Assessments

Assessment examples, in roughly chronological order


 * Medieval Time capsule**

A time capsule from 1432 was recently found outside the city of Florence, Italy. Contained within the time capsule was ????? All of the elements reflect the values, customs, and way of life of Medieval Italy—and Europe in general. The items embody different ideals. Can you imagine what would have been in the time capsule?

You are William Safire or some other such individual from the Op-Ed section of the New York Times. You are providing a commentary about the discovery, going beyond merely stating what was in it. Your job is to analyze how the items are Medieval but also that some overlap exists with the modern world exists in the capsule, e.g. the blurring of modern and medieval.

Think about the following points: • The inclusion of the three items and a brief mention on what makes it medieval • A discussion on the overlap with the modern world, e.g. the bible: there still are hardcore Christians yet the place in general society is different… a bottle of alcohol… • A discussion on any of the items that are distinctly medieval and why • clear, well thought out language and structure • Typed! double spaced... between one and two pages.

NOTE: All three items can blur with the modern but if certain items are chosen that are distinctively medieval, that needs to be pointed out.


 * The Renaissance: Final assessment**

Overview: The task involves analyzing how a work of art receives its meaning; thus, overcoming the misconception that art is an objective primary source for inquiry. You will come to understand that Art is a highly selective construction influenced and shaped by the prevailing ideologies of the period. One cannot understand Art unless the context is mastered.

Essential questions • To what extent does the artist react to or shape the prevailing currents of thought? How do her political or religious ideologies shape her art? • In what ways does the political climate influence the aesthetics of the age in which it was created? • What is the relationship between art and propaganda?

Performance task: overview You will select a painting out of the 20 I have chosen. You will serve as the painting’s curator while we explore the Renaissance. We all are preparing for a show entitled, “The Art of the Renaissance.” You will need to research its style and artist as well as place the painting in its appropriate historical context. Consider the time period it was painted and where in Europe. Your final product will be a wall text. It should make connections between the painting, the artist, and the larger social and historical context, which includes a discussion of the political, social, or religious issues that are relevant. It should also identify the work as High, Low or simply Renaissance work. Your text should illuminate the significance of the painting within the era of the Renaissance.

What you will hand in: 1. A copy of the wall text. Oct. 5 (less than one page, double spaced) • Characteristics that make it Renaissance (bold colors, subject matter, etc.) also, is it early, late, or high? Where was it painted? In other words, a German piece is different from an Italian one: why? • A discussion of the subject itself: is there any symbolism? What does the dog in the corner represent? • The patron: who commissioned the work? The church, a merchant…and how does this show up in the painting? • The historical context: what political, social or religious issues influenced the production and commission of the painting? 2. An annotated bibliography of both print and electronic sources appropriate to their paintings. (at least five sources). Oct 5 • Research at least five sources to prepare for the writing. Sister Wendy can be one, of course… write up the source and offer a brief description on what the source offered you. • Some great internet sources: http://witcombe.sbc.edu/ARTHLinks2.html#Top www.artcyclopedia.com

3. A one-page response to the wall gallery presented in class by all. Chose ONE. Oct 8

1. After reviewing, readings, and thinking about all of the pieces presented, write an extended journal entry, answering in depth the following questions: (Connections are key, not grammar, spelling, punctuation…) THINKING and questioning are valued in this exercise… • What is the Renaissance? • How is Art is a highly selective construction influenced and shaped by the prevailing influences of the time? • What is the essential relationship between art, politics, and religion?

2. Writer for the local Suffield Observer:: A gallery write-up/ review of the Renaissance gallery

Pretend that you are a local writer for the Suffield Observer. You have just attended the Renaissance Art Gallery at Suffield Academy. You now need to write up the event for the local paper. You need to offer an introduction to the gallery and lure people to come to the event. Pretend that your audience is a fairly non-worldly group, e.g. you would need to define the elements of the Renaissance, pick a couple paintings to highlight, and essentially state why Renaissance art is interesting and fun to examine and study.

