Mr. James W. "Jim" Mueller                 
 Social Studies Teacher    
Cocopah Middle School 
Room K-13
e-mail jmueller@susd.org                          
Phone 480-484-4400 ext.4283 
Home Phone: 480-991-3645 (ok until 9:30 p.m.) 
 

This show you  is some of the types of things I do here:


 

Biography Project 2008 - Assignment



A) Read and Research - You must find at least five (5) different sources and read at least 50 pages that relates in some way to your topic. 

One source must be a book or magazine.  One source must be a reputable (not Wikipedia) encyclopedia. Keep a log of everything you read. You will have to do both a Work Cited Page and a Reading Log. I’m looking for proof that you read what you said you read, that understood it, and that you learned something that you will remember that relates directly to the 20th Century personality you are studying.  Your reading log will be a part of the grade. Reading logs can cover anything related to the person, however remotely, and need not need to be directly related to your final topic (e.g. they can be a book or article this person wrote).  I will provide you with reading log sheets, but you can also copy the form off my website.    

B)  Find a Primary Source - One of your sources must be a PRIMARY source.  This must be noted as your primary source on your Work Cited Page.  A primary source definition is below.

            Primary Source Definition:  These are accounts of the event, created at the time it          occurred, by firsthand observers and participants.  It includes material from, or directly     related to, the time period being studied in the past. In history, primary sources are       usually letters, actual event records, battle summaries of field commanders, diaries, or        other documents created during the event or shortly after the event that is being studied.              These are personal accounts by those who were there and saw the events, or met the        people, or the participants own words of what happened when they were there.        However, primary sources can include photographs, jewelry, artifacts, and other items as    well. It can include autobiographies (usually NOT biographies), speeches, stories from            newspapers and magazines of that time, interviews with participants, transcripts,      advertisements, maps, pamphlets, posters, laws, and court decisions

 

C)  Write - Part One:  Your report must have an opening paragraph with a thesis statement and a closing paragraph to wrap it all up. [These two paragraphs should be roughly 40 words each.]   The thesis statement must be underlined!

D)  Write:  Part Two:  You are then to write four to eight well-written internal paragraphs (or more, but only after I review a draft) on your assigned person.  The main paragraphs should be roughly 100 words each and each paragraph should contain important facts (no fluff) that you learned about your person and his or her accomplishments.  Your minimum is, therefore, 480 words.  You may not exceed 808 words without my prior approval and Ms. Munhall’s approval – that means you have to show us a well-written and carefully edited draft that exceeds the amount allowed and we think it is good enough to keep it as is.  !

For your person, you must cover the following:

1.       What did this person do that was significant during the 20th Century? Explain his or her accomplishments (not a lot of random background).

2.       What caused or motivated him or her to do what he/she did? 

3.       Explain how this person transformed 20th Century society and culture by his or her actions.

4.       How did this person influence others (in and out of his or her field) by what he or she did?

5.       What is the significance of this person in the overall context of the 20th Century?

6.       Explain why this person is worth remembering.  [This should be thorough and contain a clear opinion of BOTH this person’s character and impact on society.]

7.       In your conclusion, explain what you learned from doing this that you think you will remember four years from now?  [DO NOT FORGET THIS PART].

 

 

Due Date:  Reports and Reading Logs are due April 30, 2008 

 

 

 

 

 

Important Reminders and Rules:

A.     You must read at least five (5) sources and read at least 50 pages!

B.     One of your sources must be a PRIMARY source.  It should be so noted on your work cited page. This must also  be noted as your primary source on your log. 

C.    You need a works cited page as long and a complete reading log. 

D.    Your thesis statement must be underlined and be in the first paragraph.

E.     Your report must be typed (unless I excuse you for good cause).

F.     It must have a cover page and at least two pictures to go with it. 

G.    Typing must be double-spaced and typing must be in 12 point font or larger

H.     You must put a word count ON THE TITLE PAGE!

I.         You MAY NOT exceed 808 words without my PRIOR approval of your draft – edit your work, be concise - write clearly and efficiently.

