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Research Writing Portfolio Project
This year, you will become immersed in a year long globally-themed research writing project. As we study different places
in the world, you will conduct your own parallel research on a country of your choice. Note: this year I can provide internet
pen pals as primary resources for the following countries: Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Turkey, and Japan.
However, only two students may choose the same country.
Your portfolio will comprise the following:
*a two to three page Descriptive Essay about the geography of your country. You will be asked to detail the location,
1-2 additional themes of geography, and give a vivid description of any unusual or intriguing geographic aspects of the country.
This essay will be part of our first unit on geography, and we will be working on it during the months of September and November.
*a three to four page Narrative Essay explaining and describing 2-3 significant events that are part of the ancient history
of the country. This essay will be part of our second unit on the ancient history of Egypt and Turkey, and we will be working
on it during the months of mid-November and January.
*a three to four page Descriptive or Narrative Essay detailing the historical events of the late 19th and 20th Century
of the history of the country. This essay will be part of out third unit on history of Puerto Rico, and we will be working
on it during the months of mid-January, February, and March.
*a two to three page Process Essay describing one to two examples of the culture of the country. This essay will be part
of our fourth unit on the culture of Japan, and we will be working on it during the months of mid-March and April.
*a two to three page Persuasive Essay that explains and argues the pros and/or cons of a major political change that took
place during the history of the country. This essay will be part of our final unit on the political turmoil of South Africa
during Apartheid, and we will be working on it during the months of May and early June.
Research Skills you will master during this year long project are:
*Resources - you will gather as much information about your country from internet sources(including internet pen pals),
primary and secondary resources, and journals and newspapers.
*Writing Process - you will move from working to final thesis statements, working to final outlines of facts gathered,
development of facts into clear paragraphs, use of transitions between paragraphs, concluding essays effectively, and practice
your proofreading, revision, and drafting skills.
*Notetaking - you will learn quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing and conduct your research using note cards to record
and organize facts.
*Footnoting and Bibliographic Format - you will learn formal and informal footnoting and correct bibliographic format.
It will be important to adhere to due dates for all aspects of this project from gathering resources to submitting final
drafts. The first important due date is 9/20 when the $17.00 fee for your copy of the MLA Handbook for Writer's of Research
Papers is due; this reference book is a valuable resource that we will refer to throughout the year and you will use well
beyond this year.
Geography Unit Rubric/ Atlas Activities
We will begin the year with a review of global geography and mapping skills. In order to appreciate the areas in the world
we will study this year, you need to familiarize yourself with each as well as other areas in the world. Carefully read and
complete the assignments by the appropriate due dates.
I. Geography Atlas Activities (complete ONLY in class) Due: 11/5
Atlas activities are only completed in class; a portion of class time will be devoted to this work each week.
A. Complete Atlas Activities 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 28 from the Atlas Activity packet.
Pace yourself two per week.
Note: You are NOT required to complete the For Fun Activities.
II. Global Mapping Project
A. Country of Origin Poster (completed in class) Due: 10/29
Compile information and design a poster of your maternal or paternal country of origin. The exact requirements for the
poster are listed below:
1) Location facts: global address and relative location
2) Place facts: physical and human characteristics
3) Human/Environmental facts: explain how the people of this country use their environment for economic means.
Note: The facts listed above must be presented in written form, edited and neatly written or typed and pasted onto the
poster board.
4) Artistic Representation: use the background of the poster to add on artistic element that is reflective of the country.
B. Beyond Borders Country Profile Due: 10/29
Using the same criteria above, profile your research country on a large index card. The artistic representation, however,
will be a background drawing of the flag of the country.
III. Descriptive Essay: Geography Due: 11/15
Based on research, compose a descriptive essay that details 1) the location of the country, 2) two additional aspects
of the five themes of geography, and 3) unusual or intriguing aspects of the country.
Research Writing Portfolio Project : Descriptive Essay
To compose a two to three page Descriptive Essay about the geography of your research country, you must describe the location
or the country as well as 1-2 additional themes of geography and any other unusual or intriguing aspects of its geography.
You will be using the MLA Handbook to complete the steps outlined below, many of which will be completed in class.
1. Generate a T-Chart of facts and questions you have about the geography of your research country.
2. Conduct preliminary research on the internet about the geography of this country; print valid, reliable information.
3. Add more questions and facts to your T-Chart.
4. Organize your T-Chart into an Working Outline. Begin your outline with a working Thesis Statement, and arrange your
Facts and Questions using the Five Themes of geography (Place, Location, Human/Environmental Interaction, Human Movement,
and Region)
5. Gather Resources, both primary and secondary.
6. Answer the questions on your outline on Note cards, adding relevant facts as you conduct your research.
7. Organize your note cards into a logical sequence that you plan to use for composing your essay.
8. Compose the 1st Draft of your Descriptive Essay, including footnotes.
9. Obtain a Peer Edit of your 1st draft.
10. Compose a 2nd Draft of your Descriptive Essay.
11. Obtain a Teacher Edit of your 2nd Draft.
12. Compose a Final Draft, including a bibliography page.
More Geography Stuff for your notes
Use the following in depth definition of the Five Themes of Geography to help you complete the requirements for your Atlas
Activities.
Place - When a geographer studies place, (s)he studies the physical and human characteristics. Physical characteristics
are the shape of the landforms and bodies of water, climate, soil, and plant and animal life. Human characteristics include
how many people live in a place, how close together people of a place live, the social traits, cultural traditions, and political
institutions of the people of the place.
Location - When a geographer studies location (s)he studies the importance of where one thing is in relation to another.
When you study location, you study how physical characteristics, such as harbors, rivers, fertile plains, and mountainous
terrain, affect settlement and the way the location of the environmental resources is used by the people who live there.
Human and Environmental Interaction - When a geographer studies human and environmental interaction, (s)he is talking
about the changes people have made in their environment and the changes they continue to make.
