Introduction | Lesson | Research Aids | Organizational Hints | Oral Presentation Directions | Oral Rubric | Written Rubric | Biographical Presentations

 Over the next two weeks, you will be researching the life of a famous Roman to find out what he did to make himself famous, as well as finding out how he influenced the Roman civilization. You will have very strict guidelines, including specific deadlines, designated, appropriate source material which you can use, and formats for citing the books and encyclopedias that you use. At the end of this period, you will hand in a two page report on the person you researched. You (as your famous person) will also visit our class to introduce yourself and explain what significance you had in history. Being so famous, you will love to talk about yourself, so your short (3-5 minutes) presentation should be quite easy to put together. You will have done all the hard work with your research.

The steps for this project will be fairly easy to follow. (I know, that's easy for me to say; I'm making up the steps.) To begin with, you will be given the name of a famous person. As a class, we will brainstorm questions that we want to find out about this person. This will be done on Monday. Twice during the coming week, you will go to the library, so you will know what sources you will be able to use. FOR THIS PROJECT ONLY, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE THE INTERNET, except to access any on-line encyclopedias you may have. (By this I mean that you can use The World Book Encyclopedia, Compton's Encyclopedia, Encarta, or Grolier's.) YOU MUST USE ONE ELECTRONIC ENCYCLOPEDIA, AND YOU MUST USE AT LEAST ONE BOOK ABOUT YOUR PERSON. You may also use biographical dictionaries which are available in the library. There will be books on reserve in the library, and I will have several books available in my room.

The time table for this project is as follows:

 RESEARCH STEPS  DUE DATES 
 1. Have assignment sheet signed by parents  Monday, 5/1
 2. Complete list of 15 to 20 questions, neatly printed. This will involve rewriting the questions you made up in class, plus adding any other questions you think you may need.  Monday, 5/1
 3. You should be at least halfway through answering the questions that are due on May 9th.  Friday, 5/5
 4. Finish answering all the questions you have. Add any additional information you have found. Include bibliography for the sources you used. Hand in.   Tuesday, 5/9
 5. Rough Draft due (I will return it by 5/17.)  Monday, 5/15
 6. Final Draft due  Monday, 5/22
   
This is a tight time table, but I will make sure that you have your information back on Friday, 5/12, and your rough draft back on Wednesday, 5/17. In that way, you should have enough time to do the work you will have to do. I will give you guidelines for the oral presentation during the week of 5/15, though it will not be due until the week of 5/30.

After you have read over this assignment, please sign it on the appropriate line. Be sure to have your parents sign it on the other line.

The name of the person I will be researching is __________________________.
 
 

I have read this assignment, understand what will be due and when it will be due, have signed on the appropriate line, and have had my parent(s) sign this sheet.
 

___________________________ ___________________________
Your Signature Parent's Signature

This project designed and implemented Emily Rubinfield, Chair of the Middle School History department, for Germantown Academy. Page design and project technical assistance furnished by Carol Siwinski, Curricular Technology Specialist.