January / February/ March 2009 Extra Credit List
Note: No more than 200 extra credit points will be given in a 9 week grading period. At no point will your grade be allowed to rise above 105%, no matter what the circumstances. You will NOT receive Extra Credit if you have Excessive Zeroes or Incompletes (at our discretion—see one of us if you are not sure whether or not you qualify). This list will change from time to time depending on what we’re covering in class, so check it before you begin anything major. Please ASK US if you have ANY uncertainties or questions! Cimarron by Edna Ferber
(a) Find it. Buy it. Borrow it. Check it out from the library. Whatever. (b) Read it. As much as you can. Even if you only get halfway, it’s still GREAT. It’s ideal to read the whole thing, of course… and this one is fairly short. (c) Write 800-1000 words on this book, addressing the following: What is this book basically about? Summarize the main events addressed and the main points made. Which part did you find most illuminating, surprising, or interesting? How does this book relate to what we’ve covered (or will cover) in class this year? Should we have read this book in class this year? Why or why not? (d) Potential Extra Credit Points: 200
Shane (1953 Movie starring Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, and Van Heflin.) You may only do this particular extra credit assignment if you’ve started the book in class.
(a) (b) (c) (d) Rent, borrow, buy, check out, or otherwise procure this movie. Watch it, preferably with parental units. If that’s not practical, watch it with a friend who’s also in this class. Discuss it with your parent / friend. Write an 800-1000 word report covering: Summarize the movie and the main characters. What does this movie do better than the book? What are its strengths? What does the book do better than the movie? What are its strengths? What are the most important differences between the book and the movie? Are the messages of the film and the book the same? Are any of the characters particularly well-portrayed in your opinion? Are any of them substantially different? Which parts were most interesting or surprising? Which parts were not? Potential Extra Credit Points: 150
(e)
Assorted History Magazine Articles (a) Using the Tulsa City-County Library website (www.tulsalibrary.org), research a topic of your own choosing that is at least remotely connected to the time period we’re covering in class. (b) You may wish to physically go to one of the branches the first time you do this so you can seek the help of a staff member until you get the hang of it. You may also simply look through current issues of magazines like American History, the Smithsonian, American Heritage, or whatever, and save you the online searching. NOTE: You’ll need your library card (free) to use the online database search. (c) Print the article to turn in with your summary / reactions / etc. (d) Write 300-400 words summarizing the article, your reactions to, thoughts about, or opinions of it, and explaining how it relates (however remotely) to what we’ve covered in class. (e) Potential Extra Credit Points: 50 (75 if I love the article enough to use in class)
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History Podcasts (a) The Gilder Lehrman website (http://gilderlehrman.org/index.html ) has a dozen or so neato-keen podcasts of famous historians lecturing on some of their favorite topics. Some are a bit tedious, but most of them are surprisingly engaging. NOTE: You may choose any topic you like, whether it’s covered in the curriculum this year or not. (b) Using whatever method you prefer (listening from the website, downloading it to a device of your choice, etc.), choose a podcast and listen to it carefully. Ideally, listen to it with a parental unit or a friend who is also in this class so that you can help one another focus, understand, and process. (c) Write 400-600 words about the podcast, including… a. Who was the historian and what was the topic? (These are listed on the website.) b. Summarize the main points of the lecture. c. Which part(s) did you find most interesting or illuminating? Which parts were not so great? (d) Potential Extra Credit Points: 75-125. (Length of the selected podcast may be a factor since a longer lecture means more of your time and hopefully a more complete summary and reaction paper.) Let’s Go The Museum and Learn About History! Both the Gilcrease and the Philbrook have exhibits this semester relating to America in the 19th century. (a) Gilcrease has Transcending Vision: American Impressionism 1870-1940, which granted is a bit on the artsy side, but which is at least based mostly in our time period this year. There’s also a display called Between the Lines: Cheyenne and Arapaho Ledger Art from Fort Reno. Finally, of course, is their regular collection, which includes at least a few key pieces from major American artists. (b) Philbrook has Dancing Across the Page, exploring Native American rituals through their paintings and drawings. When we get around to killing Custer in a few chapters, this exhibit will make for some useful background info. Philbrook also has a substantial collection of 19th century American art, with focus on the west and its allure. (c) Ask your parents to join you at the museum for an afternoon. (There may be admission fees, so it wouldn’t hurt to call ahead and make sure you’re prepared.) Tell them its for extra credit and you COULD do it yourself, but you’d appreciate their wisdom and insight, so would they please walk through the museum WITH you. Stay for at least a couple of hours and make sure you include the exhibits mentioned above. Save a program or map or something like that to staple to your report on the trip. (d) Write 600-800 words describing your trip, what you saw, what you learned, what you liked, what you didn’t, etc. You may include things other than the suggested exhibits, but make sure you at least cover those at some point. Staple your program, map, or whatever to your report before turning it in. (e) Potential Extra Credit Points: 200