Human Movement - A geographer who studies human movement follows the routes people take when they move from one place
to another and tries to explain why these movements are necessary. (S)he also studies the effect of human movement on the
areas where people move and settle.
Region - A geographer studying regions looks at what makes on area different from another. To do that (s)he studies the
physical and human characteristics to where the changes occur.
*modified from "Everything You Need to Know About Geography" by Anne Aeman and Kate Kelly.
Current Events Rubric
Each Monday, we will discuss global current events using a variety of news sources from around the world. You will be
divided into groups and everyone will be required to complete the Analysis Questions for one article. Each week, on a rotating
basis, one group will be assigned to write a summary of two articles; the articles will be divided among the members of your
group, and each member will submit a summary. Summaries are always due of Tuesday so that they may be posted. The following
rubric outlines the requirements for both the analysis questions and written summary.
Analysis Questions - Once the article has been read and discussed, answer the following questions in the Global Studies
section of your binder. In order to expedite this process, you do not have to write in complete sentences, however, it is
critical that you include enough detail to compose a written summary of the article.
1. What is the title of the article?
2. Who wrote the article?
3. This article is part of what publication?
4. What is the date of the publication?
5. What are the pages of the article?
6. Is the article a local, national, or international event?
7. When and where did this event take place?
8. Who was involved in this event?
9. What happened . . . what are the critical facts of the event?
10. What were the causes and effects of this event?
11. What is your opinion of this news event . . . how does it affect you?
12. Which quote(s) do you think capture the main point of this article and is important to include in a written summary?
Summary - after you and your group have answered the analysis questions, for homework when your group is assigned, use
the following format to type a summary.
I. Introduction (answers to analysis questions 1-8)
A. Citation of Article - tell the name of the article and surround it by quotation marks. Italicize the title of the publication,
list the date of publication, and include the pages where the article appears. The citation should be written in one sentence.
B. In a second sentence, tell whether the article is a local, national, or international event.
C. In yet another sentence tell who the people are who are involved in the event and explain when in where the event took
place.
II. Body Paragraph(s)
Summarize the article by detailing your answers to questions 9 and 10 and include a quote somewhere within your text,
question 12.
III. Conclusion
Finish you summary by explaining your reaction to the article, question 11.
Keep this rubric in the Global Studies section of your binder
Travels With Charley Analysis for pages 43-83
DUE: 10/6
Answer your questions in complete sentences, writing in script, and providing supporting details and quotes where appropriate.
Complete this work on loose leaf in the Literary Analysis section of your binder, or you may type it.
1. A the beginning of this section of the novel, Steinbeck discovers an effective method for washing his clothes. What
is it, and what was the inventive nature of his method?
2. Explain Steinbeck's "relationship for protection against despondency" detailed on pages 47-48.
3. Why does Steinbeck compare Deer Isle, Maine to the Avalon of Camelot?
4. Which cultural attitude does Steinbeck discuss on pages 56-57. Quote a compelling sentence of his detail of this
American obsession.
5. Explain Steinbeck's use of the Spanish word vacilar found on page 63.
6. How does Charley diplomatically find friends for Steinbeck?
7. Explain Steinbeck's opinion of the difference between map people and himself, which is detailed on pages 70-71.
8. Explain the following line, "I am sure that, as all pendulums reverse their swing so eventually will the swollen
cities rupture like dehiscent wombs and disperse their children back to the countryside." (page 72)
9. Why does Steinbeck say, on page 77, "I cannot commend this account as an America that you will find."
10. This section ends with Steinbeck receiving directions from an agitated local man. The directions detail landmarks
of the man's town. Write down your path between your home and school. First, detail it using only the relative location
of your trip, and then detail your trip using only landmarks. Which do you think is more poetic?
The biography of an interesting place on earth!
"Coldest, windiest, driest, most remote, Antarctica is extreme by any standard." -----2001 National Geographic
Society
>> TEMPERATURE: In the dry interior of the continent, the annual mean temperature is between -58 and -76°F (-50
and -60°C). Toward the coast it rises to between 14 and -4°F (-10 and -20°C). The lowest world temperature on record was measured
here: -128.6°F (-89.2°C).
>> WINDS: Hurricane-force winds, up to 200 miles (320 kilometers) an hour, batter the continent regularly. Called
katabatic winds, they are pulled down the slope of the icecap by gravity. Upon reaching the coasts they create directional
currents.
>> ICE: Almost the entire continent is covered in ice that is thousands of years old. If it all were to melt, the
global sea level would rise by a couple of hundred feet (about 60 meters).
>> SEA ICE: Seawater here is as cold as it can get without freezing: 28.8°F (-1.8°C). The salt in the water lowers
the freezing point. In the winter, sea ice forms on the Southern Ocean surface.
>> SEASONS: Antarctica has two distinct seasons, a very short summer and a very long winter. During the austral
summer the days are very long. In the winter feeble sunlight breaks out for only an hour or two, if at all. The SeaLab: Antarctica
team will be there in April, during the late fall.
>> WILDLIFE: The largest Antarctic land animal, an insect called a midge, is no bigger than a coarse grain of sand.
>> PRECIPITATION: Interior Antarctica is a desert. Less than three inches (seven centimeters) of precipitation fall
on the elevated central plateau each year.
Unlike the Arctic, which is a great expanse of water surrounded by land, Antarctica is a great expanse of land surrounded
by water. Many people call the parts of the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans that circle Antarctica the Southern Ocean.
Forty-three nations have signed the Antarctic Treaty, a 35-year-old agreement to protect the fragile environment of the
southernmost continent. Despite its remoteness, threats to Antarctica do exist and include overfishing, mineral harvesting,
and increasing tourism.
Now that you have read and highlighted the above bio about the physical characteristics of Antarctica, write a biography
detailing the physical characteristics of your research country. You may use a similar format or you may create your own.
This assignment must be typed, neatly done, and is due Friday, 10/8 or earlier . . . up to you!
