Current Event Assignment Format

Introduction: As a student of world history, as well as a member of a global society, it is your responsibility to keep yourself up to date on global developments. It is also important to see the current state of the world as an ever evolving product of past events, people, and ideas. Gathering reliable information about the world around us and understanding our role in this increasingly connected world is vital to becoming a ‘global citizen’.

Part I: Finding an Article 1. Choose an article of at least 400 words in length from a major news magazine, newspaper, or radio/TV segment [see appendix with list of required sources].

2. Carefully read the article. Re-read it if needed.

3. Follow the guidelines below for choosing an article to ensure you receive full credit. a. The article/segment must have been published within the past three months and cover our current topic in some way. b. The article/segment MUST be printed and stapled to your current event report. c. The article / segments MUST be from one of the provided news sources.

Part II: Written Response Complete a typed response and commentary to the article following the guidelines below.

1. At the top of your typed response include the title of the article; the name of your source; and the date of the publication.

2. Paragraph 1 (Summary): Write a summary of the article/segment in your own words. This summary should clearly demonstrate understanding of the material.

3. Paragraph 2 (Explanation): Explain how this article relates to what we are studying in class.

4. Paragraph 3 (Commentary): Describe how this article expanded your understanding of issues important to what we’re currently studying, or the current state of the world. Explain what insights you gained from the article. Some questions to consider: a. How does the information in the article relate to you? b. What is your opinion of what you are reading and the issue being discussed? Do you agree/disagree with the writer/creator of this news item? Why or why not?

5. Questions for Discussion: Write two questions that come to your mind concerning the issues or events mentioned in the article. Be sure the questions are thoughtful. We will use these for class discussion. Appendix Current Event Sources

News Magazines o Newsweek: www.newsweek.com

o Time Magazine: www.time.com

o The Economist: www.economist.com

o The New Yorker: www.newyorker.com

o U.S. News and World Report: http://www.usnews.com/

o Slate: www.slate.com

o Salon: www.salon.com

o Politico: www.politico.com

Newspapers o New York Times: www.newyorktimes.com

o Christian Science Monitor: www.csmonitor.com

o Propublica: www.propublica.org

o Washington Post: www.washingtonpost.com

o LA Times: www.latimes.com

o Wall Street Journal: www.online.wsj.com

o The Newark Star Ledger: www.nj.com/starledger

Other Online News Sources o National Public Radio: www.npr.org

o MSNBC: www.msnbc.com

o CNN: www.cnn.com o BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/

Student name:______Period:______Date:______

CATEGORY 5 4 3 2 Article Article is related to One of the article Two of the article Three or more of topic, stapled to criteria are criteria are the article criteria back of report, at missing. missing. are missing. least 400 words & from past 3 mo. Summary Summary is in Summary is Summary borrows Summary is vague, Paragraph students own students words & a heavily from the copied or not words and clearly general article or is present. demonstrates understanding is innacurate. understanding. demonstrated. Explanation Student is able to General Simple or brief No attempt made Paragraph relate article connection made connection made to relate article content to class between article between article content to class material. and class material. and class material. material.

Commentary Evidence of General evidence Simple or weak No evidence of Paragraph learning or of learning / evidence of learning or personal connection. learning / personal connection to connection. connection to article is present. article. Questions for Two thoughtful, Two questions are Only one question No questions Discussion related questions present but are not present. present. are present. thoughtful.

Spelling / No grammatical, Almost no A few grammatical Many grammatical, Grammar spelling or grammatical, spelling, or spelling, or punctuation errors. spelling or punctuation errors. punctuation errors. punctuation errors.

Dates Due Quarter1: A day: 9/4, 9/17, 10/1, 10/16 B day: 9/10, 9/24, 10/8, 10/23