The

ITAN Tribune
Ethical Journalism :: Cultivate Truth

NEWSPAPER ASSIGNMENT VOL. I No. 2 Native American & European Explorers Edition
DEADLINE (due date): Monday, October 26, 2015
Directions: Choose any of the following departments to work in this week. By the above deadline, you must turn in
any combination of department assignments to total 100 points. You may work in ALL departments and turn in a
complete newspaper (all 8 pages) for extra credit. Department assignments will be graded using the rubrics below.
Please turn this packet in along with your final newspaper.
Student Name: _____________________________________________________ Date Assigned: October 21, 2015
Advisory: ______________________________
DEPARTMENT
Front Page

POSSIBLE POINTS

Paragraph

30

Front Page Story - Cultural Clash

Primary Source Analysis

Metro & Arts

Business & Finance

CODEX
Native American Nation Information

Counsel Trade Document

Cultural Exchange

Close Read Paragraph

Opinion

Christopher Columbus: HERO or VILLAIN?

Map

Global

Voyages of _______(European Explorer)

The Comics

Back Page

ASSIGNMENT

Paragraph

Sports

Work Hard. Be Nice. Have Pride.

Illustrated Timeline
European Explorers (BioCard)

Writers Bio
Personal Paragraph

TOTAL POINTS

POINTS EARNED

15

15

30

10

10

120

**Check Ms. Lawsons blog/website for more detailed rubrics of each assignment.**
www.mslawsonkipp.weebly.com

DEPARTMENT #1 Front Page

Assignment: Paragraph Cultural Clash: Native Americans & European Explorers

Value: 30 points

Directions: Scholars will complete a paragraph explaining the cultural exchange between a Native American tribe and a European
explorer. Use your portfolio, prior knowledge, and the internet to research this encounter. Students may choose from the following
headlines:
- Cortes and the Aztec
- Pizarro and the Inca
- Cartier and the Iroquois
- Verrazano and the Algonquin
- Coronado and the Pueblo
Prompt: How did the European explorer treat the indigenous people they encountered in the New World?
Why? What were their motives/reasons for their actions? Did their sponsoring country play a role?
Rubric:
Criteria
Topic Sentence

Evidence

Elaboration

Conclusion

5 points
Got it!
Students topic sentence responds
directly to the prompt given. The
topic sentence is relevant,
accurate.
Student cites evidence from the
diagram/map that supports their
topic sentence. Student cites
evidence using proper MLA
format. Students evidence is
relevant, accurate.
Student elaborates and supports
evidence cited in previous
sentence(s). Students evidence is
relevant, accurate.
Students conclusion sentence
wraps up the paragraph and
includes the topic. The conclusion
sentence is relevant, accurate.

Spelling & Grammar

Student has minimal grammatical

and spelling mistakes (0-3 errors).

Illustration/Picture

Student has an illustration or

picture that relates to their topic.

3 points
I Can!

1 Points
Not Yet

Students topic sentence responds

directly to the prompt given.

Student has a topic sentence that

may or may not respond to the
prompt given.

Student cites evidence from the

diagram/map that supports their
topic sentence and may use MLA
format.

Student uses information from the

diagram/map to support their
topic sentence.

Student elaborates and supports

evidence cited in previous
sentence(s).

Student elaborates about

information in previous
sentence(s).

Students conclusion sentence

wraps up the paragraph and
includes the topic.

Student has a conclusion sentence

that may or may not relate to the
topic.

Student has grammatical and

spelling mistakes that make
writing confusing or hard to read
(3-10 errors)
Student has an illustration or
picture that may or may not relate
to their topic.

Student has grammatical and

spelling mistakes that make
writing difficult to read (10+
errors)
Student has no illustration.

Teacher Comments:
TOTAL

DEPARTMENT #2 Sports
Assignment: Primary Source Analysis What are they playing?

Value: 15 points

Directions: Scholars will answer the analysis questions using complete sentences. Students will then describe the game the indigenous
people are playing in the primary source.
Prompt: Using the primary source, describe the game they are playing. What are the rules of the game? How will a team win?
Rubric:
15 points
Got it!

10 points
I Can!

5 Points
Not Yet

Student answers all analysis questions and

writes a short paragraph that describes the game
using evidence from the primary source.

Student answers all analysis questions and writes

a short paragraph that describes the game.
Student may or may not use evidence.

Student answers some of the analysis

questions. Student writes a short paragraph
that describes the game.