In Class Mini Project
Choice A (2 students): Plot Steinbeck's trip so far
Refer to the following pages to plot Steinbeck's trip so far (21, top Long Island - Connecticut, 27, middle Vermont -
New Hampshire's White Mountains, 42 New Hampshire/Maine border, 45 Bangor, Maine, bottom, 49 Deer Isle, Maine, top, 55 Maine/Canadian
border, bottom, 74, bottom Lancaster, NH, 77, bottom Vermont, 82, top New York, : (1) Have one group member design a decal
(a camper or truck, perhaps) to put on the map in the front of the room. (2) Have another group member write a sentence or
two explaining where Steinbeck and Charley are and what they are doing. Post the decal with its appropriate write up on the
map.
Choice B (2 students using two computers): Vocabulary
In narrative form complete the following for each of the words listed below: (1) one person defines the words, tells
the part of speech, and lists a synonym for the words (2) one person gives the etymology (word origin and original meaning)
and copies the sentence from the novel where the words are used. damask, p. 46, top, despondency, p. 48, top, taciturn, p.
50, misanthropy, 51, top, ardent, 54, top, laconic, p. 71, bottom, dehiscent, p. 72, middle, obsolescence, p. 79, middle
Choice C (by invitation only): Narrative Mapping
Using your answer to number 10 of the analysis questions for pages 43-83, on the paper provided, map your route to school.
Within your map, poetically describe your trip from home to school.
Choice D (anyone . . . this is an individual assignment): America's Geography
Respond to the following quote from page 55, "We know so little of our own geography." by reviewing a map of
the United States. Then, in writing, explain what is unique about the geography of this country. hint: notice the variety
of climate, land features, urban to rural ratio, etc.
Choice E (anyone . . . this is an individual assignment): Cultural Geography
Reflect on the following quote from page 56, "There are customs, attitudes, myths and directions and changes that
seem to be part of the structure of America." and, in a paragraph or two, describe another example of cultural geography.
Choice F (anyone . . . this is an individual assignment): New York Geography
On page 77 Steinbeck describes a time when he had a completely different opinion of the geography of a place than another
visitor. In a paragraph or two, explain your personal geographic view of NYC. Describe the city itself, the people, the
culture . . . what makes NYC the city you think it is.
"In Search of Montauk"
Steinbeck-ish Montauk Geography/Writing Project
Complete each of the following activities before, during, and after our trip to Montauk in order to compose an investigative,
self discovery essay about your expectations and experiences in Montauk. Become as Steinbeck was in his search for America,
a traveler in search of Montauk! Note: You will need to bring a journal or spiral notebook with you to Montauk to complete
this activity. You may also want to bring your copy of Travels With Charley.
I. Before going to Montauk, you must complete the following:
A. Look at a map of Montauk, Long Island to gain a perspective of what the geography of this location may be like.
Then, surf the Net (you may use google or yahoo) to find out the following Place facts: population, land size, amount
of beach and coastline, different businesses, per capita income, number of schools (public and private), libraries, religious
institutions, hospitals, and local government officials. Take copious notes about what you learn about Montuak. In detailing
your notes, think of Montauk in comparison to New York City.
B. Generate a list of expectations that you have about the geography (Place, Location, and Region) of Montauk. Again,
your list should be very detailed.
II. While we are in Montauk, you will need to complete the following:
A) Describe, in detail, one physical characteristic related experience. An example might be to detail our walk through
the sand dunes or our night hike on the beach. Again, consider Steinbeck's experiences witnessing the changing topography
throughout America to detail your experience in the different geographic areas we visit in Montauk.
B) Describe, in detail, a specific human characteristic related experience in Montauk. For example, like Steinbeck,
you could detail an experience you had with or something your noticed about the residents of Montauk.
C) Detail night time Montauk contrasting it with day time Montauk. To give you an idea of what you might look for,
think of Steinbeck's experience in the Bad Lands of North Dakota (pages 154-157):
"As the sun angled, the buttes and coulees, the cliffs and sculptured hills and ravines lost their burned and dreadful
look and glowed with yellow and rich browns and a hundred variations of red and silver gray, all picked out by streaks
of coal black. It was so beautiful that I stopped near a thicket of dwarfed and wind-warped cedars and junipers, and once
stopped I was caught, trapped in color and dazzled by the clarity of the light. Against the descending sun the battlements
were dark and clean-lined, while to the east, where the uninhibited light poured slantwise, the strange landscape shouted
with color. And the night, far from being frightful. was lovely beyond thought, for the stars were close, and although
there was no moon the starlight made a silver glow in the sky. The air cut the nostrils with dry frost. And for pure
pleasure I collected a pile of dry dead cedar branches and built a small fire just to smell the perfume of the burning wood
and to hear the excited crackle of the branches. My fire made a dome of yellow light over me, and nearby I heard a screech
owl hunting and barking of coyotes, not howling but the short chuckling bark of the dark of the moon. This is one of the
few places I have ever seen where the night was friendlier than the day. And I can easily see how people are driven back
to the Bad Lands." (Steinbeck, p. 157)
III. Organize your notes into a creative essay that details your 1) expectations of Montauk, 2) your experience in Montauk,
and 3) the differences that you discovered between Montauk and NYC. Your essay should convey the geographic diversity
of New York by describing your search and discovery of Montauk, Long Island.
TYPED ESSAY and notes DUE: 10/27
Research Country Working Outline Rubric
Use the following format as a guide to composing the Working Outline for your research country, adding in your own questions
under each point and subpoint. Also, boldface the two additional themes you think you will detail in your paper along with
Location and Region.
I. How do the physical and human characteristics of Tahiti make it unique?
A. What are the physical characteristics of Tahiti?
1. Are there mountain ranges?
a. Where are the mountain ranges?
b. What is the highest elevation?
c. What is the lowest elevation?
2. Which rivers flow through Tahiti?
a. What is the main river(s)
b. Are there any major tributaries?
3. What other bodies of water are located in or near Tahiti?
4. What other land forms are there in Tahiti?
5. What is the makeup of the soil?
a. Which crops grow in abundance in Tahiti?
b. What is the plant and animal life?
c. Are any crops of economic value?
