Background:

Over the course of the semester, our focus has been on the issues of colonization, imperialism, western expansion, cultural pluralism, and pre-industrialization. More importantly, we have looked at each of these movements in relationship to literature and to people. Most importantly, is our ability to make connections with the events of these movements, the literature of the times, and the people who lived through them.

Assignment:

In a well-developed research document, identify a theme that reflects a connection that you have made with the literature and focusing issues of this semester. Using works from this semester, develop and support that theme. Include a discussion of how the Dominant American Values have come to be reflected in the literary, historical, and cultural development of a unique American literature.

Objectives:

• The student will show an understanding of the significance of historical aspects of the texts organized under the headings of colonization, imperialism, western expansion, cultural pluralism, and pre-industrialization.
• Students will be expected to engage and apply ideas to the literature-not just describe them.
• The student will make connections to a variety of literary genre(multi-genre) with the same themes or related ideas.
• The student will recognize the influence of past events or situations to the future.
• The student will demonstrate research skills by completing a "Project Planning Guide" that demonstrates the ability to plan, organize, and implement research study.
• The student will demonstrate understanding of the ethical and proper use of source text by supplying proper documentation when quoting or paraphrasing within the project.
• Students will be required to submit topic proposals, idea outlines, interim working bibliographies and photocopies of sources. Check point dates will be announced.
• Students will keep a journal that requires them to reflect personally on the topic and on the research process.

Research and Reading 20pts

Journal Grade 20pts

Rough Draft in on time 15pts

Participation 5pts

Final Paper/Presentation 35pts

Oral Presentation 5pts

Total 100pts

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