Civil Rights Paper & Memorial Project

You will be selecting an important event or person that was influential during the American Civil Rights
Movement. You will be doing research, writing and paper, and creating a memorial for the event or person.
Paper (worth 1 test grade)
-2-3 pages
-each of the elements listed below should be their own paragraph
-Introduction: summarizing the paper
-Details and background information
-Context/ Connection to the larger movement
-Significance
-Conclusion: summarizing the paper
-4 sources (2 print and 2 electronic) and all should be reliable (if you have a question ask me)
-A notecard for each source (these will be taken up at the end of every day for a classwork grade)
-Cite sources in the text & on a separate Bibliography (this does not count as one of your 2 or 3 pages)
-MLA Format
Memorial (worth 1 test grade)
-Physical Memorial (must have a 3D element)
-Plaque that explains to the public the topic in 4-8 sen.
-should show knowledge or the topic

**Make sure you look over the attached rubrics as this is what I
will be using to grade your project grades (YES THIS IS WORTH
TWO TESTS).**
Research Paper Rubric
CATEGORY
Organizatio
n (10 pts)

Information is very
organized with wellconstructed paragraphs
and subheadings.

Information is
Information is organized, but
The information
organized with well- paragraphs are not well-constructed. appears to be
constructed
disorganized. 8)
paragraphs.

Quality of
Information clearly relates
Information to the main topic. It
(20 pts)
includes several supporting
details and/or examples.

Information clearly Information clearly relates to the

relates to the main main topic. No details and/or
topic. It provides 1-2 examples are given.
supporting details
and/or examples.

Information has
little or nothing
to do with the
main topic.

Sources (20 All sources (information

pts)
and graphics) are
accurately documented in
the desired format. 1 from
a book source and 1 from a
reliable internet source.
Cited within the text and in
the bibliography.

All sources
(information and
graphics) are
accurately
documented, but a
few are not in the
desired format. 1
from a book source
and 1 from a
internet source (not
a reliable source).
Cited within the text
and in the

Some sources
are not
accurately
documented.
Only one source
from a less
reliable source.
Only cited in
either the
bibliography or
in the text.

All sources (information and

graphics) are accurately
documented, but many are not in
the desired format. Only 1 source
that is reliable. Cited only in the
text or in the bibliography

bibliography

Notes (10
pts)

Notes are recorded and

organized in an extremely
neat and orderly fashion.
Student has taken notes
from each of their sources.

Notes are recorded

legibly and are
somewhat
organized. Student
has taken notes
from only 1 of their
sources.

Notes are recorded, but with links to n/a

research and without citations.

Intro (5 pts) Well written introduction

that appropriately
introduces the topic and
foreshadows the material
in the paper.

Adequately written
introduction that
appropriately
introduces the topic
and foreshadows the
material in the
paper.

Poorly written introduction that

n/a
appropriately introduces the topic
and foreshadows the material in the
paper.

Details and
background
of the topic
(15 pts)

Adequately written
section that explains
the relevant
background and
details of the
person/event. This is
done in an mostly
organized manner
with little to no
"fluff."

Poorly written section that barely

explains the relevant background
and details of the person/event. This
is done in an unorganized manner
with lots of \"fluff.\"

Well written section that

explains the relevant
background and details of
the person/event. This is
done in an organized
manner without "fluff."

Little to no
background or
relevant details
about the topic.

Context/
Connection
to the larger
Civil Rights
Movement
(10 pts)

Student shows a good

understanding of relevant
events of the timer period
and geographical location
that influenced their event
of person.

Student shows a
adequate
understanding of
relevant events of
the timer period and
geographical
location that
influenced their
event of person.

Student barely shows understanding

of relevant events of the timer
period and geographical location
that influenced their event of
person.

Student shows
little to no
understanding
of relevant
events of the
timer period
and
geographical
location that
influenced their
event of person.

Significance Student shows a good

(10 pts)
understanding and
communicates why this
person or event is
important.

Student shows an
adequate
understanding and
communicates why
this person or event
is important.

Student barely shows an

understanding and barely
communicates why this person or
event is important.

Student shows
little or no
understanding
and doesn't
communicate
why this person
or event is
important.

Conclusion
(5 pts)

Student adequately Student barely has a conclusion that n/a

organized and
barely summarizes the paper
moderately well
appropriately.
written conclusion
that summarizes the
paper appropriately.

Student has a well

organized and well written
conclusion that
summarizes the paper
appropriately.

RUBRIC FOR MEMORIAL

Content (20 pts)

Memorial Design
(40 pts)

Plaque (20 pts)

4
Students
demonstrate an
excellent reading
comprehension of
their topic and its
position within the
larger Civil Rights
movement
Design shows
thought about the
subject and the
purpose of the
memorial. Shows
creativity and
attention to detail.
Plaque is well written
and shows a good
summary (4-8
sentence) of their
topic and its
significance.

3
Students
demonstrate an
adequate reading
comprehension of
their topic and its
position within the
larger Civil Rights
movement
Design shows
thought about the
subject and the
purpose of the
memorial. Shows
some creativity and
attention to detail.
Plaque is adequately
written and shows an
adequate summary
(4-8 sentence) of
their topic and its
significance.

2
Students
demonstrate some
reading
comprehension of
their topic and its
position within the
larger Civil Rights
movement
Design shows
thought about the
subject and the
purpose of the
memorial. Shows
little creativity and
attention to detail.
Plaque is
unorganized and
barely shows and
recognition or
summary of the
topic.

1
Students shows little
to no understanding
of their topic and its
position within the
larger Civil Rights
movement
Memorial is messy
and disconnected
from the topic.

Plaque is messy,
unorganized, and
shows little
connection to the
project.

Options for Research:

1-Little Rock Central High School Desegregates
2-Montgomery buss boycott
3-Freedom Rides
4-Freedom Summer
5-James Meredith enrolls in University of Miss
6-Letter from Birmingham Jail
7-life and death of Medgar Evers
8- March on Washington
9-Bombing of Birmingham Church
10-Civil Rights Act
11-Selma to Montgomery March
12- Voting Rights Act
13- Watts Riots
14- Life and Death of Malcolm X
15-Life of Fannie Lou Hammer
16- Life of Ella Baker
17- Life of Amzie Moore
18- Life of A Phillip Randolph
19- Life of Bob Moses
20- Life of ED Nixon
21- Life of Stokley Carmichael
22-Life of James Farmer
23- Life of Bayard Rustin
24- Life of Thurgood Marshall (getting on the Supreme Court or involvement of NAACP)
25- Life of John Lewis
26- The death and work of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner
27- Emmitt Till Murder & trial
28- life of Shirley Chisholm

*if you would like to do research on someone or something not on this list you must have it approve by me
within the first 30 minutes of the first day or research. Do not ask me to do Martin Luther King Jr. or Rosa
Parks. I will say no.