Current Events Guidelines

Table of Contents

• Guidelines
• Rubric

I. The calendar assignment will be a way to gauge the students' following of current events. It will be a tool for students to learn how to analyze and write about news they read and see. It is very important as citizens to know what is happening all around you at home, in the country, and around the world.

II. The calendar assignment will be an activity that will be completed each month, with the exception of August and June. It will be DUE on the FIFTH(5th) of the following month, i.e. September's calendar assignment will be due on October 5th. Students can receive 10 pts extra-credit if the calendar is turned in on the FIRST(1st) of each month. In the event that the 5th is on a weekend, the assignment is due the next day school is in session.

III. The assignment is to keep a journal of important news happenings. There should be an entry for each day of the month. You are to have FOUR(4) news articles per week. These can be international, national, state, or local news items, BUT they all four cannot be the same type of news. The news items are to be denoted on the front of your calendar with a symbol, i.e. a triangle marking all of the news items. The other THREE(3) days of the week can be filled with items of your choice. You can have drawings, sports, movie reviews, personal journal entries, activities done with friends, trips, games, etc. No jokes, riddles, trivia, etc.

IV. Each day should have a written or typed paragraph. The paragraphs should be FIVE(5) to SEVEN(7) sentences long. The paragraphs will be graded with a rubric. The paragraphs should be grammatically correct, filled with content, have complex sentences, and show your thoughts and analysis. AND, most importantly, be in your language. The goal is for you to read or hear about an event, then summarize it into a paragraph adding your thoughts. Plagiarism will not be accepted. Each entry should also have a news header. Included in the header is the source, headline, and date of the article or story.

V. The calendar assignment will be worth 80 points. This is worth as much as some of the tests that you will take in this class. This assignment and its point value should also serve as an aide for students who do not generally score well on tests. There will be no leniency showed to students who do not turn this assignment in on time. It will be a ZERO! It is due every month for your entire eighth-grade year, there should be no excuses for not turning it in!! So, be thorough, keep up with the month, and learn what is happening all around you and try to realize how it affects the world you will shape.

The following rubric will be used to grade your monthly current events project.

I. The grammar and content will be based upon the ISTEP rubric you received in class. The writing will equal 2/3 of your calendar score (50 points).

II. Additional criteria to be completed for 1/3 of your calendar score (30 points):

Calendar Face (20 points)

To receive a(n):

A= 20 =

(a) neat, colorful, decorative appearance

(b) all headlines are filled-in

(c) no missing days, no "ghost" headlines

(d) news items are marked appropriately and there are four(4) per week

(e) three(3) personal days are accounted for each week

 

= 19 =

(a)neat, readable appearance

(b)-(e) from above

 

B= 18 =

(a)readable, but sloppy calendar face, no missing days

(b)-(e) from above

 

C= 16 =

(a)readable, but sloppy calendar face

(b)two(2) or LESS headlines missing on ENTIRE calendar face, including any ghost headlines

(d)-(e) from above excluding only the two(2) missing days

 

D= 14 =

(a)sloppy colander face

(b)four(4) or LESS headlines missing on ENTIRE calendar face, including any ghost headlines

(d)-(e) from above excluding only the four(4) missing days

 

F= 13-0 =

(a)sloppy calendar face

(b)majority of headlines are missing or headlines are not properly written

(c)more than four(4) missing days including ghost headlines

Paragraph Length and News Headers (10 points)

10 = all entries have 5-7 sentences and all news headers(N.H.)

5 = less than three(3) entries do not meet 5-7 sentence requirement and N.H.

0 = more than three(3) entries do not meet 5-7 sentence requirement and N.H.

III. Rubric Grade:

Language: (20 pts)	Writing: (30 pts)	Additional Criteria: (30 pts)
4=20	6=30	A=25-25
3=17-19	5=28-29	B=23
2=15-16	4=25-27	C=19-21
1=0-14	3=21-25	D=18
	2=16-20	F=0-17
	1=0-15

 

** Three-fourths of each month's calendar must be completed or I WILL NOT grade your assignment! (Usually 3/4 of every month means you can only have 7 days missing)

**For every day below 7 that is missing there will be a 3 point deduction taken from the final grade. Also, missing days will lower your calendar-face grade.

**Miscellaneous:

• If you have a drawing as a personal selection, you must have a written paragraph to go with the art work.
• If you write a poem, it must be of quality. (i.e. no silliness!)
• Generally, on days of your choice, do not do more than two(2) of anything for the month. Do different types of writing to expand your writing and thinking capabilities.
• If you are writing your selections, DO NOT write on front-and-back of paper.

**If I detect when grading your entries that you have plagiarized, I will have a conference with you and discuss the matter. If it continues, you will receive a zero(0) on your calendar.