Name: ______
Teacher: ______
English _____ Honors _____
Date: ______
Guidelines for Gathering Artifacts for the Big Question
One expectation of Honors English in Loudoun County is that students are capable of independent inquiry. In LCPS, students will gather materials outside of class that deal with their personally-chosen Big Question. This material should be drawn from the larger world of ideas and should reflect a particular student’s inquisitive spirit.
Here is a list of possible materials you might gather in your folder:
1. A poem
2. An article from a newspaper, magazine, or creditable blog
3. A short story
4. A scene from a television show or film (must be able to provide the scene in digital format to the teacher)
5. A novel
While we encourage you to think broadly as you decide what to include in your portfolio, we do ask that the material be up to certain standards. The material that you choose should be thought-provoking. Your artifacts should:
1. Cause you to think and reflect long after you have read/viewed the material.
2. Deal with the subject of your Big Question in an interesting and unique way.
3. Lead you to change or modify, even in a small way, your thinking about the subject. Please realize that this does not mean that you agree with the material. Sometimes the things that make us form the strongest opinions about something are the things with which we most disagree.
You will independently gather multiple artifacts per quarter. The expectation is that you gather a minimum of one per month.
Name: ______
Teacher: ______
English _____ Honors _____
Date: ______
Connecting Artifacts to the Big Question
My Big Question: ______
Type of Artifact: ______
MLA Citation: (If you need help, ask Ms. Hargis! J)
______
How does what I found connect to my question?
Who?(subjects, characters, speakers, narrators, etc.)
What?
(topic)
Where/When? (setting)
How?
(plot, structure, composition)
Directions: Now answer each question to help clarify why you selected this artifact.
1. What does this help me understand about my question?
2. How does it reinforce my argument? How will I use it to prove my assertion?
3. Does this artifact connect to another work I have read? How?
4. How does it make me reexamine my argument or my thinking? Will I use it to acknowledge the other side of my argument?
Name: ______
Teacher: ______
English _____ Honors _____
Date: ______
Connecting Literary Works to the Big Question
The text from class, ______, is about ______
My Big Question: ______
MLA Citation:
______
How does what I found connect to my question?
Who?(subjects, characters, speakers, narrators, etc.)
What?
(topic)
Where/When? (setting)
How?
(plot, structure, composition)
Directions: Now answer each question to help how this literary work will help clarify your question.
1. What does this help me understand about my question?
2. How does it reinforce my argument? How will I use it to prove my assertion?
3. How does it make me reexamine my argument or my thinking?
Name: ______
Teacher: ______
English _____ Honors _____
Date: ______
Big Question Essay: Graphic Organizer
Introduction of your BQ as a thesis (arguable assertion):
______
Support Paragraph #1 / Text: ______Support:
·
·
·
Support Paragraph #2 / Text: ______
Support:
·
·
·
Support Paragraph #3 / Text: ______
Support:
·
·
·
Opposing Ideas or Arguments
English 10: Writing Scoring Rubric
Directions: After reading the rough draft, rank the author’s ability to meet each criteria component using the scale.
1 = little or no 2 = inconsistent 3 = reasonable 4 = consistent
ComposingIs there evidence of prewriting (Example: an outline)? / 1 2 3 4
Are ideas developed in a logical sequence? / 1 2 3 4
Is the main idea or thesis fully developed? / 1 2 3 4
Is there evidence of revision to improve the draft? / 1 2 3 4
Written Expression
Are sentence structures varied for effect? / 1 2 3 4
Is there evidence of visual and sensory language? / 1 2 3 4
Do word choice and description enhance ideas? / 1 2 3 4
Is each sentence clearly developed? / 1 2 3 4
Usage and Mechanics
Are punctuation and capitalization properly used? / 1 2 3 4
Are there limited spelling errors? / 1 2 3 4
Is correct usage of modifiers present? / 1 2 3 4
Are there no subject-verb agreement errors? / 1 2 3 4
Are there limited errors in citation format where appropriate? / 1 2 3 4
Is there a variation of noun, adjective, and adverb clauses in sentences? / 1 2 3 4
Are direct quotations used properly, applying MLA style for punctuation and formatting? / 1 2 3 4
Name: ______
Teacher: ______
English _____ Honors _____
Date: ______
Big Question Reflection
Big Question: ______
Summary of Works Relating to Your Big Question
Title of LiteraryWork or Artifact / Brief description of how it relates to the Big Question
Literary Work:
Literary Work:
Artifact:
Artifact:
Directions: Review your first attempt to answer your Big Question from first quarter. How would you answer your Big Question now? Use the literary works and independently found artifacts to support your opinion.
Questions to Consider:
· If your answer has changed since first quarter…
o How has your reading of the literature in this class affected your perception of the issue?
o How did your independently gathered artifacts affect your perception of the issue?
· If your answer has not changed…
o How does the literature support your first quarter answer?
o How do the artifacts you have independently gathered support your first quarter answer?
______
______
· Independentlyo Gather 2 items (texts or artifacts)
o For each item, complete “Connecting Literary Works to Your BQ”
· Connect Q3 Works to BQ / · Draft & Revise Reflection Essay
· Turn in Reflection Essay
· Draft & Revise BQ Essay
· Turn in BQ Essay