6. What is the climate like in Tahiti?
a. How many seasons are there?
7. What is the weather like in Tahiti?
a. What weather related storms does Tahiti experience?
b. How hot does it get?
c. How cold does it get?
B. What are the human characteristics of Tahiti?
1. Who lives in Tahiti?
a. Why do the indigenous people live there?
b. Where do most people live?
c. Do most people live in urban or rural areas?
2. What are the urban areas like?
a. What is the capital?
b. Are the cities densely populated?
c. Which city is the most populated?
3. What are the rural areas like?
a. Do people live in villages?
4. What are the social traits of people living in Tahiti
5. What are some of the cultural traditions practiced by people in Tahiti?
6. What is the government of Tahiti?
II. How does the location of Tahiti reflect its physical and human characteristics?
A. What is the absolute location of Tahiti?
1. Which meridians does it lie between?
2. Which parallels does it lie between?
B. What is the relative location of Tahiti?
1. In which hemisphere is it located?
2. What borders it to the north?
3. What borders it to the east?
4. What borders it to the south?
5. What borders it to the west?
C. What are the natural resources in Tahiti?
1. How do the people use the natural resources of Tahiti?
2. Are there any resources of economic value?
D. How does the location of Tahiti impact the diet of the people?
1. What is their staple of their diet?
2. What foods are common in Tahiti?
E. How does the location of Tahiti affect the living conditions of the people
1. What types of houses do the people live in?
2. How is their housing a reflection of the location?
F. What is the biological affects of the location of the people?
G. How have the people adapted to the environment in Tahiti?
1. What physical attributes are a result of the environment?
III. What is the impact of human and environmental interactions in Tahiti?
A. How have the people in Tahiti changed their natural environment?
1. What environmental problems have been caused by the population?
2. Is there pollution?
B. How is Tahiti affected by global warming?
C. So far, what has been the single most significant change made to the environment in Tahiti?
D. Do the people practice any environmental preservation?
IV. What has been the pattern and reasons for human movement in Tahiti?
A. What have been the migratory patterns of the indigenous people?
1. Has there been much immigration to Tahiti?
a. When has there been immigration?
b. Why has there been/not been immigration?
2. Has there been any emigration from Tahiti?
a. When has there been emigration?
b. Why has there been/not been emigration?
3. Why have the people moved from place to place within Tahiti?
4. How do people get around in Tahiti?
a. What is the main mode of transportation?
V. What is the region of Tahiti like?
A. What is unique about Tahiti?
1. What are the unusual geographic features of Tahiti?
2. What are the extremely exotic features of Tahiti?
B. Are there different regions within Tahiti?
1. What are the differences between the regions of Tahiti?
Travels With Charley Analysis for pages 158-191
DUE: 10/29/04
Answer your questions in complete sentences, writing in script, and providing supporting details and quotes where appropriate.
Complete this work on loose leaf in the Literary Analysis section of your binder, or you may type it.
1. Which state does Steinbeck claim to have fallen in love with, and why does he love it so?
2. What does Steinbeck learn about Charley in Yellowstone. Please detail Charley's behavior in the park.
3. What geographic feature does Steinbeck vividly describe on page 166. Cite a quote within your answer.
4. When did Lewis and Clark make their journey through America, and how long did it take them to travel form the east
to west coast?
5. Steinbeck meets an interesting father and son in this section of the novel, and he inadvertently helps them. How
does he interfere in the life of Robbie?
6. In this section of the novel both Charley and Rocinante suffer. What happens to each, and how does Steinbeck cure
them?
7. How does Steinbeck describe the human and environmental interaction in Seattle?
8. According to Steinbeck, what happens to a city as it grows?
In Class Mini Project
Travels With Charley
Pages 158-191
Choice A (2 students): Plot Steinbeck's trip so far
Refer to the following pages to plot Steinbeck's trip from pages 83-191 (83, top Niagara Falls, pgs. 90-94 U.S. 90, pgs.
95-104 Michigan, pgs. 105-108 Ohio, pgs. 115-119 Chicago, pgs. 125-128 Wisconsin, pgs. 129- 134 Minnesota, pgs. 135- Fargo,
North Dakota, pgs. 152-157 Bad Lands, North Dakota, pgs. 158-160, Montana, pgs. 180-182 Washington State, pgs. 183-187 Oregon,
pgs. 188-191 northern California: (1) Have one group member design a decal (a camper or truck, perhaps) to put on the map
in the front of the room. (2) Have another group member write a sentence or two explaining where Steinbeck and Charley are
and what they are doing. Post the decal with its appropriate write up on the map.
Choice B (2 students using two computers): Vocabulary
In narrative form complete the following for each of the words listed below: (1) one person defines the words, tells
the part of speech, and lists a synonym for the words (2) one person gives the etymology (word origin and original meaning)
and copies the sentence from the novel where the words are used. pique (p. 162), palpable (p. 164), slattern, (p. 171), indigents
(p. 181), carcinomatous (p. 181), obsequious (p. 185).
Choice C (anyone . . . this is an individual assignment): America's Geography
Reread pages 158-160. Then, in writing, describe a place in America that you absolutely love. In your 1 page description,
try to capture, as Steinbeck does, the vivid details of this place that you "fell in love with".
Choice D (anyone . . . this is an individual assignment): Political Geography
Reread pages 181-182 where Steinbeck describes the change that occurred to Seattle since he last saw it. Steinbeck describes
Seattle as he once experienced it, "a town sitting on hills beside a matchless harborage" and how it appears to
him on this trip. Describe your neighborhood in NYC as you remember it when you first moved to it and as it currently is.
Choice E (anyone . . . this is an individual assignment): Physical Geography
Reread pages 188-191 where Steinbeck describes the Redwoods of northern California. Think of a time when you were overwhelmed
by physical feature, perhaps the Grand Canyon, and describe your reaction.