J.      Do not start with “born on dating” and silly insignificant facts about this person’s childhood. 

You are to turn in two (2) copies of your work, one to me,  Mr. Mueller, with your Reading Logs – and one to Ms. Munhall, with your work Cited Page, Note Cards, Outline, etc. 

Biography List 2008


 

1.      A. Philip Randolph – Civil Rights Activist

2.      Admiral Hyman Rickover – Founder of the Nuclear Powered Navy - A great choice

3.      Alan B. Shepard, Jr. – Astronaut - A great choice

4.      Aretha Franklin   - Singer

5.      Arthur Ashe – Tennis Star and Humanitarian

6.      Audrey Hepburn – Movie Actress  - No More

7.      Barbara Bush – First Lady

8.      Barbara Jordan - Politician - A great choice

9.      Barbara Walters - Broadcaster

10. Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson – Music Producers and Musician/Songwriter Co-Founders of Motown Records

11. Betty Friedan – Author and Social Activist - A great choice

12. Bill Bradley - Basketball Star and US Senator  - A great choice

13. Bill Cosby – Comedian and Actor

14. Bill Gates – Businessman

15. Billy Graham – Evangelist and Religious Leader

16. Bob Dylan – Singer/Songwriter

17. Branch Rickey – Baseball Pioneer

18. Brian Wilson – Beach Boys Musician and Composer

19. Buzz Aldrin – Astronaut - A great choice

20. Cesar Chavez – Labor Leader and Political Activist

21. Charles Schulz - Cartoonist

22. Chuck Yeager – Aviator/Test Pilot

23. Clare Booth Luce – Playwright, Congresswoman, Ambassador

24. Coretta Scott King – Civil Rights Activist

25. Christa McAuliffe – Teacher and Astronaut

26. Dave Brubeck - Jazz Musician

27. Douglas MacArthur – General

28. Duke Ellington – Musician

29. Dwight Eisenhower – President/General

30. Edward R. Murrow – Pioneer News Broadcaster

31. Edwin Hubble - Astronomer - A great choice

32. Eleanor Roosevelt – First Lady

33. Elie Wiesel – Writer and Activist

34. Elizabeth Dole - Politician

35. Frank Lloyd Wright - Architect

36. George Herbert Walker Bush – WWII Veteran and President

37. George Lucas - Filmmaker

38. Georgia O’Keeffe - Artist

39. Gloria Steinem – Feminist and Author

40. Helen Keller – Social Reformer

41. Howard Cosell – Sportscaster and Lawyer

42. Howard Hughes – Entrepreneur

43. I.M. Pei - Architect

44. Isaac Asimov – Science Fiction Writer

45. Itzhak Perlman - Violinist

46. Jack Horner – Scientist Paleontologist

47. Jackie Joyner-Kersee - Athlete

48. Jackie Robinson – Baseball Great and Social Activist One more only

49. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis – First Lady One more only

