English 9/10: For 40 points (40% of your final exam grade) complete this one five-paragraph essay.
Both Edgar Allan Poe and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in The
Little Prince explore how feelings we experience about losing someone close
to us. Alfred Lord Tennyson, a
nineteenth century British poet, tells us, “'Tis better to have loved and lost
/ Than never to have loved at all.” Do
you agree with this?
Plan and write a five paragraph essay in which you address
this idea, using examples from our readings and your own life/observations.
RUBRIC: For full credit, you must do the following for 10 points
each:
- organize
your thoughts in a coherent form with an introduction, conclusion, and
mostly proper spelling, capitalization, and grammar.
- connect
evidence from one or more of Edgar Allan Poe’s works to your thesis.
- connect
evidence from The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry to your
thesis.
- connect evidence from your own experiences/observations/study to your thesis
English 11/12: For 25 points (25% of your final exam grade) complete this one essay (note, it should probably be two or three paragraphs long)
Respond to the following prompt on a separate piece of
paper:
- Pretend
that you are writing for an audience of people who do not know very much
about the alternative program, but have some influence over its direction
(like the principal or the superintendent). Describe the program as it currently
is. Is this a
good/worthwhile/effective program?
Why or why not? What could
be improved next year (please offer some specific suggestions).
- Organization:
Intro, body, conclusion that connects and transitions: 5
points
- Description
of current program: 5
points
- Opinion
of current program with support: 5
points
- Suggestions
for the future/next year: 5
points
- Overall
readability: flow, word choice, style, and mechanics: 5 points
World Studies: For 30 points total (30% of your grade), complete THREE (10 points each) of the following essays (note, they should be at least one complete paragraph each).
a. Compare
and contrast the reasons behind the rise and fall of an empire we have studied
with the rise and potential fall of the United States. In what ways is the US similar /
different? Be sure to use specific
examples to support your comparisons.
b. Explain the impact geography has had on the
development of the world. Use specific
examples from ancient or modern times to show these impacts.
c. Compare
and contrast two of the world’s great religions. Use specific examples to explain their
origins, beliefs, and practices.
d. Explain
ways in which religious conflict has been evident historically and / or
today. Choose three different examples
and explain the causes / effects of each.
e. Choose a
person from history and evaluate his / her importance both during the time in
which he/she lived and the impact they had on the future. Use specific examples to show the ways the
significance of this person and the legacy they left. Is this an overall positive or negative
legacy?
f. Choose an
invention or idea from world history.
Discuss what factors helped lead to this creation and how it changed the
world using facts and details from class.
g. How has
cultural diffusion affected the development of civilization throughout the
world. Use examples from ancient and/or
modern societies to show.
RUBRIC
· 10 points = Student clearly answers all parts of the prompt, providing multiple specific and relevant examples from his/her studies and/or observations. Writing has a clear introduction (thesis in which an original argument is asserted), body, and conclusion.
· 9 points = Student clearly attempts to answer all parts of the prompt, providing some specific and relevant evidence from his/her studies and/or observations. Writing has a clear introduction (thesis), body, and conclusion.
· 8 points = Student answers most parts of the prompt, providing relevant evidence from his/her studies and/or observations. Writing has a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.
· 7 points = Student attempts to answer the main part of the prompt, providing somewhat relevant evidence from his/her studies and/or observations. Writing has a clear introduction and body.
· 1-6 points = Student’s answer lacks clarity and/or organization discussed above.
Civics: For 20 points total (20% of your grade), complete TWO (10 points each) of the following essays (note, they should be at least one complete paragraph each).
- Compare and contrast the two major parties in U.S. politics. Give at least three major differences between these two parties. Tell which party you tend to agree with more and explain why.
- Describe the different parts of the Constitution and the information included in each part.
- Describe two of the compromises in ratifying the Constitution. Explain both sides and what was finally agreed upon for each.
- What is the concept of “checks and balances”? What is the concept of “separation of powers”? Give an example of each and connect at least one to the concept of federalism
RUBRIC
· 10 points = Student clearly answers all parts of the prompt, providing multiple specific and relevant examples from his/her studies and/or observations. Writing has a clear introduction (thesis in which an original argument is asserted), body, and conclusion.
