revolutionary War in order to create historical similies. Remember, a similie is a phrase which compares two things through the use of the words ‘like’ or ‘as’ (for example: history is like a circle because it never ends). In addition, you will also be creating a visual aid which helps to explain or illustrate your simile. The format of your finished product will look as follows:


“The text of your similie”

Your graphic which shows
us why your similie is
appropriate



You will be divided into small groups to complete this project, and your group will be presenting it to the class when you are finished.

Task Specifics:

1. Your group will be assigned one of following key events to work with:
The Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Saratoga
The Winter at Valley Forge
The Battle of Yorktown
2. In addition to creating your similie and graphic, your group will need to turn in one set of “synthesis questions” to me (be sure to put all group members’ names on them!). The questions you need to answer are as follows:
-What are three reasons why your topic is ‘like’ what you have chosen to compare
it to?
-What is something else your topic is ‘like?’ Why?
-If you were to pick the exact opposite of your topic, what would it be? Why?
3. All group members should be prepared to present the similie/graphic to the class; I will choose who presents randomly.

Criteria

Content: Your similie should demonstrate a solid understanding of your topic, and it should make sense!
Creative Thinking: Your group should make its best attempt to make your similie and graphic as creative and thoughtful as possible.
Synthesis Questions: The answers to your synthesis questions should be complete and reflective.
Visual: Your visual should be neat, well-organized, and creative.

Rubric

 

Criteria	Points	Levels of Performance (Points)
Content
Simile demonstrates a solid understanding of the topic and is thoughtful		5 - simile shows an understanding of many key facts about topic 3 - similie demonstrates a weak understanding of topic 0 - similie does not make sense
Creativity
A very good attempt is made to make the similie and graphic creative		5 - excellent attempt at creativity 3 - some attempt at creativity 0 - no attempt at creativity
Visual
Visual is neat, well-organized, and helps to explain the similie		5 - visual is very neat and helps explain concept 3 - visual is present, but is lacking organization and neatness 0 - no visual
Synthesis Questions
All questions are complete; answers are thoughtful and relevant		5 - all questions are complete and thoughtful 3 - questions are complete, but lack relevance 0 - totally incomplete or incorrect
Presentation
Presenter demonstrates a clear understanding of the information		5 - clear understanding is demonstrated 3 - moderate understanding 0 - does not understand concepts
Presenter demonstrates the necessary degree of seriousness to get his/her point across		3 - demeanor is appropriate 0 - demeanor is inappropriate
Total Score		/28 Possible

Copyright 2010, Jon Mueller. Professor of Psychology, North Central College, Naperville, IL. Comments, questions or suggestions about this website should be sent to the author, Jon Mueller, at jfmueller@noctrl.edu.