Freedom Final Project 11th Grade US History We have spent the last two weeks looking into the

e fight for African-American civil rights taken on by white politicians through laws and policy, and from black Americans and their allies, using nonviolent resistance and forcing change through agitation and collective action. Demonstrations, marches, sit-ins and mass meetings were brought together through the power of sermons, chants, and songs, and poets and musicians responded to the turbulence and violence of the times with powerful expressions of solidary and pain. For your final project, you will be working either individually or in groups of 2 or 3 to research and analyze one song or poem of your choosing. These songs and poems can be found at http://keithahn.omeka.net. You may choose a song or poem that we have already heard in class or you may choose a text that we have not yet heard. If there is another text you would prefer to research, please ask! This final project has TWO parts: ONE: You must create a presentation on PowerPoint or Prezi (or another resource, if you prefer) with the following characteristics:

1. 5-10 slides, with song clip/poem included

2. Biographical information about the artist 3. Any necessary background information necessary to understand the context of the song/poem you chose to analyze 4. Selected lyrics/words from the piece you chose 5. Recommended: Pictures of the artist, the context, etc. that may make your presentation more engaging 6. Please remember that PowerPoint presentations are a way of guiding and arranging your thoughts. You do not need to stuff them with text, and then proceed to read from the PowerPoint. Rather, use bullet points, pictures, dates, etc. as a way of leading your presentation and helping your fellow students take useful notes. TWO: You must write a short reflection paper (1-2 pages) addressing particular points of interest to you from the text, and offer some reflection on how you felt when listening to a song or reading a poem. You will need to include some of this personal response in your spoken presentation. Though research can be done in groups, especially for those who are studying the same artist, this final reflection paper must be completed by each student.

NOTE: This project is worth 120 points, and will make up a large portion of your grade for this semester. A grading rubric will be handed out, so that you are aware of my expectations.

Freedom Final Project 11th Grade US History GRADING RUBRIC Does not meet expectations 10 points Student neglects to include information about the song/poem and the artist Student makes no connection to the Civil Rights movement, or to US history in presentation Student struggles to present material clearly, may mumble or stumble over material Approaches expectations 20 points Students addresses some aspects of the artists biography within the slides Student may make connections, but does not go far enough, or supplies misinformation Students spoken performance is not reliable, may use time poorly or have trouble with descriptions or explanations Student makes an attempt to personalize their response, but is not successful; or student does not demonstrate a mastery of spelling and grammar usage Meets expectations 25 points Student supplies relevant information and slides are relatively clear Exceeds expectations 30 points Information is perfectly presented and slides are engaging

PowerPoint/Pr ezi slides; specific information about artist

PowerPoint/Pr ezi slides; Relation to Civil Rights movement as a whole, context Spoken presentation; clarity and purpose within

Student ties text to correct event, but could demonstrate a more complex understanding Student speaks well and has no major troubles, but may need to improve slightly in tone, speed, or word choice

Student draws connections to historical record and immediate events leading up to the writing of the text Student speaks with confidence and clarity and is able to respond to student questions without trouble Student is able to use his/her grammar skills and proper spelling to engage the reader in an opinionated and personal take on the text

Written response; connection to the material, demonstration of deeper understanding

Response does not draw connections to students own experiences; does not demonstrate proper spelling or grammar skills

Student is able to use personal language effectively and has adequate spelling and grammar skills, but could have edited more effectively

Possible Total: 120 points

Freedom Final Project 11th Grade US History EXTRA CREDIT This extra credit will be based, again, on the materials for your final project, but will allow for creative expression along the lines of this material. You may:

1. Compose a poem using one of the source texts as a style guide. You do not have to
reproduce the style perfectly, just use the meter and design as suggestions. Your poem should either be a response to the material we covered in the unit, or be related to an injustice that you currently see in our society. If you would like to perform the poem for your classmates, we will make time for that, but if not, these poems will be seen only by me, so you should feel free to be as personal as you wish with the material.

2. Adapt some of the call-and-response or more formalized song structures to reflect

your opinions about the state of civil rights within the Unites States or in ChampaignUrbana and explain why you made the changes you did.

a. For example, which politicians, laws, social groups, etc. would you substitute
in this verse from Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round?: Ain't let segregation turn me 'round, Turn me 'round, turn me 'round. Ain't gonna let segregation turn me 'round, I'm gonna keep on a-walkin', keep on a-talkin'. Marchin' on to freedom land 3. Write a short proposal, or talk with me after class, about an assignment of your own design that you believe will fit into the Freedom unit, and we can work together to make sure your idea will count for extra credit points.

HAVE FUN!!!