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US Contemporary Global Issues/Briski: Home

A Slice of the Communist Pie

Your task: Choose from one of the territories below that experience some degree of communism during the 20th century.  Research its history and experience with communism to complete your project.

  • Vietnam
  • Cambodia
  • Laos
  • North Korea
  • Afghanistan
  • Ethiopia
  • Somalia
  • Angola
  • Poland
  • Yugoslavia

Requirements

1. Create a travel brochure for your territory

    AND

2. Choose ONE of the following questions and generate a working thesis paragraph and outline:

  • To what extent was true communism realized in your territory?  OR
  • How did outside influences affect the political and economic trajectory of your territory with respect to communism?

Resources

Historical Information

Contemporary Issues

Geography Databases & Encyclopedias

Books

Login Credentials

Most databases

USER: pdslbs

PASSWORD: gooddata

NY Times Online

USER: library@pds.org

PASSWORD: goodnews

Travel Brochure or Trading Card

Travel Brochure

You have been tasked by your territory's leadership to create a travel brochure, including the following:

  • Catchy phrase or slogan inviting tourists to visit
  • 3-4 articles (75-150 words each) highlighting important features of the territory (location, leadership, special economic programs, etc.). Be sure to writing you articles in both and informative AND persuasive manner! You are trying to draw visitors to the area.
  • 3 different visuals (pictures, artwork, charts, cartoons, etc.) and captions where needed
  • Works Cited (MLA format, on separate piece of paper) – This should be one document that includes your sources for both parts of the assignment (travel brochure AND thesis/outline) 

​

You may complete the brochure online or by hand. You will display your brochure along with your classmates' projects on the due date for a Communism Gallery Showcase. On this day, you will be asked to reflect and comment on others' projects.

Thesis & Outline

Thesis & Outline

Complete thesis paragraph that provides context (i.e. an introductions), clearly answers the research questions and present an essay map for the paper.

Detailed outline showing the logical flow of your paper (consistent with your thesis).

  • For each body paragraph, write an intro sentence that present the main idea/argument of the section
  • Under each body paragraph, list relevant evidence (facts, ideas, and quotes) that supports the main idea/argument of the section. If it is not obvious how the evidence connects to the main idea/argument, write a brief explanation
  • For each piece of evidence, provide an in-text citation for the source (usually the author's last name)

 

Thesis Statement or Claim should be:

  • As specific as possible, and more specific than the question you are answering
  • Worded clearly
  • Your own, original idea
  • An opinion about your topic, take a stand 

Should not be:

  • The question restated in sentence form
  • A fact in and of itself
  • Someone else's idea
  • Evidence

For help on formulating a thesis: Draft a revise a working thesis statement (MacMillan Learning)

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