Honors Project: Treaty of Versailles



Honors Project: Treaty of Versailles

You are going to participate in a simulated Paris Peace Conference. The original conference produced the Treaty of Versailles, which ended World War I. You will be playing different countries, researching your history in World War I, writing your own treaty, and evaluating the real treaty in an essay for a project grade. See component two for the list of countries.

Components

Individual Work: NOTE: Mr. Egleston’s favorite search engine is Google.

Notecards (50 points) Use 3X5 index cards

If you did not produce notecards for the second quarter project, you need to participate in a tutorial session with me during the first library day.

You will create source cards and notecards based on the system we used second quarter. No general encyclopedias allowed (ex. Wikipedia, , World Book, Grolier’s, Encarta); specialist encyclopedias accepted. Your textbook can help you find basic search terms, but it can NOT be used as a source either.

Deadline: Fri. 2/28 at the end of class 4 source cards, 50 notecards minimum

** At least one source must be primary, no more than ½ sources from internet **

Research your country prior to and during World War I through 1919; focus on your country’s actions and motives in WWI but you may research other countries as well to help you with the next component. You need to know what actions you took (or failed to take) and why, particularly as they apply to your responsibility for causing the war.

For this part, you must rephrase almost all information in your own words; you may quote primary sources word-for-word for a maximum of 10 notecards. You will have two days in either the library or the lab to work on these in class. You will be required to code the notecards according to source and page number in the top right corner. In preparation for components one and two, you will also have the following days to work: Library on Tuesday, 2/25, Wednesday, 2/26 and Thursday, 2/27. Please note: you may NOT complete this work with any other students from the class.

Partners Work:

Paris Peace Conference (100 points)

Days in class for the conference: Tuesday, 3/6, Wednesday, 3/7, and Thursday, 3/8

Here are some things you need to know when you think about which country you want to join:

Switzerland: They run the conference; I do not. I’m going to sit back and watch all of you, taking notes on what you do. Switzerland was not at the original conference because they were neutral in WWI, but they are here now. Their job is to research the real treaty AND to decide how the conference is going to be run and what the rules are. That means the members of this group need to know the most about WWI in general. Above all, they have to be fair. So, if you want to argue for a country, you should not join Switzerland. This country has a lot of work to do.

Germany: It is easy to get a good grade for Germany, but it is hard to debate. You have to research what happened to Germany at the real conference. This is another country that has a lot to do.

France and Great Britain: These countries are tough because of the work that has to be done and because they have a large number of goals and a great deal of research to do.

USA and Russia: These countries do not have as much to do as Britain or France, but they still have a considerable number of goals, some of which are unique to their countries.

Austria-Hungary, Italy and Serbia: These countries do not have as much to do as everybody else, but they have the fewest members because they have the fewest number of demands. That means that you have to really work to get a chance to speak and argue your claims.

Tasks:

1. Flag This must be the country’s real flag or former flag; you may not randomly make up a flag.

2. Opening statement: Every country must give a speech that welcomes the other delegates, explains the country’s actions in WWI, and gives at least some of the goals. Use the special instructions I will give you to help write this, but do not read from them! Switzerland will decide how long the opening statements can be, but they will not be longer than 3 minutes. The most important part of the speech is explaining what your country did in WWI.

3. Arguing for country’s goals: You will receive a list of demands when you decide which country you are. These demands are “top secret” and do not need to be discussed with other countries. In fact, you do not need to be talking with any other group while doing your research; you need to spend this time working together as a diplomatic team. The grade for this section will be awarded based on how well you explain why you want each of the things on your list of goals. Simply agreeing that you want it or voting on it is NOT explaining why you want it. Use your actions in WWI to back up what you say.

(SWITZERLAND WILL NOT DO #3 BECAUSE OF ITS JOB IN THE CONFERENCE)

4. Evaluating your team members and the conference: After it has ended, each person must discuss what they learned as a result of the Treaty. You will explain what each of you contributed to this debate. If you are a slacker or moocher, it will be obvious here and during the conference. DO YOUR FAIR SHARE OF THE WORK.

If all members contribute equally to the project, all will get the same grade. If not, the person or people who did the work will get the grade and those who did not will get an F. DON’T BE A SLACKER OR MOOCHER. If you get put into a group with a slacker or moocher, give them the chance to do the work. If they refuse, you can be sure that you will get all the credit for the work and they will fail.

The Paris Peace Conference will take place in my room, but the desks will be rearranged. Your flags will show you where to sit. As ambassadors, you need to treat each other with respect. Whatever rules are established by Switzerland need to be followed. If you need to talk to other group members while someone else is speaking, write down what you want to say instead of speaking it out loud.

I do not plan to intervene in the Conference unless the following circumstances occur:

1) A class rule is broken. This includes refusing to be recognized before you speak.

2) Students are hostile and disrespectful to each other.

3) A group is disregarding its goals for the conference and/or threatening violence against another country. If you receive an “Urgent Message from your Home Government,” your grade is in jeopardy. This message may also be sent to you if you cannot stop talking without permission.

If this simulation is done correctly, you will feel the exact same way the real delegates of the Treaty of Versailles felt when they wrote the Treaty. This activity is usually one of my students’ favorite things to do. However, if groups or individuals cannot control themselves and respect others, this simulation will be ended. Take this part seriously. Learn how to argue reasonably with people instead of doing what most immature people do: shouting at each other, trading insults, or cursing. It is a lot more fun to prove someone wrong with evidence than to call them names because you are too ignorant to think of anything better to say.

