Little-Known Revolutionary Heroes Portfolio Directions

Description

Can one individual make a difference? Can one person’s actions change history? You likely know a lot about famous people such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, but what about the lesser-known heroes of the Revolutionary War? By learning about the Revolutionary War, you can discover how many ordinary people changed the course of history through their efforts, sacrifices, and determination.

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For this portfolio project, you will research a little-known hero from the Revolutionary War era and provide a summary about his or her life and contribution to the war. Your portfolio assessment can be an essay, a slide show presentation, a video, or some other method (be sure to get permission from your teacher before you start).

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Your final product will include the following information about the person you choose to research:

·        brief summary of the person’s life

·        contributions to the Revolutionary War, including events leading to the outbreak of the war or contributions made during the war

·        why you think this person is a hero

 

Your subject should not be someone obvious or famous such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Marquis de Lafayette, or Benedict Arnold, for example. Try to find someone who was just an average citizen or low-ranking soldier who stepped up in a time of need.

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Your portfolio assignment has three steps:

1.   Research your chosen person.

2.   Organize your research.

3.   Develop your essay.

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Step 1

Conduct the following research to complete your assignment, make sure to list the source of the information.

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1: List basic facts about the person you choose to research.

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2: Summarize his or her life.

 

3: Describe contributions to the Revolutionary War.

 

4: Describe how, if at all, the person’s contributions affected the outcome of the war.

 

5: Describe why you think this person is a hero.

 

You can use note cards, type your notes on a computer, or use another note-taking method.

You may use the following resources to identify reference materials for this activity. Follow the directions to access these resources.

American History

Access Topic 3: The Revolutionary Era, Lesson 5: Winning Independence in American History. There is some discussion of regular people who contributed to the war effort. You may also decide to use this resource in your research.

EBSCO

1.   Select the EBSCO link from your course page

2.   Select Explora Secondary Schools

3.   Narrow your search by selecting the relevant subject matter

4.   Narrow your search further or use the Find field, and then select the Search button.

    

Internet Search

Alternatively, conduct a safe search on the Internet or at your local library for information about the person you are researching.

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Step 2

Before you create your essay, you must first organize your research findings.

Create an outline or storyboard to organize your research and answer the following questions:

1.   What are some basic facts about the person you chose to research, such as when and where he or she was born?

2.   What do you know about the person’s life prior to the war?

3.   What were the person’s contributions to the Revolutionary War?

4.   How did the person’s contributions affect the outcome of the war?

5.   Why do you consider this person to be a hero?

Be sure to keep track of where you found your information. You will be expected to cite all of the sources you used in your research.

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Step 3

Now that you have organized your research findings, start developing your essay. Think about the best way to demonstrate your learning.

You will be expected to provide citations for where you found your information.

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Grading

Your portfolio assignment will be graded on the following criteria:

1.   Accuracy of Facts –You should ensure that the things that are known to be true are represented factually.

2.   Comprehension – Your response to the prompts and overall essay includes evidence that you understand the research.

3.   Analysis – Ensure that your analysis of the research is complete and developed enough that it can help you create your final essay.

4.   Word Choice – Your choice of words should be appropriate for your purpose and audience, and you should include vocabulary from the unit whenever possible.

5.   Organization – Your essay has a clear organizational structure.

6.   Conventions and Citations – As you write, ensure that you are using proper punctuation, capitalization, and spelling. Be sure that you use APA formatting and cite all references appropriately.