Travels with Charley
Analysis Questions for pages 192-224
Answer the following questions in complete sentences, providing
supporting details and quotations where appropriate. The assignment may be typed, or it may be completed on loose leaf.
Begin your answer in such a way that the question is in the answer (do not recopy the question). You do not necessarily need
to re-read the pages mentioned in each question. However, if at any point you don't know what to write, go to the book.
1) Steinbeck spends two pages (pp. 192-193) reflecting on the
California redwoods. Name and describe three things that Steinbeck points out as remarkable about the redwoods.
2) In pages 194-204, Steinbeck struggles to describe his visit to
northern California. Why do you think Steinbeck finds it so
difficult to write about his "native place"? (See particularly pp.
194, 195, and 205-208.)
3) After having described the advantages of mobile home living
earlier in the book, Steinbeck now observes some of the drawbacks of the mobile home trend on pages 196-197. What does
Steinback see as the essential drawback for communities?
4) What does Steinbeck argue about with his sisters (see pp
198-199)? Explain the nature of their arguments.
5) On pp 209-210, what does Steinbeck suggest Travels with Charley: In Search of America is really about? Do you agree
with him? Explain.
6) According to Steinbeck, what is the environment like in the
Mojave Desert? (refer to pp. 211-218.)
7) On pp. 212-214, Steinbeck describes his encounter with two
coyotes in the Mojave Desert. What does he do and why?
8) If you were in Steinbeck's place, would you shoot the coyotes?
Why or why not?
9) In the last section (pp. 219-224) at the end of Part Three,
Charley appears to start talking. What's going on and why do you
think Steinbeck chooses to write the scene this way?
Current Events
Analysis Due 11/9
Summary Due 11/10
Read and highlight the following article. Then, using your Current Events rubric, answer the analysis questions. If
your table has been assigned, type a summary of the article, synthesizing your highlighted information and the results of
your analysis.
GEOGRAPHY IS DESTINY
The Real Divide: Waterside Voters Versus Inlanders
By JOHN TIERNEY
New York Times Week in Review
Published: November 7, 2004
WASHINGTON : The ancient Greeks divided the world into four elements, but American voters seem to have made this presidential
election a choice between just two of them: Water versus Earth.
Look at a national map showing how each county voted, and you see a mostly red expanse except for blue Democratic clusters
along the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the Great Lakes, the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi and other rivers. Look at California
and you see a mostly red state, with the Democrats concentrated along the coast while Republicans dominate the inland counties
on the other side of the mountains.
So, while political analysts have been busy dividing the electorate by race and religion and age, perhaps the United
States electorate is divided by something more elemental: location, between those who live on the water and those who do not.
This pattern can seem, at first glance, like the ancient distinction throughout the world between liberal cosmopolites
and traditionalist farmers. The inlanders have always doubted the morals of merchants in port cities. And the urbanites have
always considered the inlanders backward. One Democratic author, John Sperling, called this election a contest between Metro
and Retro America. But as the election results showed, the water people are not exactly in the vanguard of history, at least
not now, when you consider where people and industries are moving.
While some of the old port cities grew during the stock market boom of the 1990's, since 2000, their population has generally
either been falling (as in Boston, Baltimore, Chicago and San Francisco) or growing relatively slowly (as in New York) in
comparison with places like Fort Worth and Phoenix.
"The new frontier is inland," said Joel Kotkin, a fellow at the New America Foundation and author of of the
forthcoming book, "The City: A Global History." He says that port cities like Boston and San Francisco, and to some
extent New York, have become what he calls "boutique cities" that appeal to the "hipocracy" - the young,
the childless and the affluent in search of quaint neighborhoods and lofts with a view.
"The coastal cities," he said, "have generally been settled longer, and you see a bifurcated pattern in
the real estate: rich neighborhoods with ocean views and poor neighborhoods with closed factories and service workers. The
intelligentsia and the nomadic rich in these coastal cities don't mind the lack of economic growth; in fact, they often fight
growth. But middle-class families are moving to cities and exurbs in the interior."
Of the major cities, the ones with the smallest ratios of children to adults are all on the water: San Francisco, Seattle,
Honolulu, Boston and Portland. "Your hip, well-educated, 20- and 30-somethings come to the great cities to get their
career cards punched and meet mates," said Fred Siegel, a fellow at the Progressive Policy Institute and the author of
"The Prince of the City," a forthcoming book on Rudolph W. Giuliani and New York. "But if they marry and have
children, they tend to leave, unless they're what I call trustafarians - people with a lot of money that was made somewhere
else."
The port cities originally became bastions of the Democratic Party by appealing to upwardly mobile families whose money
came from factory jobs in the booming urban centers. But now that the factories have closed and most new jobs and homes are
being created in the inland suburbs and exurbs, the Democrats living in cities often seem out of touch with middle-class values
and the mainstream economy.
"It used to be that the port cities were a microcosm of America and the suburbs were different," said William
H. Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution. "Now the suburbs are a microcosm and the port cities are different.
They have some minorities, young people there during their single years and the well-educated and well-off elites that can
afford to live in the best cities. That's become the Democratic base.
Meanwhile, the Republicans have been courting the middle classes in the interior, a region with a very different culture
because of both geography and history. Much of it was settled by clans of Scots-Irish fundamentalists whose values and traditions,
like country music, spread from Appalachia throughout the heartland.
Compared with the European Catholics, Jews and WASPs living in port cities, these inlanders were much less likely to
look to union leaders, party bosses or government officials to solve their problems, said James Webb, a former secretary of
the Navy and author of the new book, "Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America."
"The Scots-Irish have historically been against centralization of power," Mr. Webb said. "Scotland was
formed from the bottom up through the clan system and loyalty to local leaders. This culture has always mistrusted elites
and aristocracies. They combine Calvinist religiosity with populism. They're more individualistic and less collectivist than
the immigrants who settled in cities."