· 9 points = Student clearly attempts to answer all parts of the prompt, providing some specific and relevant evidence from his/her studies and/or observations. Writing has a clear introduction (thesis), body, and conclusion.
· 8 points = Student answers most parts of the prompt, providing relevant evidence from his/her studies and/or observations. Writing has a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.
· 7 points = Student attempts to answer the main part of the prompt, providing somewhat relevant evidence from his/her studies and/or observations. Writing has a clear introduction and body.
· 1-6 points = Student’s answer lacks clarity and/or organization discussed above.
American History: For 30 points total (30% of your grade), complete THREE (10 points each) of the following essays (note, they should be at least complete paragraph each and you must choose one essay from each of the three sections).
- · How and why did the United States remain neutral in the beginning of World War II? Why did the United States become involved in the war and how did they contribute to the war?
- · How did WWII affect women and African Americans? Be specific.
- · Why did Americans’ Cold War fears center on communism? How did these fears affect both domestic and foreign policies?
1950s-1960s: Civil
Rights & Vietnam
- · What were the three most important events in the African American civil rights movement? Describe the causes and effects of each event within the context of the movement.
- · Compare and contrast Kennedy’s, Johnson’s, and Carter’s Vietnam policies. Whose do you think was best? Why?
- · Compare and contrast the war in Vietnam with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
1970s-2000s
- · Discuss the troubles in the Middle East during the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. Include at least three major events and/or policies that affected the United States and our relations with countries in the Middle East.
- · Discuss the “green” movement, including at least three different important events/policies and where you think the movement is headed in the future.
- · Describe three different advances in technology and medicine in the past 30 years and the controversy surrounding these.
RUBRIC
·
10 points =
Student clearly answers all parts of the prompt, providing multiple
specific and relevant examples from his/her studies and/or observations. Writing has a clear introduction (thesis in
which an original argument is asserted), body, and conclusion.
·
9 points =
Student clearly attempts to answer all parts of the prompt, providing
some specific and relevant evidence from his/her studies and/or
observations. Writing has a clear
introduction (thesis), body, and conclusion.
·
8 points =
Student answers most parts of the prompt, providing relevant evidence
from his/her studies and/or observations.
Writing has a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.
·
7 points =
Student attempts to answer the main part of the prompt, providing
somewhat relevant evidence from his/her studies and/or observations. Writing has a clear introduction and body.
·
1-6 points =
Student’s answer lacks clarity and/or organization discussed above.
Psychology/Sociology: For 30 points total (30% of your grade), complete THREE (10 points each) of the following essays (note, they should be at least one complete paragraph each).
Directions:
In
complete paragraphs, answer THREE (3)
of the following questions for 10 points
each.
A. Compare and contrast three psychological disorders within the same category of DSM IV.
B. Describe the Bystander Effect and
write a situation in which you explain the variables about why one would or
would not help a stranger.
C. What is the fundamental attribution
error? How can it be avoided? Provide a specific example.
D. Compare and contrast the three major theories of sociology.
E. Discuss your own socialization,
specifically how three or more agents of
socialization have made you who you are.
F. What is a total institution? Describe its purpose and how it achieves this
purpose, using at least two real
world examples.
G. Why does deviance occur? How should society handle deviance? Think of
our studies and your own observations/experiences?
H. Discuss one of the movies that we
watched this semester from a sociological or psychological standpoint. Argue for its educational value and use in
the classroom using terms that you learned from class.
RUBRIC
·
10 points =
Student clearly answers all parts of the prompt, providing multiple
specific and relevant examples from his/her studies and/or observations. Writing has a clear introduction (thesis in
which an original argument is asserted), body, and conclusion.
·
9 points =
Student clearly attempts to answer all parts of the prompt, providing
some specific and relevant evidence from his/her studies and/or
observations. Writing has a clear
introduction (thesis), body, and conclusion.
·
8 points =
Student answers most parts of the prompt, providing relevant evidence
from his/her studies and/or observations.
Writing has a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.
·
7 points =
Student attempts to answer the main part of the prompt, providing
somewhat relevant evidence from his/her studies and/or observations. Writing has a clear introduction and body.
·
1-6 points =
Student’s answer lacks clarity and/or organization discussed above.
