MPB Jr High History

History - Social Studies- Geography

COUNTRY PROJECT

This project is part of the special projects and activities category of your history grade. Instead of doing one long research project all at once, students will be taking the whole year to research one country. On note cards, I have put one country name. On August 22, each student will draw a card. The students will have until August 27 to trade with any sixth, seventh or eighth grader. On the 27th every student must return a country card, after writing their name and class on it. This will be a grade so if they do not have a card they will get a zero. Eighth graders will be given the opportunity to request specific a country. To do this they must put the request in writing. In no more than four sentences they must explain why they want that country. The request must be turned in by August 22. Each quarter there will be special assignments to do about their country.

Students will be given specific topics to research and write a structured plans or outlines and short reports about their country. They must attempt to make the reports two to five pages in length; however, I know it is sometimes difficult to find that much information on some countries. Quality not Quantity is the rule. I will have required information listed to find, if the report has only the requested data your grade can be no higher than an 85%. I will try to suggest items that can be used as extra credit topics. Students may also include other information that fits with each report’s specific topic.

“Plagiarizing, cheating and/or copying on any assignment, test, or quiz will result in a zero on the assignment (may affect your grade) and being put on a behavior contract. If a student makes the choice to do any one of these again more sever consequences will be enforced. For more information check the addenda to the Handbook.”

Embassy letter – Sept. 7	Geography Outline / Plan– Sept 14
Geography Report - Sept 28	Timeline - Oct 9
History Outline / Plan– Oct 22	History Report - Nov 5
Economic Outline / Plan -Nov 27	Economic report – Dec. 14
Government report – Outline / Plan Jan. 14	Government Report - Feb 4
Culture Outline / Plan - Feb 19	Culture report – March 6

You may earn 10 extra credit points if you turn a report in one week before the due date. The timeline is not included in this. The requirements for all the reports are attached. I suggest you keep these papers in your geography folder.

First Quarter Country Projects

Embassy letter (9/7)
You will write a letter to the embassy of the country to which you have been assigned. In class, you will be giving directions on typing a block style business letter. Your country’s embassy address can be found in an almanac or on the Internet. If you have a problem finding the address, talk to Ms. Meissen. The contents of your letter should include some of the information you would like to receive from the embassy. Information on travel needs, places to visit, history, and government are possible items of information you could ask to receive.

This is for a grade so you must follow the directions I will give you in class and on this paper.

Specifics
-- The letter must be typed in block style business form
-- Give Ms. Meissen two copies of the letter by September 8
-- Hand in a business size stamped envelope addressed to your embassy

One copy of the letter will be graded. If there are any errors, you will need to make the corrections. Once the letter and the envelope are completed Ms. Meissen will return them to you so you can mail the letter.

Geography Wise Report – due Oct. 9
Required information for the Geography Wise report is as follows:

Physical features – mountains, rivers etc.
Name some specific features
Climate – give some specifics
Size, neighbors, continent
Latitude and longitude
Natural resources, native vegetation (NOT CROPS)

Remember to ask if you can’t find something, I am very willing to help you.

SECOND QUARTER COUNTRY REPORTS

All special country reports must be typed (font choices -- Tahoma, times new roman or courier new) and done in proper composition form ---- double spaced, with 1 inch margins, font of 10, or 12 no bold print. You must have at least 3 different references and one must be a book. You must have a title page that includes your name and class. A bibliography is required; I will not grade your paper without one.

TIME LINE (OCT. 9) CREATE A TIME LINE, PLEASE USE AN ORIGINAL IDEA. YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST 25 HISTORICAL DATES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOUR COUNTRY. THESE DATES MAY BE BATTLES, NATURAL DISASTERS AND OTHER EVENTS. START WITH PREHISTORIC TIMES AND GO TO THE PRESENT. YOUR COUNTRY MAY HAVE BECOME AN INDEPENDENT NATION RECENTLY, BUT THE AREA IT OCCUPIES HAS BEEN THERE FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS; SO, YOU NEED TO INCLUDE HISTORICAL EVENTS THAT HAPPENED BEFORE THE COUNTRY BECAME AN INDEPENDENT NATION. REMEMBER TO KEEP YOUR NOTES FROM YOUR TIMELINE TO USE ON YOU HISTORY PAPER.

