HISTORY JOURNALS
The purpose of this journal is to record your world and American History over the course of the semester. Each week you will be asked to record history for yourself and something big that is happening this week. The journal’s purpose is to help you reflect over your success or challenges during the term and to also pay attention to what is happening in your country at the same time. This assignment represents 5% of your final grade. Each of the weekly journals is worth 10 points maximum.
Each week students will be asked to address current events in the news and about themselves. This is a two part assignment. The first part of the assignment is worth five points and the second part is worth five points as well.
- Did anything significant (perhaps historic) happen this week from the first day of the week beginning Sunday-Saturday in national or international news? The focus should largely be on the US. Please do not use yourself, family members, or friends unless what has happened is in fact headline news. Please provide what happened, who was involved, where, and when details as well. Please provide the source of this information with the website address, website name, article title, date, author. Please explain in the topic in at least a four sentence length paragraph or more.
- The remainder of this question deals with you and how things are going with you. Please write a brief summary that addresses all of the following. Has this been a great, good, average, stressful, challenging, or some other type of week for you? Did you experience success this week-in school, at work, with family, etc.? Are you keeping up with the demands in your life? Do you need additional support that the college might help you- such as academically, counseling, advising, etc.Are you affected by COVID-19? If yes, please explain how.
- Please be mindful that you do not repeat the same answers for each question or weekly. If none of the questions apply to you, please explain. This is a simple assignment that asks students to assess their balance between school and personal lives.
The goal of this assignment is two-fold. The first is for you to pay attention to how history is unfolding on a daily basis. The second goal of this assignment is for students to reflect on the good and bad in their lives. Like the people in the primary documents whom you will read about, you each have a perspective and a history. Living in the midst of a pandemic can be stressful and it is helpful to jot down what you are experiencing. The assignment is not meant to be intrusive but an instrument for reflection. Deeply personal events do not have to be shared. However, students can use this as a means to ask for help when it is necessary. This assignment should be typed, written in full sentences and submitted by the required deadline.
Grading Rubric
Original Answer 10-9 points -Addresses significant points about the question
8-5 points-Addresses some or most of the important points about a question but misses a few relevant points or displays errors in grammar or spelling
4-1 points-Barely addresses the questions, is unclear, and/or displays poor grammar or spelling
0 points-Lacks focus about the topic, contains poor grammar or spelling, uses material from other students.