The Culminating Task

The West and the World (CHY4U):

Culminating Task (30%)

The Big Idea:  

Since the 16th century, the West has influenced the globe.

For the culminating task, you will analyse historic and contemporary issues to complete the following task:

Carefully predict the influence of the Western world in the next decade.  
For your prediction, you must use historical knowledge, available evidence, inference and logic.

Over the next twelve class periods, you will research and write an in-depth blog post completing the above task.

Your analysis needs to include:

Clear main idea
Clear supporting ideas
Analysis of the supporting ideas
Images and/or Videos
Counter-argument
In-text (parenthetical) citations
Works Cited

You will publish your blog post here: chy4u1.blogspot.ca

The blog needs to be posted by Wednesday, January 23, 2013 at 11:59pm.  You will submit your works cited during the exam time.  

On Friday, January 25, 2013, you will go to the library for the regularly scheduled exam.  During the exam period, you will intelligently and thoroughly respond to two of your classmates’ blog posts.  Your responses will be assessed as part of the culminating task.  You will also complete a debrief, as you’ve done after every task.



Sample Contemporary Issues:

Islamic Fundamentalism
Debt Crisis
Weapons of Mass Destruction
Feminism
Free Trade
Middle East
Theocracy
Effectiveness of the United Nations
Terrorism
Famine in Africa
Decolonization
Arab Spring
Global Warming
Occupy Wall Street
Globalization

This list is not exhaustive.  

Blog Response Rubric

Criteria	1--Beginning	2--Developing	3--Proficient	4--Advanced
Ideas and Content Did I convey a clear point, stay on topic and provide evidence?	My responses are stated, but they are underdeveloped. My responses lack supporting details.	My topic is stated and I present the main ideas to support the topic. My responses are stated and supporting details are limited.	My responses are developed in a clear and focused manner. My responses are adequately developed using supporting details.	My responses are presented in a clear, focused manner that demonstrates knowledge and understanding. My responses are strongly supported with details appropriate for the target audience and topic.
Language Did my language support my message?	My language was unclear and lacks a connection to topic, purpose, and/or audience.	My language is basic and may lack a connection to the topic, purpose, and/or audience.	My language is clear and appropriate for the topic, purpose and audience.	My language is powerful and adds to the audience's understanding of my response.

Product Rubric

Criteria	1--Beginning	2--Developing	3--Proficient	4--Advanced
Ideas and Content Did I convey a clear point, stay on topic and provide evidence?	My topic is stated, but the main ideas are underdeveloped. My main ideas lack supporting details.	My topic is stated and I present the main ideas to support the topic. My main ideas are stated and supporting details are limited.	My topic and main ideas are developed in a clear and focused manner. My main ideas are adequately developed using supporting details.	My topic and main ideas are presented in a clear, focused manner that demonstrates knowledge and understanding. My main ideas are strongly supported with details appropriate for the target audience and topic.
Language Did my language support my message?	My language was unclear and lacks a connection to topic, purpose, and/or audience.	My language is basic and may lack a connection to the topic, purpose, and/or audience.	My language is clear and appropriate for the topic, purpose and audience.	My language is powerful and adds to the audience's understanding of the topic.
Organization Was my product easy to follow?	My product's organization was hard to follow.	My product's organization lacks purpose and development.	My product's organization is appropriate for my topic and purpose.	My product's organization adds to my meaning.
Images Did my images support my message?	My images are unrelated to the topic, are inappropriate, or distract from the presentation.	My images relate to the topic, but generally do not add to my message.	My images relate to my topic and support my message.	My images relate to  my topic and support my message to add further detail.
References Were my references reliable, varied and cited properly?	My references are unreliable, repetitive and/or cited improperly.	My references are generally unreliable, repetitive and/or cited improperly.	My references are reliable, generally varied and generally cited properly.	My references are reliable, varied and cited properly.

Debrief

“a series of questions about a completed mission or undertaking” (dictionary.com)

Goal:
-To learn from our assignments, so that we can improve our understanding for future tasks, in school and beyond.

1. Review the rubric.  Did you complete all requirements?  If some requirements are incomplete, do not hand in the assignment.  You must complete all requirements.


2. How did you use the work periods provided to complete the task? How will you use work periods in the future?





3. How did you organize your time outside of the class to complete the assignment?  Do you need to organize your time differently for future assignments?






4. How long did each part of the task take you complete?  Did you rush through any part to “just get the task done”?






5. How did you perform the research to complete the task?  What difficulties did you encounter?





6. How did you respond to your classmates’ blog posts?  Did you take time to think about what they were saying?  Did you challenge their thinking?  Did they challenge your thinking?