A wall text sample

Leonardo Da Vinci, “Mona Lisa,” c. 1503-05

This famous piece, produced near the height of the High Renaissance, captures the essence of the time period. The subject matter, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo, a rich Florentine merchant, places this work in the middle of an increasingly secular and materialistic age. Many call Florence the “supreme site of the Italian Renaissance.” Florence had grown wealthy in the later Middle Ages and developed into a hotbed of merchant princes with expendable incomes. Unlike the influence of the church in Rome, the rich merchants ordered the lavish works of art in Florence. In this piece, Leonardo reveals the wealth of the patron. Mona Lisa sits dressed in the Florentine fashion of her day and opens her lips slightly. The small opening was considered a sign of elegance. The background of the piece, a misty mountainous scene, allows one to appreciate Leonardo’s skill with a new type of artwork. He utilizes his newly invented sfuamto technique that embodies carefully selected shaded modeling. He also carefully selects his use of light and dark, to help to reveal the psychology of Mona Lisa. Leonardo takes a profound interest in the thoughts of his seated model and wants to penetrate what she is thinking. Why is she smiling? What is she thinking about? This interest in the psychology of the subject marks an abrupt departure from the Medieval age…

A NEW WORLD ORDER

RENAISSANCE STYLE

The Renaissance ushered in a New Age for Western Civilization. One in which Western Man began to perceive of the world and beyond in entirely new ways. We will examine the Renaissance from the points of view of the Key Players of the Age: the Artists, the Writers, the Philosophers, the Nobility, the Explorers, and the Scientists/ Inventors. (the clergy and Reformers will be examined in our next unit on the Protestant Reformation)

Your Challenge:

Part I: the Basic Task Representing one of the Interest Groups you will ‘sell’ the class on your group’s Ideal World. (in particular, breaking down the G.R.E.A.S.E.S. structure) In their words, from the perspective of Artists or Writers or Philosophers, etc. what is the ideal governmental structure? Ideal religious environment? Perfect economic state? Ideal artistic expression? Ideal scientific world? Perfect educational system? Ideal cultural/ social environment? You need to pick 5 of the categories to explore.

• Explain/ defend why YOUR group’s world is the best. What makes your conception of the “New World” the most outstanding in Renaissance thinking?

Part II: More specific Tasks Your group should also be able to define each of the following problems (from your own unique point of view, of course) which confronted Renaissance thinkers.

A. What was the person’s relationship to the State? B. What is the person’s relationship to the Church? C. What is the Church’s relationship to the State? D. What is the relationship of Science to the Church? E. What is humanism (what does it mean to your group)?

Part III: Who you Are You will chose among the following. (You do not have to use them all)

Artists Scienc Nobility Explorers Philosophers Michelangelo Galileo Henry VIII da Gama Erasmus Raphael Copernicus James I Megallan Aquinas Donatello Leonardo Charles V Columbus Hobbes Bellini Gutenberg Prince Henry Cabot Machiavelli Bruegel Kepler Lorenzo di Medici Polo Thomas More Rubens Descartes Hudson Neo-Platonists

Part IV: How to do it With your partners, you will use the textbook and other sourcebooks in the classroom or library and present your findings to the class. You can access sources off the Internet but I would recommend books and other hardbound materials like History periodicals. We will continue a general overview of the Renaissance so you will need to work outside of class on your own. I will then give you two class days to complete your research and then you present!

Part V: How you will present (e.g. what you are graded on…)

There are two components to your demonstration of knowledge.

1. Oral presentation (50 percent of grade) You will present your findings to the class. Each group will have 12-15 minutes to present their ideal world. You will need to decide how to use the board or whether to use visual aids, video, audio, maps, costumes, whatever it is that will capture the classes attention. And of course to convince them that your vision if THE perfect, ideal world. You will then take questions for 5 minutes. Group grade.

2. Written component (to percent of grade)

Each of you will write your own individual paper that clearly defines the questions posed in Part II above. You can chose whichever format you chose to write. ( e.g. a critical essay, a first person account, a speech to an audience) but the 5 questions need to be answered and you need to clearly articulate the ideal world and be persuasive. You will be graded both on content and clarity of expression.


 * The Protestant Reformation**

We will debate the following statement:

“The generating forces of the Protestant Reformation were primarily economic and political.”

To prepare for this debate, you need to write ONE paragraph with a strong thesis statement and supporting evidence that you will the use as we do this debate. (15 points) Consider the fundamental causes of the Reformation, Luther, Calvin, the Church’s reaction to the charges against them, the impact on the masses, ETC.

You will also be graded (15 points) on the quality of your contributions in this debate. This will substitute as a ‘test,’ as in preparing for this debate, you will be reviewing the main concepts of the Protestant Reformation.


 * Louis XIV on trial!**

The Setting: Louis XIV comes before the Judiciary Committee at Suffield Academy in 1715, on the eve of his death. He is being accused of crimes against humanity. He will plead innocent….

