Mrs. Ashley DeMent's
American History Class
Welcome to our class website! Here you will be able to find homework assignments, project details, grading rubrics and frequently asked questions.
What an amazing year so far. We are currently studying the Civil War and Reconstruction. We have just completed our discussions about the causes of the Civil War, and the effect of the war on the nation’s people. We have also study the major battles and the decisions that were made during the war, and how those affected the outcome. Next we will be discussing the events that led up to the end of the war, and how the American people recovered from it. Below you will find several links to websites about the Civil War Era. Just click on the pictures!
Follow President Lincoln to a Timeline for the Civil War. You will also find other helpful resources at this site.
This is the book that was written by Herriet Beeceher Stowe "the little lady that started a big war"
Follow this picture to a site where you can explore the lives of children and their roles during the Civil War.
Assignments
Time for another project! For this project you will be writing a research paper. You can choose any topic you like, as long as it pertains to the Civil War, or that time period. You can write about a battle a person or group of people, or an object that you find interesting. You can even talk about an idea, or discovery that you would like to learn more about. Students must write a minimum of 500 words, if the paper does not meet this requirement, your project grade will drop 1 grade. Any paper that is found to have plagiarized information will receive an F, so please be sure to properly site your work. The grading rubric is as follows:
1 = Weak 2 = Moderately Weak 3 = Average 4 = Moderately Strong 5 = Strong
1. The student introduces the topic in a clear, lively, and interesting fashion.
1 2 3 4 5
2. The student focuses on a main idea and supports it with explanations and facts.
1 2 3 4 5
3. The student uses an authoritative tone.
1 2 3 4 5
4. The student includes information from several sources.
1 2 3 4 5
5. The student presents information that has been organized in a clear, understandable way.
1 2 3 4 5
6. The student relates information in an objective way rather than expressing a particular viewpoint.
1 2 3 4 5
7. The student takes into account the point of view of the audience being addressed.
1 2 3 4 5
8. The student concludes with an interesting and brief summary of the presented information.
1 2 3 4 5
9. The spelling, punctuation, and grammar on the writing assignment are accurate.
1 2 3 4 5
10. The writing assignment is neatly typed or handwritten.
1 2 3 4 5*Rubric courtesy of Teacher Planet*
FAQ
Q: How can I find out what my/ my student's grade is?
A: Students, if you wish to see your grade you can see me before or after class, and I will be more than happy to show it to you. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade you can see me after school. Parents, if you have any questions or concerns about your student's grade or would just like an update on their progress, just send me an email or feel free to call me before or after school. Please remember that progress reports go out every month.
Q: How do projects get graded?
A: You will find the grading rubric for most assignments in the syllabus packet that was sent home at the beginning of the year. For special projects or assignments a grading rubric as well as any other expectations for the assignment will be passed out at the beginning of class when the project is assigned.
Q: Will there be any extra credit?
A: There will be one chance for extra credit this year. If students participate in the History Fair I will raise the grade of their worst test score, or project grade by one letter grade. If you feel you are in need of more extra credit please see me before or after school.
Contact Me
Email me at adement@osceola.k12.fl.us
Call me at the school 407-555-5678