What are the causes of the Civil War in Syria?

Task:

In a well written paragraph, answer the focus question, "What are 4 causes of the Civil War in Syria?"

• Begin with an effective thesis statement
• Include 4 casuses of the Syrian Civil War, with specific evidence from the text to support your answer
• Make sure to properly cite your sources
• In your conclusion, suggest a solution to end the war, that might be agreeable to most of the participants. 
  

Was NAFTA good for workers in Mexico?

The North American Fair Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was a treaty between the United States, Canada and Mexico to eliminate tariffs (taxes on imports) and help businesses in the three countries.

This Document Based Question (DBQ) asks, "Was NAFTA good for workers in Mexico?"

Your task:
1. Write a well written paragraph that answers the prompt, "Was NAFTA good for workers in Mexico?
2. Give at least three specific examples from the documents provided to support your thesis
3. Cite your sources
4. In your conclusion, offer a suggestion of how NAFTA could be improved to help workers even more.

Is gentrification good for Vancouver's Eastside Downtown neighborhood?

Your task is to answer the question, "Is gentrification good for Vancouver's Eastside Downtown neighborhood?"

Create a well written paragraph that answers the focus question. Your paragraph should contain the following:

1. An effective topic sentence that answers the focus question, "Is gentrification good for Vancouver's Eastside Downtown neighborhood?"
2. Three specific pieces of evidence from the text to support your idea. 
3. Be certain to cite your sources, example, (Doc. A).
4. In your conclusion, if you feel gentrification is good, discuss how some of the negative effects of gentrification could be mitigated (reduced). If you feel gentrification is bad, discuss what should be done to help the poor neighborhoods.

What is the most severe consequence of climate change?

Write a paragraph that describes 4 important consequences of climate change. Provide specific details from your documents, and be certain to cite your sources -- for example, (Doc. A). Which consequence is the most serious? Why?

Was China's one-child policy a good idea?

Write a well written paragraph that answers the question, "Was China's one-child policy a good idea?" Make sure that your paragraph contains these parts:

• A well written, engaging topic sentence
• Briefly explain China's 1-child policy
• Three reasons to support your topic sentence
• Cite your sources 
• In your conclusion, explain why people who disagree with your ideas are mistaken
  

How wealthy is Brazil?

Task:

1. On a national level, is Brazil wealthy? Give 3 specific pieces of evidence to support your answer. Be certain to cite your sources.

2. On a local level, is Brazil wealthy? Give 3 specific pieces of evidence to support your answer. Be certain to cite your sources.

Declaration of Independence

Our students have been analyzing the Declaration of Independence, and have been looking at the work of two historians, Bernard Bailyn and Howard Zinn, who answered the question, "Why did the Founders write the Declaration of Independence?"

Now, the students will explain which historian makes a better case. In a well written paragraph,  the students will respond to this prompt:

• Contrast Bernard Bailyn and Howard Zinn's ideas about the Declaration of Independence
• Explain the main ideas of Bailyn and Zinn. Use short quotes from each historian to support your writing
• Find one example from the text of the Declaration that supports Bailyn, and 1 that supports  Zinn. Use short quotes from the text, and explain how each supports the historian
• In a short conclusion, explain which historian is correct, and why