Senator John Kerry, the Boston Brahmin and Washington veteran, did not have much luck on Tuesday appealing to the heartland,
but some Democrats say that it's not an impossible feat. After all, the inlanders are being exposed more than ever to cosmopolitan
ideas from the port cities, both through the news media and through the coastal dwellers moving to the interior.
The young urbanites who move out with their families may bring their tolerance for gay rights with them; the Hispanics
and other immigrants moving from the cities to the exurbs may keep their habit of voting Democratic.
But there's also the chance that these migrants will absorb the values of their new neighbors inland. Children and mortgages
can promote Republican values. Latinos living in exurbs or cities like Phoenix tend to vote more Republican than Latinos in
Los Angeles or New York.
"The people who are leaving Los Angeles for Nevada for economic reasons," Dr. Frey said, "will be simpatico
to the conservative portion of the Republican agenda, like lower taxes and more local control. But they'll bring with them
their blue-state social agenda, like support for gun control and gay marriage. That's where the Democrats can make gains."
Mr. Kotkin says there could be a blending of the two cultures in the next generation of inlanders. "They could be
fiscal conservatives with strong family values, but more tolerance for other cultures," he said. "But for the coastal
Democrats to make any inroads, they'll have to stop assuming that anyone in Fargo is an uncultured boob."
Descriptive Essay
Final Outline and Essay Format Rubric
To edit and compose the final draft of your Descriptive Essay Outline, complete the steps below. Then, compose the 1st
Draft and bibliography of your essay.
I. Final Outline
1) Reread pages 51-56 in your MLA Handbook (HW due 11/16)
2) Edit your thesis statement (CW 11/16)
Original:
__________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________
Revised:
__________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________
2) Review your notecards and edit your Working Outline for irrelevant material. (CW 11/6) On the lines provided, list
the editing changes made to your outline:
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__________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
3) Choose an organizing principle for your Final Outline, either deductive or inductive logic. List your choice on the
lines provided. (CW 11/16)
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__________________________________________________
For homework, type your Final Outline (remember to put your revised thesis statement across the top), using the Sentence
Outline format. DUE 11/17
4) Reorder and number your notecards to match the order of your outline.
II. The Essay . . . its parts
1) Reread pages 132-137 in your MLA Handbook (HW due 11/17)
2) Compose the topic/transitional sentences for each body paragraph on the lines provided (CW 11/17):
1st Body Paragraph:
(Sample: Part of Tahiti's fascination is its exotic location.)
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__________________________________________________
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2nd Body Paragraph:
(Sample: Similar to its exotic location, Tahiti's physical and human characteristics make it a compelling island.)
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3rd Body Paragraph
(Sample: Likely related to its human and physical characteristics, the patterns of human movement in Tahiti have been
varied. . . human and environmental interactions in Tahiti have had both positive and negative results.)
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4th Body Paragraph
(Sample: A final geographic feature, Tahiti's region in the world contribute to its fascination as an island country.)
__________________________________________________
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Conclusion
Probably the most effective way to conclude your essay is with an image of the country or a compelling quote about its
geography. Compose a conclusion on the lines provided: (CW 11/17)
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
III. Footnotes
1. Read pages 298-300 and skim through the samples on pages 300-312 (HW DUE 11/18)
2. On the lines provided, complete a footnote for each direct quote you will include in your essay. (CW 11/18)
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IV Bibliography
1. Read pages 144-147 and skim the samples on pages 147, 154,166, 202, and 216-224 (HW DUE 11/19)
2. Record your bibliographic entries on the lines provided. (CW 11/19)
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
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3. Type your bibliography which is the final page of your essay (HW DUE 11/22)
4. Compose the 1st Draft of your Descriptive Essay. Attach to the back, your Final Outline and this handout. The 1st
draft is DUE 11/22
Travels With Charley: In Search of America
In Class Final Project
Complete the following assignments, which will make up the components of a large travel brochure for selected places visited
by Steinbeck and Charley in the novel. The 1st draft of your components are due (801) 11/23, (802) 11/24 at the end of class
1. Select 5 places in the novel that Steinbeck and Charley spent time in (enough time to complete this project)
2. For each place, each student must complete the following:
A) Using your geography skills, describe the place in an extended essay. NOTE: you may need to do some research
for geography information that is not included in the novel.
B) Describe the plot events happening in the place, including who, what, when, why, and how by writing an extended
paragraph.
C) Create an artistic response to the event and place. This is your choice. You may choose to draw a colorful illustration,
write a poem, or complete a comparative reflective extended paragraph.
Ancient Egypt WebQuest
Answer each question by going to the website listed. Be as detailed as possible in your answers, and place this handout
in the Global Studies section of your binder.
Go to the following web site and select FYI and the geography link:
http://www.website1.com/odyssey/week1/home.html
1. What is the relative location of Egypt?
2. Into what two land areas is Egypt separated?
3. List 3 differences between Upper and Lower Egypt.
Select the Sinai link:
4. Describe the geography of the Sinai
Select the Nile link:
5. Explain the source of the Nile, its location and length, and what makes it unique.
Select the Desert link:
6. Which two deserts are located in Egypt? What is the location of each? List a unique geographic feature of each desert.
Go to the following link
http://geography.about.com/library/cia/blc3egyptgeo.html
7. Describe the climate of Egypt.
8. What are some of the natural hazards Egyptians experience?
9. What is the highest and lowest points in Egypt?
Go to the following link:
http://worldfacts.us/Egypt-geography.html
10. Describe the geographic phenomena that is part of Egypt's climate.
Write a reaction to this webquest experience.