50. Jacques Cousteau – Oceanographer

51. James Meredith - Civil Rights Activist

52. James Watson & Francis Crick  - Scientists Discovered DNA

53. Jane Goodall - Naturalist

54. Jim Henson – Puppeteer, Founder of The Muppets

55. Jimmy Carter - President

56. John F. Kennedy - President

57. John Glenn - Astronaut/Senator - A great choice

58. Jonas Salk – Physician

59. Katie Couric – Journalist and Broadcaster

60. Langston Hughes – Poet and Writer

61. Larry Doby – Baseball Player (the first African American in the American League)

62. Le Corbusier - Architect

63. Leonard Bernstein – Pianist, Conductor and Composer

64. Louis Armstrong – Musician and Composer

65. Louis B. Mayer – Movie Mogul, co-founder of MGM Studios

66. Lucille Ball – Actress and Television Pioneer One (or two) more only

67. Malcolm X – Civil Rights Leader

68. Margaret Chase Smith – Senator and Congresswoman

69. Maria Mitchell – Astronomer

70. Marian Anderson - Singer

71. Maya Angelou – Poet

72. Medgar Evers – Civil Rights Activist - A great choice

73. Michael E. DeBakey – Heart Surgeon and Medical Pioneer

74. Mildred "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias – Olympic Athlete and Golfer - A great choice

75. Milton Berle – TV Pioneer

76. Mother Theresa – Religious Leader and Social Activist

77. Muhammad Ali – Boxer and Social Activist

78. Neil Armstrong - Astronaut

79. Oprah Winfrey - Broadcaster No More

80. Pablo Casals – Musician/Cellist

81. Paul Allen  - Co-founder of Microsoft

82. Pete Rozelle – NFL Commissioner

83. Pope John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla) – Religious Leader

84. Rachel Carson – Environmentalist

85. Ray Kroc – Founder of McDonald’s

86. Richard E. Byrd – Antarctic Explorer

87. Robert Goddard – Rocket Scientist

88. Robert Jarvik – Heart Surgeon and Inventor of the Artificial Heart

89. Robert Oppenheimer – Scientist – Heads the Manhattan Project

90. Roberto Clemente – Baseball Great and Humanitarian

91. Rodgers & Hammerstein - Composers

92. Ronald Reagan – President and Actor

93. Ruth Bader Ginsburg – Supreme Court Justice

94. Sally Ride – Astronaut A great choice

95. Sam Walton – Founder of Wal-Mart

96. Sandra Day O’Connor – Supreme Court Justice

97. Shirley Chisholm - Congresswoman

98. Stephen Bechtel – Engineer and Builder

99. Stephen Hawking – Scientist A great choice

100.         Stephen J. Gould – Scientist and Paleontologist

101.         Stephen King - Writer

102.         Steven Spielberg - Filmmaker

103.         Stokely Carmichael – Civil Rights Leader

104.         Ted Williams – Korean War Veteran and Baseball Player

105.         Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss) – Author, Cartoonist

106.         Thomas Watson, Jr. – Founder of IBM

107.         Thurgood Marshall – Supreme Court Justice A great choice

108.         Tom Dooley – Doctor and Humanitarian

109.         Vince Lombardi – Football Coach

110.         Walt Disney – Cartoonist and Founder of Disney No More

111.         Walter Cronkite– Journalist and Broadcaster

112.         Walter Payton – Football Player and Social Activist One or two more only

113.         Walter Reuther – Labor Leader and Reformer

114.         Warren Buffett – Financial Wizard

115.         Werner von Braun – Rocket Scientist

116.         William Boeing – Aviation Pioneer One more only

117.         William Faulkner - Writer

118.         Wilma Rudolph – Athlete

119.         Yitzhak Rabin – Statesman

120.         Yo-Yo Ma – Musician/Cellist

121.    John Wooden - Basketball Coach and Leadership Expert

122.    Eugene "Gene" Cernan - Apollo Astronaut, The Last Man on the Moon A great choice

 

 

Biography Reading Log 2008
[You must have five (5) of these.]
           
Source # _________                                   Name: _______________________
                                                                        Period: _____________ 
                                                                        Date: ________

Full title of book or article & full name of author, if given:

Book or Article: ____________________________________________  
Author: _____________________ [first and last name]

How many pages of this book or article did you actually read? _________ out of
 ______ pages.  Was it a primary _____ or non-primary_____ source? [See definition]

Where I found it [e.g. library, internet] ______________________________
If internet, what was the URL (web address)
______________________________________________________________
I read it on this date: _______________

Notes and my summary [what I learned or confirmed from this source]: 

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When using this page be sure to follow copyright guidelines.  Updated 04/07.  This site is always under construction. Contact: jmueller@susd.org    
©2003, 2004,  2005,  2006,  2007, 2008  James W. Mueller, also, Scottsdale Unified School District  © 2004,  2005, 2006,  2007, 2008.   
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