HISTORY WISE OUTLINE OR STRUCTURED PLAN --- 10/22

HISTORY WISE REPORT(11/5) THIS IS TO BE A SHORT HISTORY OF YOUR COUNTRY. IT SHOULD INCLUDE THE INFORMATION YOU USED TO PREPARE YOUR TIMELINE (PREHISTORIC TIMES, HISTORICAL EVENTS AND PEOPLE). REMEMBER TO INCLUDE BATTLES, NATURAL DISASTERS, AND OTHER EVENTS. THIS PAPER MUST BE AT LEAST 2 FULL PAGES AND NO MORE THAN 5 PAGES. YOU SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST 5 IMPORTANT PEOPLE AND 25 EVENTS.

ECONOMIC WISE OUTLINE OR STRUCTURED PLAN --- 11/27

THE REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR THIS REPORT:

IMPORTS AND AMOUNT SPENT
EXPORTS AND AMOUNT RECEIVED
TRADE PARTNERS
GDP --- GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT
PER CAPITA GDP
MONETARY UNIT (CURRENCY)
EXCHANGE RATE TO U.S. DOLLARS
INDUSTRIES, MINING, CROPS AND LIVESTOCK

EXTRA INFO IDEAS:

RESOURCES, BUDGET, GOLD RESERVES, CONSUMER PRICES, LABOR FORCE, ETC.
TRY FOR 2 PAGES BUT REMEMBER QUALITY NOT QUANTITY IS IMPORTANT.
IF YOU GIVE ONLY THE REQUIRED INFORMATION YOU CAN’T GET BETTER THAN AN 85%.

THIRD QUARTER

COUNTRY REPORTS

GOVERNMENT OUTLINE OR STRUCTURED PLAN --- 1/14

GOVERNMENT WISE REPORT ---- DUE FEBRUARY 4

THE REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR THIS REPORT:

TYPE OF GOVERNMENT
HEAD OF STATE AND HOW LONG THEY HAVE BEEN IN OFFICE
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT AND HOW LONG THEY HAVE BEEN IN OFFICE
DO THEY HAVE (IF SO GIVE AN EXPLANATION OR DESCRIPTION)
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
JUDICIAL BRANCH
WHO CAN VOTE (AGE, GENDER, ETC)
WHEN DO THEY VOTE
HOW OFTEN ARE ELECTIONS HELD

EXTRA INFO IDEAS:

DEFENSE INFO, LOCAL DIVISIONS, TROOPS, ETC.

CULTURE WISE (March 2) THIS IS A REPORT ABOUT YOUR COUNTRIES CULTURE. YOU MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: NATIVE TYPES OF ART, NATIVE LITERATURE, NATIVE MUSIC (INSTRUMENTS, STYLE), TRADITIONAL CLOTHING, LIFE EXPECTANCY, LITERACY RATE, RELIGIONS, LANGUAGE, AND ETHNIC GROUPS. (QUALITY NOT QUANTITY)

TRY FOR 2 PAGES BUT REMEMBER QUALITY NOT QUANTITY IS IMPORTANT.

IF YOU GIVE ONLY THE REQUIRED INFORMATION YOU CAN’T GET BETTER THAN AN 85%.

CULTURE WISE OUTLINE OR STRUCTURED PLAN --- 2/19

CULTURE WISE REPORT (March 6)
THIS IS A REPORT ABOUT YOUR COUNTRIES CULTURE. YOU MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: NATIVE TYPES OF ART, NATIVE LITERATURE, NATIVE MUSIC (INSTRUMENTS, STYLE), TRADITIONAL CLOTHING, LIFE EXPECTANCY, LITERACY RATE, RELIGIONS, LANGUAGE, AND ETHNIC GROUPS. (QUALITY NOT QUANTITY)

TRY FOR 2 PAGES BUT REMEMBER QUALITY NOT QUANTITY IS IMPORTANT.

IF YOU GIVE ONLY THE REQUIRED INFORMATION YOU CAN’T GET BETTER THAN AN 85%.

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