Possible Topics: • Consider his foreign policy campaigns. Who benefited from them and who was hurt? Did he spread good or merely terror? • Consider his domestic policy and how he aided in distributing food in starving areas. And consider life at court versus the countryside. • Consider his religious policy when he revoked the Edict of Nantes. • Art: who did it serve? Who didn’t it serve?

• Both sides have the basic evidence and you will need to manipulate the facts for your side.

Possible Sources: • Start with the textbook and Perry • Check out BOOKS in the library. • Then, find specific characters from history to serve as witnesses or make up composite characters. Consider his finance minister Colbert, Saint-Simon on life at the parties or a ruler from another country, like James II or Joseph of Austria. • Do you want to call Louis himself??? • Check out the Internet : http://www.historyteacher.net/APEuroCourse/WebLinks/WebLinks-AgeOfAbsolutism.htm

Specifics: With 6 or 7 people on each side, consider the following specific roles: Vary as needed with the numbers… • 1 Lawyer for opening and closing arguments • 3 lawyers to question witnesses. Both direct and on cross-examination. • 3 witnesses

What you will hand in: • List of sources you collected in researching your part. At least FIVE. • Your notes that support your position as lawyer, witness, etc. Can either be written out in paragraph form or simply a list of phrases or notes. • Self-Assessment of your role in preparing for and during the trial.

How you will be graded: • Quality and depth of your notes in preparation for the trail, e.g. statements, questions. (15 points) • A list of your sources (5 points) • Performance in the trail! How convincingly you present your role (12 points) • Self and peer-assessments: quality and thoroughness of your reflection, for both prep work and your role in the trial. (5 points)

A quick overview… POSITIVE NEGATIVE • he tried to make France more powerful. • he centralized the Fr. government. • he improved Fr. militarily. • he made Fr. a commercial rival of Britain. • he tamed the Fr. aristocracy. • he made the King and the State one and the same. • he taxed the peasants, not the nobility. • he was too extravegent (he put France into great debt). • the court at Versailles was too removed from the lives and problems of the common people. • He revoked the Edict of Nantes

10:00-12:00
 * European Fall Exam: Thursday, November 15**

The Nobel Prize committee is gathering to hear nominations from you, the members of the committee. Categories include art, literature, religion, science, and a special category on leadership. You have maximum 4 minutes to nominate your candidate, highlighting accomplishments and reasons for winning the prize. After you have presented, you will serve as a judge for two other categories and will write a written judgment on the winner of the category. Some prior research is in order to serve as a knowledgeable judge.

Possible categories • Science: the advancement of science as an intellectual enterprise, changed the world view, new inventions/ paradigms put forth. • Art: new style, way to depict art that changed the way we look at art/see the world • Literature: creates or expands a genre, utmost skill as a writer, people strive to imitate afterwards • Leadership: innovation in leading, begins a new way of ruling that serves as precedent for later generations, for better or worse

Art Literuate Leadership Science Da Vinci Raphael Michelangelo Titian Bosch Durer Corregio Shakespeare Cervantes Dante Petrarch Luther Calvin Pico della Mirandola Elizabeth Henry VIII Charles V Peter the Great Ivan IV Frederick William I Machiavelli Louis XIV Colbert Nicolaus Copernicus Tycho Brahe Johannes Kepler Galileo Galilei Isaac Newton Paracelsus William Harvey Descartes Francis Bacon Blaise Pascal

Format

10.00-11.10: Presentation of the nominees. Any visual aids will enhance your presentation.

11.15-11.40: Written statement by the judges to select a winner. You will draw directly from your peers’ speeches and from the research that you conducted prior to this day. The more specific evidence, the higher your grade.

11.45-12.00: Judges announce their choices for each category.

How to prepare: • Each student selects a person to research to nominate for a prize. You will research on your own and prepare a four-minute speech. You will be graded solely on your verbal presentation. Visual aids will enhance your presentation. You will hand in a list of four sources used to develop your speech.

• After selections are made, you will be assigned to serve as a judge for two categories. You will be given the list of nominated candidates so you must conduct research on those individuals and come in with an opinion about which candidate ought to win. You may bring in notes to help you write your statement picking the winner. Details from both your research and what your peers present are essential in your writing.

Example of work:

• Sally selects Raphael to nominate as the winner for a Nobel Prize in art. Research which innovative techniques he adopted, outstanding contributions to the history of art. How did he change art? What new styles, techniques do others adopt because of him?

