By request, here are rubrics for Honors-Level History and Philosophy of the Western world.
Rubrics for Honors-Level History and Philosophy of the Western World
We occasionally receive a request for rubrics to help grade the enrichment assignments in our popular etext: History and Philosophy of the Western World. Here is a helpful set of rubrics. Remember, there is not ONE right way to grade enrichment assignments!
Here are Rubrics for Honors-Level History and Philosophy of the Western World:
Chapters 1 and 2
Chapter 3
Students will:
- Create an advertisement.
- Rubric: Is there at least one graphic? 10 points. Did it state the substance of life? 10 points. Did it include a short persuasion for coming to the school? 10 points. Score: ___out of 30 possible points.
Chapter 4
- Use the rubric from Chapter 1 for grading this assignment. Add 10 points for light wave illustrations.
Chapters 5-8
- Use the rubric from Chapter 1 for grading this assignment.
Chapter 9
- Are Star Trek episodes logged? 10 points. Did the student make a list of 3 ways Spock is a good Stoic. 10 points. (No paper required). Score: ___out of 20 possible points.
Chapters 10-13
- Use the rubric from Chapter 1 for grading this assignment.
Chapter 14
Students will:
Create a timeline of the philosophers and theologians mentioned in chapters 1-14. Timeline may take a vertical or horizontal format (or a more creative format). Timeline should include the following philosophers or theologians.
- John Huss 1369
- John Wycliffe 1300s
- Thomas Aquinas 1224
- Peter Waldo 1170s
- Augustine 354
- Montanus 150s
- Epicurius (Epicureans)300 BC
- Zeno (Stoics) 300 BC
- Aristotle 384 BC
- Antisthenes (Cynics) 400BC
- Protagorus (Sophists) 425 BC
- Plato 427 BC
- Democritus 460 BC
- Socrates 470 BC
- Empedocles 490 BC
- Anaxagorus 500 BC
- Anaximenes 550 BC
- Pythagorus 600 BC
- Anaximander 600 BC
- Thales 600 BC
Grade this assignment generously. Give 10 points per philosopher/theologian. Give 1 point per date (Some teens may find the vagueness of ancient dates challenging. If they cannot find or decide on dates, do not score them on the dating, simply look for approximately correct placing on the timeline.) Total score possible with dates: 220 points. Total score possible without dates: 200 points.
Chapter 15
- This assignment requires the teen to watch the movie Ever After starring Drew Barrymore. The student should write a paragraph on each of the following as this is seen in the movie:
- King Henry of France, Gypsies, spectacle, Galileo, artist
Also, teens should describe where they observe each of these in the movie.
- Grade generously.
- Assign possible 10 points per topic for 5 topics.
- Assign 2 points each if they can find where these are in the movie.
- Total of 60 possible points.
Chapter 16
Students will:
- Create a project about something related to Italy, Spain or Holland during the Renaissance/Reformation period. They should be creative- make something hands-on. A map, collage, model, report, etc.
Grade generously.
- Quality of information provided
- Time invested
- Quality of work done
- Work done by the deadline set by parents.
- Assign up to 20 points for each of the 3 categories for a possible 80 points.
Chapter 17
Students will:
- Watch the movie Luther starring Joseph Fiennes. Write a short essay explaining ways (as the movie portrayed) Martin Luther had influence on individuals around him and the world in general.
- Or
- Listen to two hours of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach or George Frideric Handel. Write a short response to one of the works.
- Use the rubric from Chapter 1 for grading this assignment.
Chapter 18
Students will:
- Watch the movie A Man for All Seasons starring Paul Scofield. Write a five- paragraph essay about why you think Sir Thomas More was willing to risk his life in disagreeing with King Henry VIII or a one-page biography on Sir Thomas More.
- Use the rubric from Chapter 1 for grading this assignment.
Chapter 19
Students will:
- In honor of Descartes’ discovery of geometry, watch PBS’s Between the Folds, a delightful documentary about geometry, origami, creating and people. Create at least three origami sculptures.
- Give student 10 points for watching the documentary and 5 points each for 3 origami sculptures for a possible 25 points.
Chapter 20
Students will:
- Read the United States Constitution and write a one-page research paper explaining which parts of the Preamble and the First Amendment are taken directly from John Locke’s ideas.
- OR
- Write a one-page research paper about the man who wrote the Constitution, James Madison, (who, along with Locke, is known as the Father of the Constitution).
- OR
- Watch the movie Amazing Grace starring Ioan Gruffudd
Write a one-page paper noting the main characters and what each contributed toward the cause of abolition of slavery in Britain.
- Use the rubric from Chapter 1 for grading this assignment.
Chapter 21
Students will:
- Expand the “Think about it” to a five-paragraph essay.
- OR
- Watch the 1934 Scarlet Pimpernel starring Leslie Howard and Merle Oberon Write a one-page paper describing the main characters (good and bad) and what motivates each. If you can catch their philosophical bents, note that also.
- Use the rubric from Chapter 1 for grading this assignment.
Chapter 22
Students will:
- Watch the movie Finding Nemo.
- Write a two-page paper listing the characters Nemo and his father, Marlin, run into and the various philosophies you see them illustrate.
- Use the rubric from Chapter 1 for grading this assignment.
Chapter 23
Students will:
- Write five examples of dialectic from culture, politics, religion, family, friends, or nature. Make sure you list and explain each stage.
Grade generously.
5 examples of dialectic 5 points
Each dialectic will include:
- Thesis 5 points
- Antithesis 5 points
- Synthesis 5 points
Total points possible: 80
Chapter 24
Students will:
- Write a two-page paper on a Christian you know that, according to Kierkegaard, is truly existing and is a true human. Define how Kierkegaard views both truly existing and truly human. Then give examples of how that person meets the definitions.
- Use the rubric from Chapter 1 for grading this assignment.
Chapter 25
Students will:
- Choose one of your answers to questions 22-25 and develop it into a five- paragraph essay.
- Use the rubric from Chapter 1 for grading this assignment.
Chapter 26
Students will:
- Take the Think-about-it: What are your presuppositions? Expand and explain in more depth to make a one-page paper.
- Use the rubric from Chapter 1 for grading this assignment.
Chapter 27
Students will:
- Take one of the Think-about-its and expand it into a five-paragraph essay.
- Use the rubric from Chapter 1 for grading this assignment.
Chapter 28
Students will:
- Develop your answer to either question 25 or 26 into a five-paragraph essay..
- Or
- Write a two-page research paper on Schaeffer or Lewis, his ideas, and his impact on the culture.
- Use the rubric from Chapter 1 for grading this assignment.
Chapter 29
Students will:
- Expand question 15 into a five-page paper.
- Or
- Write a five-page paper reviewing the philosophies covered in this course.
- Use the rubric from Chapter 1 for grading this assignment.
Chapter 30
- Rubric for this assignment is in the text.
Need more inspiration for helping teens understand how meaningful and important it is to study history? Check out this on why History is boring and how to make it better.
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Rubrics for Honors-Level History and Philosophy of the Western World
Thanks for the question, Marie. The History and Philosophy of the Western World text is a stand-alone text for a college-prep credit in World History. For teens who want to level up to Honors: they can follow the suggested activities in this post, or read some extra “real books”. There is a suggested list of books in the text but teens are free to choose something on related topics that are of interest to them. We always suggest using the library for these extra books so there is no additional charge (and browsing the shelves might reveal more books of interest to them).
In regards to the Western Civ and Philosophy course, are there additional books required or are the reading assignments all in the text. Also, I see the leveling up for honors suggestions. Will there be additional books required?
Overall, is there a booklist for this course or are the readings all in the text? Thanks!