Historians Exploring Realities of Settling Explanatory Task

Your grade level is participating in a multimedia history fair entitled America through the ages. Your class is preparing a presentation on the realities of settlement. While preparing for the fair, you come across several different articles and primary sources.

After you have reviewed these sources, you will answer some questions. Briefly scan the sources and the question(s) based on the article. Then go back and read the sources carefully so you will have the information you will need to answer the questions and complete your research. You may use scratch paper to take notes.

In Part 2, you will write an explanatory paper using the information you have read.

Your Assignment:

Now that you have completed the research for your presentation on the realities of settlement, your teacher has assigned you with the task of writing an explanatory article about settlement in America for the presentation. The audience for your article will be the students, teachers, and parents attending the Academic Fair.

Using more than one source, develop a thesis/controlling statement to explain the realities of settlement in America. Once you have a thesis/controlling statement, select the most relevant information from more than one source to support your thesis/controlling idea. Then, write a multi-paragraph explanatory article explaining your thesis/controlling idea. Clearly organize your article and elaborate your ideas. Unless quoting directly from the sources, use your own words. Be sure to reference the source title or number when quoting or paraphrasing details or facts from sources.

Explanatory Article Scoring:

Your explanatory article will be scored using the following:

1. Organization/purpose: How well did you state your thesis/controlling idea, and maintain your thesis/controlling idea with a logical progression of ideas from beginning to end? How well did you narrow your thesis/controlling idea so you can develop and elaborate the conclusion? How effective was your introduction and your conclusion?

2. Evidence/elaboration:How well did you integrate relevant information from the sources? How well did you elaborate your ideas? How well did you clearly state ideas using precise language that is appropriate for your audience and purpose?

3. Conventions: How well did you follow the rules of grammar usage, punctuation, capitalization and spelling?

Now begin work on your explanatory article. Manage your time carefully so that you can

• Plan your multi-paragraph explanatory article.
• Write your multi-paragraph explanatory article.
• Revise and edit the final draft of your multi-paragraph explanatory article.

Word-processing tools and spell check are available to you.

For Part 2, you are being asked to write a multi-paragraph explanatory article, so please be as thorough as possible. Type your response in the space provided. The box will expand as you type.

Remember to check your notes and your prewriting/planning as you write and then revise and edit your explanatory article.