Wednesday, November 12, 2008

GOVERNMENT/ ECON. COMMON ASSIGNEMNT PROMPT IDEAS

The following are some specific "Persuasive Essay" prompts some of you sent in for "Government OR Econ." There are some great ideas here. Please post your ideas as comments to this post and share the wealth.


1. Write a letter to congress on the topic of the electoral college. Discuss and evaluate multiple proposals. Recommend one proposal. Defend your position using evidence.

2. Write a persuasive essay about some aspect of economics. Such as free market theory, corporations, advertising, etc. Discuss multiple perspectives on one of these issues.

3. Urban growth. Should the boundary be expanded, limited, or kept the same? Explain multiple perspectives on the issue and defend one position, citing supportive evidence.

U.S. HISTORY COMMON ASSIGNMENT PROMPT IDEAS

The following are some specific "Persuasive Essay" prompts some of you sent in for "U.S. History" . There are some great ideas here. Please post your ideas as comments to this post and share the wealth.

1. Truman's decision to use atomic weapons against Japan is one of the most controversial in history. In retrospect, was he justified in using the weapons? Discuss multiple perspectives. Include and defend your position, citing evidence.

2. During World War II, Japanese Americans were placed in internment camps. Was the decision to intern the Japanese a military necessity? Was it justifiable for reasons besides military necessity? Discuss multiple perspectives. Include and defend your position, citing evidence.

3. Was the rise of industry good for American workers?

4. Was American foreign policy during the 1800’s motivated more by realism or idealism?

5. Were U.S. interventions abroad between 1890 and1917 motivated more by realism or idealism

6. Was it in the national interest of the United States to declare war in 1917?

7. Should the United States have ratified or rejected the Treaty of Versailles?

8. Did the Republican Era of the 1920’s bring peace and prosperity to America as a whole?

9. What caused the most severe economic crisis in American history?

10. Could WWII have been prevented?

11. Were the methods used by the United States to contain communism justified?

12. Why did poverty persist in the United States in the 1950’s during an age of affluence?

13. Were the civil rights movements of the 1950’s 60’s and 70’ successful in reaching racial equality?

14. Was John F. Kennedy a great president?

15. What is the proper role of government in shaping American society?

16. What was the impact of counterculture on American society?

17. How should historians characterize the 1970’s?

18. Was the Reagan Revolution good for the nation?

19. Were the effects of President Reagan’s foreign policy mostly positive or mostly negative?

20. Has the United States preserved American Ideals while attempting to address security concerns during the time since 9/11/2001?

MODERN WORLD HISTORY COMMON ASSIGNMENT PROMPTS

The following are some specific "Persuasive Essay" prompts some of you sent in for "Modern World History" . There are some great ideas here. Please post your ideas as comments to this post and share the wealth.


1. Write an editorial about the British Industrial Revolution. Were the overall effects of the Industrial Revolution positive or negative? Pick one side to argue. Write from the perspective of a British citizen.

2. As a culminating assignment for History Alive! Modern World History activity 2.4 in the “Communist China and Modern Japan” unit students write a persuasive essay in the affirmative or the negative concerning the following statements “Education of Japanese students and American students is mostly the same.”

3. As a culminating assignment for History Alive! Modern World History activity 3.1 in the “Modern Latin America” unit students write a proposal for how the resources of the Amazon rainforest should be used.

4. Should oil drilling be allowed in the Amazon? Discuss multiple perspectives. Include and defend your position, citing evidence.

5. Who or what is to blame for instability in Africa today? The colonial powers, corrupt dictators, militias and warlords, the people themselves? Responsibility can be shared by multiple groups. If you think only one group is responsible, explain why the other groups are not.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Wi-Fi In Your Room

Click on the image below for quick instructions on how to connect to the wireless network in your building.