Mid-­Pacific Institute, MPX9 Humanities Course
Instructor: Ms. Heather Calabro WWII Biographical Timeline project
What is a biographical timeline? A biographical timeline is an explanation through the eyes of the person that influenced the event, in sequential order. We will be working as a class to timeline the 30 (one per student) most important events of World War II. However, our timeline will be different from most students’ work in the sense that we will timeline the war through the eyes of the people who greatly influenced each one of those 30 events. Core concepts targeted through this project include but are not limited to: ● Effective written communication ● Analyzing information ● Planning, drafting, and revising ● Use of words with precision and accuracy ● Adaptability ● WWII knowledge base ● MLA formatting To create this project, you will complete the following steps-­ all of which will be part of your grade because the process is just as important as the outcome: ● Gain a general knowledge of WWII ● Research your specific event ● Create an MLA-­formatted works cited page ● Draft an outline, and a rough draft ● Practice peer feedback and revision ● Learn the basics of ceramic art ● Create a finalized draft with MLA-­formatted citations ● Use technology to create a QR code to link to our class’ timeline website ● Assemble the final product: an outdoor gallery ● Write a reflection essay Part 1: Build a general knowledge base about WWII by reading and annotating the WWII timeline your teacher has provided you. Part 2: Pick your event. Research your event, and find a person that was greatly involved in that event. Research your chosen person, using a minimum of 3 credible sources, and keep good notes on all of your research findings. Part 3: Using easybib.com, create an MLA-­formatted works cited page with ALL of the sources you use for this project. Part 4: Draft an outline of 10 points regarding how the person you chose influenced your event. Pay attention to your grammar and punctuation, flow/order, use your own words, and be sure to keep in mind that you are informing your audience member who may have no prior WWII knowledge. Part 5: Provide peer feedback on a classmate’s outline, checking their work for the graded elements mentioned in Part 4. Make revisions to your outline based on the peer feedback you received for your outline. Using your revised outline, create a rough draft, keeping it to 15 sentences or less! Again, pay attention to your grammar and punctuation, flow/order, use your own words, and be sure to keep in mind that you are informing your audience member who may have no prior WWII knowledge. Part 6: Provide peer feedback on a classmate’s rough draft, checking their work for the graded elements mentioned in Part 5. Using the peer feedback, write a finalized draft, keeping it to 15 sentences or less and paying attention to the graded elements mentioned in Part 5, omitting the chosen person’s name. Turn this draft into your teacher for grading and editing. Part 7: Visit the ceramics lab during class time. Listen carefully to your teacher’s instructions. You will use a machine called an extruder to create a cylinder of clay. Then, you will attach a slab of clay for a base to your cylinder. You will cut a hole in the base of your cylinder for hanging purposes. You will paint your cylinder with a colored clay mixture called slip. You will carve your graded draft into the cylinder, omitting the chosen person’s name. The ceramics instructor will fire your cylinder in the kiln. You will then glaze your cylinder and it will again be fired in the kiln. Part 8: Using your graded draft, you will finalize it using MLA-­formatted in-­text citations, and include the name of the person. You will also include your MLA-­formatted works cited page from easybib.com in this final draft. You will submit this to your teacher for grading. Part 9: Your teacher will create a googlesite with all of your finalized drafts. This way, there will be one comprehensive web address with the entire class’ work together. However, each student’s work will be on a different tab, and therefore have its own web address. You will use that web address and create a QR code. We will print the QR codes, laminate them, and hang them from your ceramic pieces. This will allow timeline visitors to view your citations, and also see if they correctly guessed your chosen person! Part 10: We will take our ceramic pieces and hang them in a clothes line format. We will display this unique timeline in a public place on campus. We will have an explanation of the “gallery” and instructions for passer-­bys to read the vases and try to guess the name of the person who is being referenced, then to scan the QR code to find out the answer. Our ceramic biographical timeline becomes an interactive “game” for all that walk by it. We will encourage other history classes to visit our gallery as well as invite administrators, and the Hawaii Council for Humanities. Written Reflection: First, look through the bulleted concepts carefully (or think about other skills that may not be listed here) and pick THREE that you sharpened or gained throughout this project, including: ● Effective written communication ● Analyzing information ● Planning, drafting, and revising ● Use of words with precision and accuracy ● Adaptability ● WWII knowledge base ● MLA formatting Second, write a minimum 350 word reflection essay explaining: a. which 3 concepts you improved significantly on, or gained b. specifically how you improved/gained c. what you enjoyed or are proud of, and what you wish you could have done differently. Third, post this essay in your blog with the title: Date. Humanities. WWII Timeline Project Reflection. You will be graded based on: your ability to accurately identify 3 concepts you acquired, your inclusion of DETAILS as evidence of your concept gains, meeting the length requirement, timely completion, effort, and your insightfulness.