SDJA - 9th Grade Humanities - First Semester Final

San Diego Jewish Academy
9th Grade Humanities
First Semester Final

Our humanities icon, "soloman" appears at the top of our assignments. "Soloman" may be seen as a metaphor for humankind with some flourishing, healthy leaves and some decaying, falling leaves.

This semester we have conducted a journey into self with goal-setting, Siddhartha, House on Mango Street, sensory writing in the 21-Club, personal essays, and "Youth on the Threshold".

What, in our study of humanities first semester, represents for you healthy growth as an individual and what represents the decayed, diseased limbs that you've learned from, but should be pruned?

Your task is to fill the twelve leaves surrounding "soloman." Some leaves should be filled with visual images conveying healthy personal choices; some should show negative choices. Some leaves should use direct quotations from primary and secondary sources to explain both the health and decay of individual progress. Use no less than four leaves to show either disease, health, quote, visual.

Create a synthesis of your findings (the 12 leaves) and show us through prose, poetry, narrative, short story, etc., what your goals will be for growth as a human. Do not simply recount the elements, rather create a thoughtful statement based on what you have learned this semester and how you will actualize that learning into your life -- in plain English, how are you going to take the stuff you've learned and set personal goals?

Cite sources and attach a Works Cited page to the back of your final project.

Follow the given format at http://www.writedesignonline.com/assignments/leaderessay.html#cited or http://www.hcc.hawaii.edu/education/hcc/library/mlahcc.html .

Follow design expectations located at http://www.writedesignonline.com/human/design.

Rubric for Assessment of First Semester Final
In your "soloman" final exam, you

Points

fill all 12 leaves to specification:

5
(1) used a visual in at least four leaves.

5
(2) used a quote in at least four leaves.

5
(3) used at least four leaves clearly showing health of humankind.

5
(4) used at least four leaves clearly showing the disease of humankind.

10
synthesize your thinking in a closing statement that coherently ties elements together to support your formation and articulation of personal goals.

10
cite quotes and reference each source in an attached Works Cited page accurately using correct and consistent format.

10
conform to design expectations including neat and thoughtful workmanship and choices, word-processing written work as well as accurate spelling and correct use of the conventions of punctuation and capitalization.

50

Melissa and I would like to
thank znet for
making a commitment to
education and WriteDesign.

Points
	fill all 12 leaves to specification:
5	(1) used a visual in at least four leaves.
5	(2) used a quote in at least four leaves.
5	(3) used at least four leaves clearly showing health of humankind.
5	(4) used at least four leaves clearly showing the disease of humankind.
10	synthesize your thinking in a closing statement that coherently ties elements together to support your formation and articulation of personal goals.
10	cite quotes and reference each source in an attached Works Cited page accurately using correct and consistent format.
10	conform to design expectations including neat and thoughtful workmanship and choices, word-processing written work as well as accurate spelling and correct use of the conventions of punctuation and capitalization.
50