Class of 2010 Autobiography Assignment
Class of 2010,
First of all, welcome to the class and thank you for deciding to take the challenge. I am looking forward to a great year as I get to know each of you while navigating you through the adventure that is AP GO PO (Advanced Placement Government & Politics). Discounting the caption in the image above, which was simply my misguided attempt at humor, the result of a quick internet search, I think you will find this to be a very enlightening course and it is my profound hope that many if not all of you will become political junkies pursuing and actively participating in a lifelong love of all things political.
The first thing I need you to do is compile an autobiography. This will assist me in getting a perspective of who you are and what attributes you are bringing to the class. In addition, it will give your fellow classmates an opportunity to learn something about the people they will be sharing a class with – engaging in thoughtful, civil discussions throughout the year often agreeing with and sometimes challenging the assertions put forth.
ASSIGNMENT PARAMETERS:
Part I: Who Are You?
Describe your personal life (in limited = not too personal) detail giving us some background on your family, experiences, friends,and interests outside of school. Include what you did this summer to relax and unwind as you prepared for your senior year.
Part II: What Do You Want to Be When You “Grow Up”?
What are your immediate plans for the future? Are you going to college? If so, where? Why? If not, what will you be doing and why? Where will you be five years from now? Ten years from now?
Part III: What Do You Hope to Get Out of the Class?
Why are you taking AP GO PO? What is it you would like to learn? How would you like the year to go? This is an opportunity for you to shape the direction of the course and the format we will employ, so if there is something you would like to cover or some learning strategy you are comfortable with, speak now or forever hold your tongue.
Part IV: What Do You Know or Think?
What is your level of political knowledge (expert, proficient, average, novice, newby)? Please briefly and concisely share your opinions of the various topics listed below; if you have no opinion or do not feel that you adequately understand the topic yet, just state that:
- The War on Terrorism
- The Economy/Taxation
- Abortion
- The Death Penalty
- Religion/School Prayer
- The Environment
- The Future Role of the United States in World Affairs
- President Obama and/or Congress
Part V: What Have You
Is there anything else you would like me or your fellow classmates to know before we begin our little journey?
LENGTH: Do each component justice and simply “answer the damn question” by providing adequate detail. This is not a word count assignment. Do not be too verbose and do not short change us on the details. This will be a reoccurring theme that will be reiterated often throughout the year – answer what is asked of you and “show what you know/think”.
VALUE: 150 pts.
CONVENTIONS: Yes, you will be graded on proper use of paragraphs, grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Please create your autobiography as a word document by cutting and pasting the above assignment parameters, addressing each issue accordingly delineating topics for ease of reading, spell check it, proof read it, save it (Word of Advice: You should do this with all your future Blog posts) and then transfer it to the blog by cutting a pasting it into the comments box at the bottom of this post.
PLEASE NOTE: BLOG POSTS DO NOT APPEAR IMMEDIATELY INTO THE BLOG – I HAVE TO READ EACH OF THEM AND MODERATE OR FILTER OUT INAPPROPRIATE MATERIAL BEFORE THEY BECOME PUBLIC.
THIS MAY TAKE SOME TIME DEPENDING ON THE LENGTH OF THE POSTS.
DUE DATE: Sunday, August 23rd before 3 pm.
FOLLOW-UP ASSIGNMENT: You are to review the biographies of five future classmates (preferably students you do not know very well) and comment on their postings. Feel free to offer some information, ask questions and/or just provide feedback on what they have provided.
VALUE: 50 pts.
DUE DATE: Sunday, August 30th before 3 pm.
QUESTIONS? – email me at pkautzman@mead.k12.wa.us
