Download (80 points) The ancient Greeks valued rhetoric and the Romans

(80 points)
The ancient Greeks valued rhetoric and the Romans praised oratoria , which we know today as
“oratory,” or “the art of speaking in public eloquently or effectively.” You will polish your oratorical skills
by presenting to the class a "one-minute review" of a topic on imperial China. To fulfill this assignment:
1.
Look at the list of topics on the back of this page and select your top five topics of interest for
your mini-presentation. Your selection must be approved in advance. Requests will first be honored on
a first come - first served basis, and no duplications will be allowed in a class.
2. Research the subject by FIRST using your textbook (most topics are in Chapter 3 or Chapter
12) and then turning to outside “CRAAP-test-worthy” resources. You may refer to the Ancient China
links on my weblog. Topics marked with an asterisk have little, if any, information in Chapters 3 or 12.
Remember, Wikipedia is not a valid source for this project. If you are having trouble finding
information, see me!
3. Com plete an outline of your topic before your presentation (defined terms, if any, from the
textbook must be included in your outline). Your outline must be typed, in outline format, and should
be a page long (use the information under “Reading & Writing for Literacy” on the weblog to guide you
in completing your outline). At the bottom of your outline include two sources in MLA format. You
must see me four days prior to the due date if you are unable to type your outline.
4. Prepare a brief oral presentation for the class on your selected topic. Ms. Sweeney will provide
the visual for your presentation in the form of a slide.
Your presentation will be:
a. at least 60 seconds but should be no more than 120 seconds. (You may prepare an index card
but only 10 words may be written on the index card. I will hold onto the index card. You will
only have access to it if you are unable to share “the story” of your topic with your classmates;
the index card will be collected, so it is important that you stay w/in the word limit);
b. based on inform ation from the textbook, but may incorporate additional resources;
c. focused on the most important information that will assist the class in understanding w hy this
topic is significant to our study of ancient and im perial China – or China today.
Remember, 60 seconds can feel like a long time! PRACTICE YOUR SPEECH. Learn to speak slowly, with
interest and expression, and without reading from your index card. Time your presentation to ensure you
are within the required timeframe.
You will be graded according to the following criteria:
A- to A+
Information is very organized; Conveys many facts; uses declarative tone; presentation is
very clear & not rushed, speaker shows real interest in topic; no reading from index card;
excellent eye contact
B- to B+
Information is quite organized; Conveys facts, more detail preferred; tone is at times
interrogative; presentation is mostly clear but speaker is rushed at times; speaker shows
some interest; very little reference to index card; good eye contact
C- to C+
Information is somewhat organized; conveys some facts but details lacking; presentation is
somewhat clear; speaker is rushed; speaker shows little interest in topic; reference to
index card is quite noticeable; eye contact uneven
D- to D+
Information is disorganized; inaccuracies are evident; interrogative tone; presentation is not
clear and difficult to follow; speaker shows no interest in topic; index card frequently
referred to during presentation; very little eye contact
F
No organization to information; conveys few pertinent facts; speaker can barely be
understood; speaker appears extremely bored with topic; index card referred to during
entirety of presentation; no eye contact with audience
Lateness/Absence Policy: If you are absent from school on the due date, you must be ready to present the day
you return to school, and there will be no point deduction. If you are absent from class – but not from school –
due to a conflict (e.g., band lessons, Student Council, etc.), you must present either on the due date or the day
before to avoid a deduction of points.
An unexcused day-late presentation will receive a minimum 20% deduction; an unexcused two-day late
presentation will receive a minimum 30% deduction; all other unexcused late presentations will receive a
minimum 40% deduction. DO NOT BE LATE!
IMPERIAL CHINA TOPICS
Geography
* Geography’s Influence on Civilization (the Yellow – or Huang – River, loess, steppes)
* The Silk Road
Dynasties/Gov’t
Zhou Dynasty (the dynastic cycle, the Mandate of Heaven & feudalism)
Qin Dynasty (reign of Shi Huangdi, first emperor of China) – leave out the Great Wall)
Han Dynasty (monopoly, expansionism, Civil Service System – leave out the Silk Road)
Tang Dynasty (gov’t and economic expansion, tributary states, land reform)
Song Dynasty (expansion of agriculture and trade, the Grand Canal)
Yuan Dynasty (Kublai Khan, China under Mongol rule)
Ming Dynasty (restores Chinese rule)
* Communism & the Great Leap Forward
Achievements (art, architecture, technology, etc.)
* Chinese writing (oracle bones, characters and calligraphy)
* Acupuncture
* Chinese Porcelain & Landscape Painting
* Silk-making
* Invention of Paper and Printing
* Development of gunpowder & rocket technology
* Chinese Architecture (the pagoda, the Chinese house)
* The Terracotta Army
* The Great Wall
People/Population
Genghis Khan (the Mongols invade China and establish order and peace – Pax
Mongolica)
* Marco Polo
Admiral Zheng He (Chinese fleets sail the seas)
China’s ordered society (gentry, dowry)
* Filial piety
* China’s one child policy (include this past year’s developments)
* A contemporary issue in China (e.g., the environment, free speech, use of Internet)