Prelude: students have to pick three themes from the themes list on the introduction to the CCA. Introduced April 30, 2025.

Step 1: students have to track their three themes throughout units 1 and 2 (and hopefully do the same for unit 3 while we are simultaneously finishing the unit). First they annotate their unit handouts. Then they track or summarize their annotations in tracking sheets. Due May 13.

I will check their unit materials for annotations, then check their tracking. Not for a mark but for completion and quality. If there are obvious gaps, the student will have to re-do the work or improve it. The purpose is to substitute their annotation and tracking for note-taking.

Support Materials for Step 1:

Tracking of Primary Sources

Tracking of Secondary Sources

Video Tips

Step 2: students will have to construct a thesis statement. I will gather their thesis through a Google Form. If there are any revisions to be made, I will speak to the student. The emphasis in the thesis is how their three themes help to make an argument for the complexity of history.

Support Materials for Step 2:

Thesis instructions PDF (I may make a video around mid-May)

Step 3: Students will write an essay outline. Like before, outline creation will coincide with a unit topic on which we examine a sample essay outline (Belgian imperialism in Congo). The purpose is firstly, for students to organize their evidence/examples (either by unit or by theme). Secondly, the purpose is for students to record their explanations of how the evidence proves their thesis AND to incorporate Historical Thinking Concepts. Due May 22.

There will be some time given to producing the outline in class. If I allow them to type the outline, it would have to be done in class since I am not willing to invest dozens of hours into detecting AI usage.

Support Materials for Step 3:

Outline Template

Outline Example Using Imperialism Case Study

Steps 4 and 5: Drafting the Essay

Here I will use the same materials, generally, as for my previous essay format with all the tips about paragraphing, topic and concluding sentences, introductory and concluding paragraphs, incorporation of primary source quotes, etc.

There will be a reasonable amount of time given to in-class work while we complete unit 4.

See OLD CCA Step 6.

Comments are closed