Assignments

=Assignments=

Shop till you Stop: The Grandeur and Decline of Hess's:
For decades, downtown Allentown was a draw for people, not just locally, but nationwide, as people came to shop at the famous Hess's Department Store. People traveled from up and down the east coast to shop in an area of Allentown that now faces significant blight. Through this documentary and our in class discussion, we will look at the heyday of Hess's and how it came to an end. We will also analyze the way that American society and material culture has changed, and changed the way we shop.

Watch the following video and write a response paper. While you are watching the video, you may use the Connections Chart(The last organizer in the PDF) sheet to jot down notes and thoughts. The documentary is called //Hollywood on Hamilton.// Instead of writing the page number, as it explains on the sheet, you may jot down the time in the video to which you are referring. Once you are finished writing, you may use those notes to complete the response paper. In that response, list three things you found surprising from the video. Next, write a comparison of how you shop today and how shopping was completed at Hess's. How would your shopping differ if Hess's were still around?

Other questions to consider
Is there anything you see that Hess's had that you wish stores still did? While department stores still exist, you rarely see things on the scale done at Hess's. Why do you think that is? Do you think shopping was better at Hess's or do people just remember it that way? Talk to older family members and friends who have lived in the Lehigh Valley a long time. What do they remember about Hess's? What is their reaction when you mention Hess's?

Details for the paper You have one week to complete the assignment. This assignment will be worth 36 points. Like all writing in this class, the assignment will be graded based upon the rubric linked on the resource page. media type="custom" key="23551522" Common Core Standards Addressed:
 * Approximately 3 pages in length.
 * Graded based upon our writing rubric
 * Graphic organizer must be turned in with paper
 * Spelling and grammar count
 *  [|CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.1] Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
 *  [|CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.2] Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
 *  [|CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.3] Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where the text leaves matters uncertain.
 *  [|CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.6] Evaluate authors’ differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the authors’ claims, reasoning, and evidence.
 *  [|CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.7] Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
 *  [|CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.8] Evaluate an author’s premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with other information.
 *  [|CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.9] Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources.

Moravian Memoirs: Personal Perspective on your Journey Through Pain:
Choose a memoir from the [|Bethlehem Digital History Project Memoirs], and complete a Character Analysis Grid for the individual writing it. Each of you will sign up for an individual memoir. Once you have completed the Character Analysis Grid, we will compare the grids in small groups. Some things to think about while completing your graph.


 * What kind of language is being used?
 * What type of events does this individual focus on?
 * What is the central theme of their entire piece?
 * Why would they write a memoir of this type?
 * How does this memoir reflect Moravian society?

These questions will be addressed in class as we go over your findings together. A word of warning: Pay attention to your memoir. Some of them are on multiple pages. The longer the memoir is, the easier this assignment should be. You will be sharing this assignment with classmates, so please ensure the organizer is filled out in a way that might be shared with classmates.



Common Core Standards Addressed:
 *  [|CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.5] Analyze in detail how a complex primary source is structured, including how key sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text contribute to the whole.
 *  [|CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.6] Evaluate authors’ differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the authors’ claims, reasoning, and evidence
 *  [|CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.1] Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
 *  [|CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.2] Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
 *  [|CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.3] Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where the text leaves matters uncertain.