Name: _____________________ Humanities
CAP #3
The dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo
Answer the following questions in order to learn about the dictator who ruled the Dominican Republic and to compose your
third persuasive, critical piece. You may refer to the following website to research these questions: http://www.jlhs.nhusd.k12.ca.us/Classes/Social_Science/Latin_America/Dominican_Republic.html
1. What are the affects of a dictatorship?
2. Outline the chronology of the dictatorship of Trujillo (when he took office, how he came to be a dictator, length
of his rule, date of his death)
3. How was the United States an integral part in establishing the dictatorship of Trujillo?
4. Early in his political career, what was the first sign that Trujillo would be a corrupt leader?
5. Detail three examples of Trujillo’s brutal regime.
6. Explain the Luperion Invasion and 14th of June Movement.
7. When and how did Trujillo’s regime begin to weaken
8. Detail the assassination of Rafael Trujillo.
9. Explain the political situation in DR following the assassination of Trujillo.
CAP #3 (1st Draft due 5/5) Who is to blame for the weak political situation that continues in the Dominican Republic
today: early imperialists, corrupt rulers, or the long, brutal dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo?
Name: ______________________ Humanities
In the Time of the Butterflies
Reporters' Cocktail Party
Monday, 4/18, we will have a cocktail party. You will play two roles: first, you will play a character from the novel.
Second, you will act as a reporter, gathering facts and details about another character in the novel that will be at the
cocktail party. Before you can attend the party, you must complete the following:
*Read all of Parts I and II in the novel
*Bring an ethnic snack for the party (mango juice, guava paste, plantains, crackers, etc. NO CHIPS, SODA OR AMERICAN
JUNK FOOD)
*Complete Part I of this handout . . . . describe your character
Part I: Character Description: You may select one of the following characters: Patria, Dede, Minerva, Maria Theresa,
or Trujillo
Selected Character: ______________________________________
Complete the following to gather descriptive details about your character. You will need these details in order to participate
in the cocktail party.
Skim Part I and II of the novel, and select two passages about your character; summarize each. Along with each passage,
copy two quotes about your character.
Skim a section of the novel that is written from the perspective of your character or that gives detailed information
about your character. From this section of the novel, analyze a particular scene, and interpret your character’s
reaction to a situation, or evaluate a decision your character made.
In the space provided, describe your character. List facts about him or her gathered from the novel and through Internet
research.
Finally, write a generalization about your character. Then, write a sentence, using carefully chosen adjectives, to describe
his or her personality.
Example: My teacher, Mrs. Kaplan is extremely organized and demanding of her students. Meticulous, persistent, Mrs.
Kaplan is my humanities teacher.
Part II (Complete 4/18 in class)
At the cocktail party, choose a character and gather information about him/her (obviously, you cannot choose yourself!)
During the party, meet with as many people as possible who have information about your character. As you mingle, gather
specific facts and generalizations that will allow you to write an effective piece about this character.
Character: ___________________________________
Specific Facts and Details
Generalizations
Direct Quotes from the character:
Homework (DUE 4/19): Use the information that you gathered about the character to write a creative one-page (single spaced)
bio or editorial about him/her. The purpose of your piece is to introduce this character to people who don’t know
anything about him/her. Be creative in describing this person!
Dominican Republic Unit
A Flood of Colonizers
Use the Internet to answer the following questions about the early history of the Dominican Republic.
Review a map of the Dominican Republic and Haiti that shows both physical and political features. You will want to know
where the following places are located: Bohoruca Mountains, Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata, Tortuga Island (north of Haiti).
1. Describe the only effective resistance mounted by the Taino Indians following the rule of Nicholas de Ovando.
2. Explain the French interest and exploitation of Hispaniola.
3. When did Haiti rule DR? Explain the events that led to this.
4. When did the Spanish regain control of DR, and how did they conduct their rule this time?
5. Detail the underground resistance group, La Trinitaria
6. What is a caudilos, and who were the two prominent caudilos who competed for control of DR during the 19th century?
7. Who was the first brutal dictator to rule the Dominican Republic? Describe his rule, demise, and the resulting political
situation.
8. How did the United States become part of the political history of DR?
CAP #2: Was the exploitation of the Dominican Republic during its early political history the result of imperialism or
weak political development within the Dominican Republic? Choose a clear position in answering this question. Then TYPE an
extended paragraph to develop your opinion. Your extended paragraph must include a mini-thesis, effective supporting details,
at least TWO direct quotes with informal citation, and an effective concluding sentence. Finally, your extended paragraph
must be carefully proofread for grammar and CARELESS surface errors!
The dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo
Answer the following questions in order to learn about the dictator who ruled the Dominican Republic and to compose your
third persuasive, critical piece. You may refer to the following website to research these questions: http://www.jlhs.nhusd.k12.ca.us/Classes/Social_Science/Latin_America/Dominican_Republic.html
1. What are the affects of a dictatorship?
2. Outline the chronology of the dictatorship of Trujillo (when he took office, how he came to be a dictator, length
of his rule, date of his death)
3. How was the United States an integral part in establishing the dictatorship of Trujillo?
4. Early in his political career, what was the first sign that Trujillo would be a corrupt leader?
5. Detail three examples of Trujillo’s brutal regime.
6. Explain the Luperion Invasion and 14th of June Movement.
7. When and how did Trujillo’s regime begin to weaken
8. Detail the assassination of Rafael Trujillo.
9. Explain the political situation in DR following the assassination of Trujillo.
CAP #3 (1st Draft due 5/5) Who is to blame for the weak political situation that continues in the Dominican Republic
today: early imperialists, corrupt rulers, or the long, brutal dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo?
Name: ______________________ Humanities
Important Upcoming Assignments and Due Dates
Dominican Republic Unit
CAP #3 Who is to blame for the weak political situation that continues in the Dominican Republic today: early imperialists,
corrupt rulers, or the long, brutal dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo? Due 5/5, 1st draft; 5/6 final draft with portfolio.
Dominican Republic Portfolio Due 5/6
Colorful Cover/Title Page
Table of Contents Page
Reflection on Learning
Spanish/Genocide lecture notes
CAP #1 (Were the Spanish and Christopher Columbus guilty of genocide?), 1st and final drafts
Flood of Colonizers handout with completed research
Cap #2 (Was the political history of the Dominican Republic the result of weak internal leaders or imperial powers (Spanish,
French, and United States)
Trujillo handout with completed research
CAP #3: Did circumstances regarding the political history of the Dominican Republic result in the dictatorship of Raphael
Leonidas Trujillo?
