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In this project, you will choose a topic connected to the unit on the Cold War that you find interesting and research the topic. You will then write a four page research essay on the topic and build an infographic on the topic. The four page paper will be due in early February and the infographic right before February Vacation. The next week will be spent on general research for this project. You will need to turn in a Research Check Assignment on Friday (1/24).
While this might seem like two projects, it is really one project since your essay and infographic will have the same thesis and evidence. In this project, you are really presenting your answer in two different formats - one written and one visual. Think of the infographic as a "visual essay."
The first thing you need to do is choose a topic. The only requirements for the topic is that it be connected with Cold War and that it is not American dominated topic (this is Modern World History - find out about other parts of the world). Possible topics could be:
Berlin Airlift
Berlin Wall
Hungarian Revolt
Prague Spring
Korean War
Vietnam War
Guatemalan Coup
Fidel Castro & Cuban Revolution
Cuban Missile Crisis
Chilean Coup
Civil War in Nicaragua
Suez Crisis
Eisenhower Doctrine
Six Day War
Yom Kippur War
Iranian Coup
Soviet War in Afghanistan
Somali-Ethiopian War
Angolan Civil War
Mozambique Civil War
My advice - follow your interest. A good place to start choosing a topic is with the key words for each unit. If you cannot think of anything, you should come and talk to me. I am sure we can figure something out.
The goal for today's class is to find a topic. You should start doing some basic research right after choosing a topic to see if you really want to do a project on it. I will talk about the Research Check Assignment next class - don't worry, you will be able to get it done by Friday without much difficulty.
Research Check Assignment - Due Friday (1/24)
Link to Research Check Assignment - click here
Fill out the assignment as Google Doc, print out and turn in on Friday.
An important first step in working on a project is organizing the project so that it is easier to manage. Organizing a project around a specific form of reasoning creates a framework that makes the topic easier to think about and to connect with evidence. Having a framework makes it easier to develop a thesis.
The reasoning diagram to the right explains the three different forms of reasoning. You should think about which type of reasoning works best with your topic. Recognizing the type of reasoning that works best with your topic will help you develop the framework for your project.
Essay Assignment - Due Tuesday (2/11)
Now that you have an understanding the topic you will be covering in the project, it is time to start working on the essay portion of the project. Your essay needs to answer the following question, "Why was this event important to the Cold War Conflict?"
In your essay, you will need to do three things: describe the event, connect it to the Cold War and explain the reason it was important. Think about these points when you structure your essay (think paragraphs).
The essay must meet the following requirements (3-4 pages in length, size 11 font with 1 inch margins and double spaces) and is due on Monday, February 3rd.
The class will work on this essay through a two step process. The first step is focused on thinking about the project that involves developing a specific thesis for the essay, recognizing the key points that support the thesis (and will become paragraphs) and gathering the specific facts that will be evidence in support of the essay. The second step will be the actual process of writing the essay. It is important to recognized that successfully completing the first step will make the second step easier.
The first step, focused on thinking about the project, is based around completing the Essay Rough Draft Form - click here
This is a sample essay and its rough draft form.
The Essay Rough Draft Form is due on Monday, January 27th.
After this, you will have one week to finish the essay - the completed essay is due on Monday, February 10th.
Grade - The Essay will be worth 50 Points
Link to Grading Rubric - Click Here
Now that you know something about your topic, you can use start to use ChatGPT or some other generative AI program in your research for your project. I am encouraging you to use generative AI on this project because you should start using it as a tool to help you work better. You will be using generative AI in college and work. Generative AI is a powerful tool, but it is a tool that is flawed and has it limits. The language it uses is stilted and formulaic, it descriptions can be both vague and oddly detailed on irrelevant points and is prone to simply inventing things that never happened or could not happen (the term "hallucinations" is used to describe the incorrect information generative AI creates an presents as fact). Basic rule with using generative AI: it cannot do your work for you, but it can help you do a better job.
So, here are the ground rules for using generative AI in this project:
Do not use generative AI to write some or all of your essay - Recognize the faults in generative AI and also have respect for yourself and me. You are better than this.
Fact check the information you get from generative AI using other sources.
Big Advice - The way to best use generative AI is to be specific in the questions that you ask it (these are known as "queries"). Take the time to experiment with different types of questions through refining the questions you ask.
Links to Generative AI:
Chat GPT - click here
Bing Chat - click here
Perplexity - click here
Phind - click here
Infographic Assignment - Due Monday (3/17)
An infographic is a poster that that organizes facts, numbers, short statements and basic images in a way that allows a viewer to get a "fast education" about a topic. Take a look at the infographic about the Building of Democracy in France. This infographic uses a combination of visual elements and text to make it easy for the viewer to quickly learn the information that is presented. This infographic matches the information presented in the sample essay for this project.
It is important to see that the infographic has only a small amount of written text - the design and location of the visuals do most of the work.
In this project, you will be using Google Drawing to make a infographic of an event in Cold War.
Below are two infographics that use a mixture of visual elements of maps, icon, statistics, timelines and quotes to support the thesis (shown under the infographic title).
Visual Elements in Infographic
An infographic uses visual elements to communicate the crucial parts of that are the topic of the infographic. The purpose of the visuals elements is to increase the amount of visual learning without making the view to read too much.
The chart to the right shows the best types of visuals elements to use with different types of information.
An important first step in building an infographic is to determine the types of visuals elements to use in the infographic.
Classwork - Thinking about Visual Elements - click here
Assignment - Building Main Visual Elements - click here
The Building Visual Elements Assignment is due Tuesday, March 11th.
Link to Guide to Using Google Drawing - click here
Link to site for Building Historic Maps - click here
Link to On-line Photo and Picture Editor - click here
Link to Grading Rubric for Infographic - click here
The diagram below shows how these visual elements were used in the Dunkirk infographic.
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