Individual Work:

Treaty of Versailles Essay (50 points) 8X11 paper, no folders or covers

Preparation day (in class assuming I see you that day): Tues. 3/4

Final Essay Deadline Wed. 3/18 – Peer Grading Day

You must write an essay with a strong thesis which addresses the following question:

How fair and just was the Treaty of Versailles for the countries involved?

You will choose a minimum of 3 countries and a maximum of 4 countries to argue your case. These may help you set the structure and/or previewed arguments for your essay. Your final paper must include:

- a typed, 1 inch margins, double-spaced, 10-12 point font, 600-800 word essay

- a list of 4 sources minimum, in Works Cited (bibliography) format, at least one must be primary

If you did not successfully produce a Works Cited page/notecards for the first and second quarter projects, you need to spend time after school with me practicing these no later than Thurs. 3/9.

My country is: Circle one Switzerland Germany France

Great Britain USA Russia Italy

Austria-Hungary Serbia

My group members’ names and phone numbers or email addresses are:

I am responsible for doing this work for the conference part of the project:

Please see rubrics for each of the three components below:

Note & Works Cited Card Scoring Sheet

(+ = more than required ( = exactly as asked -- = incomplete 0 = did not do this)

Peer Editor Score Score Yourself

NOTECARDS

____ MINIMUM NUMBER OF CARDS (50) How many exactly? ______ ____

____ HAS NO MORE THAN ONE NOTE PER NOTECARD ____

____ CODED CORRECTLY TO SOURCE (BIBLIO. CARD #, PAGE # IN TOP RIGHT) ____

____ EVIDENCE OF GOOD NOTETAKING SKILLS (NOTES, NOT VERBATIM, ____

NOT SENTENCES, IN STUDENT’S PHRASING, ONE TOPIC PER CARD)

____ EVIDENCE OF DIRECT QUOTATIONS (maximum of 10 cards; not required) ____

____ OVERALL NOTECARD RATING (1-30) ____

WORKS CITED/SOURCE CARDS

____ MINIMUM NUMBER OF SOURCES (4) How many exactly? _____ ____

____ HAS AT LEAST 1 PRIMARY SOURCE How many exactly? _____ ____

____ INTERNET SOURCES ARE NOT MORE THAN 1/2 OF TOTAL ____

____ HAS CORRECT WORKS CITED INFORMATION, IN PROPER FORMAT ____

____ CODED CORRECTLY (SOURCE # ONLY, TOP RIGHT) ____

____ HAS NOTED LOCATION OF SOURCES ____

____ USEFUL, QUALITY SOURCES (No unacceptable encyclopedias/textbooks/other) ____

____ OVERALL SOURCE CARD RATING (1-30) ____

____ TOTAL POINTS (OUT OF 50) ____

Debate Simulation (100 points)

Level of preparation/research: 10 points ____

Opening statement: 10 points ____

Debate skills: 20 points ____

Students all speak, respectful to each other, arguing with evidence versus cheap tactics

Level of argument/detail: 30 points ____

Comments based on history/actual treaty; on target, not tangential, allies supported correctly

(modification for Switzerland: research done on WWI/real treaty)

Goals discussed: 30 points ____

all goals fully addressed, not just voted on, argued strongly regardless of class voting results

(modification for Switzerland: successful running of the conference)

Evaluation to be completed once simulation is finished:

What I did to help my country prepare for and argue during the debate: (Be specific, especially with how much time it required)

What other members of my country did to prepare for and argue during the debate:

Check one of the following statements and give reasons for your answer:

____ Our team did a good job during the preparation and the debate because we all:

____ Our team did okay during the preparation and the debate, but we could have done better if:

____ Our team did not do well during the preparation and the debate because we didn’t:

Check one of the following statements:

____ Everyone in our country did their fair share of the work

____ At least one person did not do their share of the work:

This last question will help set the stage for the essay component:

What did you learn about the Treaty of Versailles and how the nations treated each other at the end of WWI? Consider what you learned about each country and/or about the countries’ reactions as a whole. Write in paragraph form using complete sentences.

Essay Rubric:

Introduction (5 points) ____

- no copying prompt, prompt correctly interpreted

- thesis is strong, arguable (as opposed to “There were many countries that…”)

- arguments previewed (at least a list of topics for each body paragraph)

- 3 sentences, separate from 1st body paragraph

Body Paragraphs (30 points) ____

- at least 3 paragraphs, 3 sentences minimum, 1 topic per paragraph

- multiple major points ( 4-5) per paragraph

- specific examples from history given/evidence to back up points

- material relevant; no unnecessary/unhelpful points or discussion of class simulation vs. real treaty

- all parts of prompt addressed

Conclusion (5 points) ____

- does more than repeat/rearrange introduction, 3 sentences minimum

- new facts not introduced here, good insights into topic

Style and Mechanics (5 points) ____

- formal writing, not conversational - points well-organized/flow logically

- chronological order respected - past tense verbs

- no fragments; run-ons - spelling; grammar; punctuation - 600-800 words

- no awkward phrases - no starting with And/So/But - paragraphs

- should spell out abbreviations, &, numbers less than 100 (unless dates) - proofreading

- no 1st or 2nd person pronouns - no thing words - title page correctly done

- no rhetorical questions - no slang/clichés - 10-12 pt. font, double-spaced

Works Cited (5 points) ____

- correctly formatted - no unacceptable sources

- minimum 4 sources, minimum 1 primary source

- no more than 1/2 internet sources - no evidence of plagiarism Total Essay Points (out of 50) ____

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