Name:

Date:

American Studies

Unit 1: Freedom, Liberty, and the Individual

 

1.                  Personal Photo Essay: This assignment is not a literal “essay.” Rather, it involves taking some photos and writing about each photo individually. The task is to examine personal attitudes and feelings regarding freedom in America. Take five (digital) photos capturing those feelings about freedom in some way, whether positive or negative. Photos might be concrete or abstract representations of freedom. The key is justifying each photo in writing with a minimum of 100 words clearly explaining how each photo depicts one’s attitude toward freedom in America. Personal Photo Essay:

 

Photos and statements are best presented from the student’s digital portfolio, as a HTML page link.

1.                   Photos must be personally taken, not from published sources such as magazines or from the Internet.

2.                   One cannot use a picture of the flag as one of the photos.

 

Note: It would be wise to start this project early, since time is needed to take the pictures, download them, write a statement of at least 100 words for each picture, create a basic portfolio, create the HTML pages, and then link them to a American Studies homepage.

 

_____ Ideas, Development, and Conventions

30

___1. minimum of 100 words for each photo.

___2. ideas were original and creative

___3. clear focus in each annotation

___4. clearly explained how each photo represented some personal view of freedom in America.

___5. statements sounded like an honest reflection of personal views.

 

___6. typed, 12pt standard font.

___7. proper spelling, punctuation, and usage.

___8. sentences flowed smoothly and were complete. (No fragments, run-ons, or comma splices.)

 

_____ Visual Representation

10

___1. appealing to the eye and readable

                                ___2. photos are relevant to the topic

                                ___3. original photos, taken  personally

                                ___4. minimum of five photos.

 

_____  Total  (minimum of 27 needed to pass this portion of the unit project).

40

 

 

_____ Extra Credit

10

___1. +3 included in link on digital portfolio’s American Studies homepage

                                ___2. +2 standup presentation 1-2 mins. from digital portfolio.

___3. +1 point for each day project is submitted prior to due date (up to 5 points).