DEPARTMENT #3 Metro & Arts

Assignment: CODEX Native American Information

Value: 5 points

Directions: Students will complete all parts of their assigned Native American nation Codex. Students will then staple their codex in
to the appropriate area of the newspaper.
Rubric:
5 points
Got it!
Student has followed all directions for the
Codex.
Student has presented their books neatly.
Student has few, if any, significant errors
in spelling or grammar.

3 points
I Can!
Student has completed almost all the
directions for the Codex, but may be
missing some information or has made a
few errors in spelling or grammar.

1 Points
Not Yet
Student did not complete the Codex
according to the direction.

DEPARTMENT #4 Business & Finance

Assignment: Counsel Trade Document

Value: 15 points

Directions: Scholars will copy the information from their COUNSEL TRADE DOCUMENT on to the Business & Finance section of
the newspaper.
Rubric:
15 points
Got it!
Student completed all 4 sections of the
Counsel Trade Document.

10 points
I Can!
Student completed 2-3 sections of the
Counsel Trade Document.

5 Points
Not Yet
Student completed 0-1 section of the
Counsel Trade Document.

DEPARTMENT #5 Opinion
Assignment: Close Read Paragraph Christopher Columbus: HERO or VILLAIN?
Value: 30 points
Directions: After reading and rereading the Who was the real Christopher Columbus? excerpt, students will annotate the text and
take guided noted. Students will use these notes to respond to a prompt.
Prompt: Was Christopher Columbus a hero or a villain? Use evidence from the excerpt to support your claim.
Rubric:
Criteria
Topic Sentence

Evidence

Elaboration

Conclusion

5 points
Got it!
Students topic sentence responds
directly to the prompt given. The
topic sentence is relevant, accurate.
Student cites evidence from the text
that supports their topic sentence.
Student cites evidence using proper
MLA format. Students evidence is
relevant, accurate.
Student elaborates and supports
evidence cited in previous
sentence(s). Students elaboration is
relevant, accurate.
Students conclusion sentence wraps
up the paragraph and includes the
topic. The conclusion sentence is
relevant, accurate

Spelling & Grammar

Student has minimal grammatical

and spelling mistakes (0-3 errors).

Illustration/Picture
Advertisement

Student has an illustration or picture

that relates to their topic.

3 points
I Can!

1 Points
Not Yet

Students topic sentence responds

directly to the prompt given.

Student has a topic sentence that

may or may not respond to the
prompt given.

Student cites evidence from the text

that supports their topic sentence
and may use MLA format.

Student uses information from the

text to support their topic
sentence.

Student elaborates and supports

evidence cited in previous
sentence(s).

Student elaborates about

information in previous
sentence(s).

Students conclusion sentence

wraps up the paragraph and includes
the topic.

Student has a conclusion sentence

that may or may not relate to the
topic.

Student has grammatical and

spelling mistakes that make writing
confusing or hard to read (3-10
errors)
Student has an illustration or picture
that may or may not relate to their
topic.

Student has grammatical and

spelling mistakes that make
writing difficult to read (10+
errors)
Student has no illustration.

DEPARTMENT #6 Global
Assignment: Map Voyages of ________________ (European Explorer)

Value: 10 points

Directions: Scholars will complete the map using page 5 of their textbook or their notes.
Rubric:
10 points
Scholar completes the entire assignment
(All voyages identified). Student labels
all continents and bodies of water.
Student includes a map key.

5 points
Scholar completes half of the assignment
(some voyages identified). Student may
label continents and bodies of water.
Student may include a map key.

DEPARTMENT #7 The Comics

Assignment: Illustrated Timeline European Explorers

1 points
Scholar does not complete the assignment
(no voyages identified). Student may
label continents and bodies of water.

Value: 10 points

Directions: Scholars will complete the illustrated timeline about Early European Explorers using information from the textbook
(pages 60-67), BioCard, or portfolio.
Rubric:
10 points
Scholar completes the entire assignment
(5 dates illustrated)

5 points
Scholar completes half of the assignment
(2-4 dates illustrated)

BACK PAGE
Assignment: Writers Bio

0 points
Scholar does not complete the assignment
(0-1 dates illustrated)

Value: 5 points

Directions: Using the worksheet, answer the questions. Then put the sentences together in paragraph form for the Writers Bio.
Include a picture of yourself as well.
Rubric:
5 points
Scholar completes the entire assignment
(writers bio and picture)

3 points
Scholar completes half of the assignment
(writers bio or picture)

0 points
Scholar does not complete the assignment