Suggested project assignments are given below. For your convenience, pre-made Dropbox content items are provided for each of these assignments in the "More Resources" area if you wish to collect student submissions from LaunchPad.
Project Assignment #1. All of these documents offer a different view or experience of the California gold rush. To varying degrees, they also demonstrate how the gold rush held meaning on different geographic “scales” of history: the local story of miners on a river, the national story of a U.S. president announcing a major gold strike, and the trans-Pacific story of Chinese miners and Hawaiian monarchs. Please construct a series of fictional journal entries in which your character/writer reflects on individuals or events that demonstrate these different scales of history.
Project Assignment #2. How would you use digital media to represent the California gold rush? Please use the available online resources (maps, drawings, photographs, newspaper headlines) and prepare a digital presentation for your fellow students. Your presentation should demonstrate the historical evolution of gold rush California during the first five years (1848-1853).
Rubric for Grading Essay-Based Assignments & Source Information
| Excellent | Very Good | Satisfactory | Fair | Poor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Use of Evidence | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Evaluation of Evidence | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Clarity of Argument | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Quality of Writing | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Standards for Superior Work (5)
Use of Evidence: Primary source information used to buttress every point with at least one example.
Evaluation of Evidence: Recognizes that there are gaps in the historical record and missing evidence and may on occasion turn the missing evidence to the argument’s advantage. Is able to construct of clear, well-organized.
Clarity of Argument: Answer/essay has a clear, well-articulated, and appropriate thesis. Excellent integration of quoted material into sentences.
Quality of Writing: Answer/essay is well written in complete sentences with subject/verb agreement. If a longer essay, each paragraph contains a topic sentence, followed by supporting evidence, and ending with a summary sentence. Transitions between paragraphs are appropriate and clear. The answer/essay is generally free from spelling and grammatical errors.
Standards for Above Average Work (4)
Use of Evidence: Examples used to support most points. Some evidence does not support point, or may appear where inappropriate.
Evaluation of Evidence: Appreciates gaps in the evidence or missing evidence but has difficulty in handling missing or incomplete evidence.
Clarity of Argument: Answer/essay has an appropriate thesis but its articulation is confusing and/or vague. Quotations well integrated into sentences.
Quality of Writing: Answer/essay is generally well-written and easy to follow. Paragraphs may not always contain a clear topic sentence and transitions may sometimes be lacking. The answer/essay may contain a few spelling and grammatical errors.
Standards for Average “Needs Help” Work (3)
Use of evidence: Examples used to support some points, but other points lack supporting evidence, or evidence used where inappropriate.
Evaluation of Evidence: Has problems with incomplete or missing evidence and tends to ignore evidentiary gaps. At times, attempts to fill the gaps with unwarranted speculation or unsupported arguments.
Clarity of Argument: The answer/essay lacks a clear thesis or has one that is inappropriate to the topic. Quotes may be poorly integrated into sentences.
Quality of Writing: Many paragraphs lack a clear topic sentence, and transitions are often weak. There are a number of places where word choice is weak and subject and verbs to not always agree. There may be more than a few spelling and grammatical errors.
Standards for “Really Needs A Lot of Help” Work (2)
Use of Evidence: Very few or very weak examples. General failure to support statements or evidence seems to support no statement.
Evaluation of Evidence: Does not see gaps in evidence or appreciate missing evidence. Attempts to “fill” lacunae with “manufactured” evidence or engages in wild speculation.
Clarity of Argument: The answer/essay has no thesis. Quotes are not integrated in any way as to be effective.
Quality of Writing: Writing is weak with many grammatical and spelling errors.
Failing or “Crash and Burn” Work (1)
There have been minimal effort and no real understanding of the assignment.