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Ares and the Muses

Culminating Assessment 1

Task

 You have been asked to do a ten-minute presentation for a Veterans’ Day program.  Because many Americans have forgotten that this holiday was originally designated to commemorate the end of World War I (The Great War)—then called Armistice Day and set on November 11, the day the armistice was signed (1918)—and because the chairperson who is organizing the program happens to be an artist, you have been asked to direct your presentation toward the role of the artist during that war.  Choose an individual artist from either Austria-Hungary , Germany , France , Italy , Russia or Great Britain affected by World War I (The Great War), and prepare and present a ten-minute PowerPoint presentation before the class.  Your presentation should analyze the effects the war had on that particular artist.

Content Criteria

Your presentation must demonstrate a clear and thorough understanding of the impact World War I (The Great War) had on the artist you researched.  You should also include basic personal information along with an overview of the artist’s work.

Essential Skills and Thinking Criteria

Your presentation must demonstrate thoughtful insight into the role of the artist as he/she is affected by war and the impact, if any, it has on the artist’s work.

Product Criteria

Your PowerPoint presentation must be well organized, must provide appropriate supporting material, must use appropriate language, and must take into consideration the audience.

Presentation Criteria

Your PowerPoint presentation must be rehearsed and polished sufficiently to be clearly understood by and reasonably entertaining for the audience.

Culminating Assessment 2

Task

The Journal of European Studies (which actually exists) has hired you to research and write an article (essay) on the impact that World War I (The Great War) had on the artist.  Your article may either find a common theme among several artists or focus on contrasting patterns.  It is encouraged that you include the artist from your PowerPoint presentation.

Content Criteria

Your article (essay) must demonstrate a clear and thorough understanding of the impact World War I (The Great War) had on the artist from European countries involved in the war.  You must also include examples from the work of the artists you discuss.  In the case of paintings, it is recommended that you include graphic representations with your article.

Essential Skills and Thinking Criteria

Your article (essay) must demonstrate thoughtful insight into and analysis of the impact of the war on artists particularly the impact, if any, it had on the artist’s work.

Product Criteria

Your article (essay) must adhere to the conventions of standard written English, be well organized, be well organized, must provide appropriate supporting material, must use an appropriate formal style, and must take into consideration the audience.

Presentation Criteria

Your article (essay) must be typed, be double-spaced, be in an appropriate font size and style, and provide appropriate margins.  A title page is expected.

Rubric for Ares and the Muses PowerPoint Presentation

Content—Biographical

The content includes key events in the artist’s life, especially those which have something to do with his/her work.  It also includes influence (people and events) which affected the artist’s work.

6

5

4

3

2

1

Content—Thematic

The content includes insightful observations about the artist’s role in relationship to World War I (The Great War) and what effect the war had on the artist and his/her work.

6

5

4

3

2

1

Development

The observations above are clearly developed with samples (as much as possible) and reveal depth and perception in the presenter’s thinking and research efforts.

6

5

4

3

2

1

Organization

The presentation is logically organized and flows smoothly from segment to segment with effective transitions.

6

5

4

3

2

1

Presentation

The PowerPoint presentation is pleasant and interesting to view and the presenter speaks with clarity and confidence.  Each slide focuses on a single idea with a limited amount of text.  For the benefit of the viewer, contrast color between the background and the text is maintained.

6

5

4

3

2

1

Rubric for Ares and the Muses Article (Essay)

Meaning

  • Understands task
  • Responds to appropriate audience
  • Makes insightful observations about the impact World War I had on selected artists and their work
  • Reveal in-depth analysis

6

5

4

3

2

1

Development

  • Provides adequate and specific supporting details
  • Provides a wide range of relevant details
  • Presents accurate details

6

5

4

3

2

1

Organization

  • Maintains a clear and appropriate focus
  • Exhibits a logical sequence and coherent structure
  • Employs effective transitions
  • Organizes paragraphs effectively
  • Provides an interesting introduction

6

5

4

3

2

1

Language

  • Varies sentence structure and length
  • Uses vivid and engaging language
  • Uses accurate vocabulary
  • Establishes an appropriate relationship with the audience

6

5

4

3

2

1

Conventions

  • Uses correct spelling
  • Uses complete and correct sentence structure
  • Punctuates correctly
  • Capitalizes correctly
  • Uses standard English usage and grammar

6

5

4

3

2

1