Butterflies Cocktail Party handout with completed notes
Character Bio, 1st and final drafts
Dominican Republic Unit Final exam 5/6
Geography
Notes on Cap 1, 2, and 3
In the Time of the Butterflies
Political History Research Paper, 1st Draft 5/9 (elimination round and peer editing will take place)
Japan Cultural History Unit
Geography handout (in class due 5/4)
3 resources (2 books, 1 journal) on the Cultural History of your research country DUE 5/13 (Get to the library!!!!!)
Japan's Archaic Age lecture notes (in class due 5/9 (801), 5/10 (802))
Archaic Age Culture handout (in class due 5/10 (801), 5/11 (802))
The Ronin handout/notes (in class due 5/11 (801, 5/122 (802))
Cultural History Research paper Outline (in class due 5/13)
Archaic Age Cultural History Handout
Use your lecture notes and the Internet to respond to the following questions about the cultural relevance of the Archaic
Age in Japan's history
1.Describe the cultural achievements of the Jomon period (8,000 - 300 BCE). Following your description, sketch an artifact
that is representative of this period.
2.Describe the cultural achievements of the Yayoi Period (300 BCE - 300 AD). Following your description, sketch an artifact
that is representative of this period.
3.Describe the cultural achievements of the Yamoto or Kofun Period (AD 300 - 590). Following your description, sketch
an artifact that is representative of this period.
Archaic Age Cultural History Handout
Use your lecture notes and the Internet to respond to the following questions about the cultural relevance of the Archaic
Age in Japan's history.
1.Describe the cultural achievements of the Jomon period (8,000 - 300 BCE). Following your description, sketch an artifact
that is representative of this period.
2.Describe the cultural achievements of the Yayoi Period (300 BCE - 300 AD). Following your description, sketch an artifact
that is representative of this period.
3.Describe the cultural achievements of the Yamoto or Kofun Period (AD 300 - 590). Following your description, sketch
an artifact that is representative of this period.
The Ronin
Guided Notes for Pages 11-32
1. From whom did the author first hear the legend of the Ronin?
2. To what do you think the poem by Moshi is referring?
3. Why does the description of the Ronin on the first page suggest that he has "earned this"? What has he earned
4. How does the shopkeeper treat the Ronin
5. What do you think "To fear is not to be a coward" means
6. What does the Ronin do to the shopkeepe
7. How does the monk treat the Ronin
8. What do you think the monk meant when he said, "a samurai is not his sword?
9. What does the Ronin do to the monk
10. Before he leaves the village, what is the message given to the Ronin by the boy?
11. Describe the 3 boys who plan to avenge the death of the monk.
12. How does the Ronin treat the people of the next village?
13. What happens when they meet the Ronin by the Bridge of the Gentle River's Passing?
14. What does the Ronin think of the boys' teacher?
Name: _______________________ Humanities
Japan 801/802
Hiroshima Peace Site Analysis Sheet
As we peruse the following website: www.pck.city.hiroshima.jp/peacesite/, complete the following responses.
STAGE ONE
Poem
1. Write a response to the poem at the beginning of this part of the site.
A-Bomb Dome
2. Originally a commercial exhibition hall used to develop culture and industry in Hiroshima, how did its intended goal
become a tragic reality? How is the dome an example of true Japanese culture?
Remaining Three Testimony Files
3. Select one of the testimony files. Respond to it by briefly describing it and explaining its impact on you.
The Dropping of the Bomb
4. What were the three reasons the U.S. stated in deciding to use the bomb on Japan? Why was Hiroshima selected for
the A-Bomb?
Order to Drop the Bomb
5. Reread point three. Do you think the U.S. government was censoring the news at this time? If so, do you think it
was justified?
Damage Done
6. Select one of the links on the top of this area. List the facts about the damage. Then, beneath your facts, write
a personal reaction.
STAGE TWO
Poem
7. Are the two conditions detailed in the poem being followed today? Support your answer with a specific example of
where the conditions either are or are not being followed. Then, add a condition of your own.
Nuclear Weapons Timeline
8. When nuclear weapons peaked, how many warheads were there?
9. What recent events are missing from this timeline that would drastically change it?
Disarmament
10. How many countries have signed the NPT?
11. Which two countries did not sign the NPT?
12. What area in the world feels compelled to acquire nuclear weapons and why?
13. Does the need to acquire nuclear weapons make sense? Why/why not?
Nuclear Free Zones
14. What is a nuclear free zone, and which areas on the globe are nuclear free zones?
15. Where would you live, if you wanted to live in a nuclear free zone?
16. If you were to add one more region to the nuclear free zone, which would you select and why?
Name: ___________________________ Humanities
Japan 801/802
Hiroshima and September 11, 2001 Declaration of Peace
To complete your response to the events of Hiroshima and your experience on September 11, 2001, complete the following
writing activity, first with a partner then with a group of 4, including yourself.
Declaration of Peace
Using the declaration of peace written by Tadatoshi Akiba, Mayor of the city of Hiroshima, write your own declaration
of peace. Follow the rubric below to compose your declaration.
Paragraph One
Reread Tadtoshi's first paragraph. Compose yours similar to his, stating how long it has been since September 11, 2001.
Then, briefly describe the aftermath of the attack on the Trade Towers and your experience of that day.
Paragraph Two
Reread paragraphs 2 and 3 of the Peace Declaration. In your opinion, discuss the events that have occurred since September
11, such as the invasion of Iraq and the continued lose of life due to the initial attack. What are your feelings about attacking
after having been attacked?
Paragraph Three
Reread paragraphs 4 and 5 of the Declaration. With your partner, detail an action plan that you would want to pursue
right now. What would you do to end the war and the use of weapons in Iraq. What are your goals for bringing peace in the
world?
Final Paragraph
Reread the last paragraph of the Declaration. Compose your own pledge for bringing an end to WMDs and war.
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