• Sally serves as a judge for the leadership and science categories. Nominations are Elizabeth, Peter the Great, and Ivan IV. She must review the major accomplishments of these individuals pertaining to their rule and religion, economics, etc. She also must review the accomplishments of Newton, Galileo, Copernicus, Kepler, and Bacon to help her formulate her judgment for the science category.


 * The Enlightenment Salon!**

To prepare for the Salon, you need to conduct research on the person you have picked/ been assigned. In your research, seek to answer THREE of the following questions and include them in your Three page paper due the same day. No special preparation needed for the Salon, simply the paper that you write.

From the perspective of your person, consider the following questions:

Sheng: Hume Liz: Caritat Lauren: Diderot Ashley: Kant Sarah: Montesquieu Emily: Locke Antoniette: Voltaire Vivienne: Rousseau Nicole: d’Hollbach Molly: Madame du Chatelet

1. What is human nature? Why is it that way? 2. What is the ideal structure of government? 3. What is the meaning of life? 4. Is there a God? What role does religion play in society? 5. What role do women play in society? 6. What are the natural laws of society? 7. What are your views on the social contract?

In addition to answering THREE of the questions above, also provide a brief biographical sketch of your person. Where are they from? What are their major works published? What was their overall impact on the Enlightenment?

Paper due and role play: Next Tuesday, November 10!


 * French Revolution: who is the hero: Danton or Ropespierre?**

Danton or Robespierre?

Who represents the true revolutionary tradition in France, Danton or Robespierre? This question is still being debated in France in the present and the movie started a new controversial debate. Now it is your turn to analyze the movie and history and take a stand.

Danton is the true representative of the revolutionary tradition. This is essentially the point the movie tries to make. If you agree with this premise, you have to dig up evidence of the Internet or books and you can use scenes from the movie to support your choice. In addition, however, you have to look at the movie as a cinematic work of art, in which Andrzej Wajda uses the French Revolution as a mirror to (at that time, in 1983) current events in Poland in which the apparatchik (Robespierre) were trying to fight the man of the people (Danton). Where does the film deviate from the historical record to support Wajda’s thesis? But even this is not a simple “black and white”: for Wajda even, as he himself produces incriminating evidence against Danton. Look for this as well when you watch the movie.

Robespierre is the true representative of the revolutionary tradition. This is the view of many people from the left wing socialist party or communist party in modern France. You have to research other historical documents to support this view since the movie tries to prove the opposite. Where does the film distort the past to score points for Danton and against Robespierre? Consider how Wadja manipulates his visual representation of Robespierre and omits certain crucial points of history that would cast Robespierre in a favorable light.

Here are a few facts to support your stand. Be sure to look at your notes the day we discussed the Terror as well.

• Robespierre was elected by the National Committee • France was on the verge of defeat by other European powers and needed to engage any means necessary to harness the people against the invaders.

And this is a supporting quote that might make you see the film in a different light:

Orlando Figes from “A People’s Tragedy”

“Not to condone violence but we have to understand it (violence) as the unavoidable reaction of a people angry and with much to avenge. It is to recognize that all social revolutions are bound by their nature to spill blood; and that to condemn them for doing so is tantamount to saying that any form of social protest which might end in violence is morally wrong. Of course there are distinctions to be made: the blood spilled by the people on the streets is different than the blood spilled by parties, movements or armies, claiming to be acting in their name; and it must be analyzed and judged in different ways.”


 * The 19th century: Age of Revolutions and Isms**

After investigating the life of the people during the Industrial Revolution, we will now look towards the political arena. We will examine how Europe recovered from the French Revolution and how a series of intellectual ideas emerge from this period. You each will be assigned to an ‘ism’ that you will trace now for the rest of our study of the 19th century—and beyond.

Ism Assignments: (more than one person can be assigned)

Liberalism- Nationalism- Socialism- Romanticism- Marxism- Communism- Conservatism-


 * You will become the expert of this ‘ism.’! This means that you will come to each class prepared to speak about the development of your ism. Some days it will be more relevant than others to be prepared to speak about your ism!

Key questions to consider, from the perspective of your ism… 1. What is your ism? What is a reaction to? What does it hope to achieve? 2. What is the ideal society? 3. What do you believe is the correct relationship between the state and the people? 4. What is the best relationship between the state and the church? 5. What is the overwhelming purpose of government? 6. What is the ideal government structure? 7. How do you feel about industrialization in your country? 8. How do you feel about the ideal relationship between countries? 9. How is the economy best regulated in society? 10. What role did you play in the revolutions of 1830 and 1848? What did you hope to achieve?