African American History Report

African American History Report Free Online Research Papers African Americans overcame the days of slavery because of the all struggles they went through. Which parts of the African American History matters the most? When exploring African American history, the most important things to focus on are that because of the times, black people were enslaved and treated poorly. They endured it all and worked hard to rise above the boundaries of slavery and prejudice. However, the most portentous aspect of African-American history is that it’s heritage; its history; and it are over. Now an African American has become the President of the United States of America. (African American History). During the slavery years, African people were subjected to some of the worst treatments of the history of this planet. They were forced to work for white people as slaves, but that is nothing compared with the treatment they received. Slaves were beaten, mal-nourished, and disrespected as a whole. Slaves were considered as low as the lowest forms of life. They were treated less than some forms of life. They were treated as property that was disposable and replaceable. (To Be A Slave). Slavery was a major issue in the 19th century. African Americans over came so many trials and tribulations during the 1960s. The African Americans encountered a widespread of social and professional discrimination. Their unrest demanded activism, many African American artists created imagery intended for black audiences. Black expressionism was born out of the Civil Rights Movement. The artworks it engendered – primarily brightly colored figurative compositions were expressive, rich in palette, and politically charged. Expressionists explored a wide range of subjects and techniques, all seeking to portray black pride and identity. (WPA). The process of ending slavery was the subject of intense debate in the United States during the first part of the 19th century was a big issue for the African Americans. Slavery was abolished throughout the United States with the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. An estimated four million slaves were freed.Today, African Americans constitute 13.3 percent of the total U.S. population, the second largest ethnic group after Hispanics. Even after the end of slavery, however, American blacks were generally hampered by segregation and inferior education, despite the establishment of some institutions dedicated to their advancement. In the late twentieth century, the struggle by black artists to create an African American cultural identity evolved into a desire for recognition of their creative achievements as artists, regardless of their race. Over the course of the century, the production of images that focus on African American life, its history in th e United States, and its African heritage cultivated a unique artistic character and helped to overcome social injustice. We hope that this exhibition reveals the beauty of African American art, an art that defies categorization (Langston Hughes). African Americans have contributed a great deal too the American culture. There are so many famous African Americans and so many accomplishments by them such as: Jan Ernst Matzeliger invented a shoemaking machine that increased shoemaking speed by 900%.Lewis Latimer invented an important part of the light bulb- the carbon filament, Granville T. Woods invented a train-to-station communication system, George Washington Carver invented peanut butter and 400 plant products! Garrett Morgan invented the gas mask. Otis Boykin invented the electronic control devices for guided missiles, IBM computers, and the pacemaker. Dr. Patricia. E. Bath (1949–) invented a method of eye surgery that has helped many blind people to see. Imagine yourself in the shoes of these inventors. Think about being in a situation where you are the first person to break into a job where no one else like you has ever worked. Imagine how hard you would have to work to prove yourself especially being an Af rican American. (Mary Bellis). Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr. whom was very important African American minister, clergyman, activist and prominent leader in the American civil rights movement. His lectures and dialogues stirred the concern and sparked the conscience of a generation. The movements and marches he led brought significant changes in the fabric of American life through his courage and self devotion. This devotion gave direction to the thirteen years of civil rights activities. His charismatic leadership inspired men and women, young and old, in this nation and around the world . Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil Rights leader who was well known for his famous speech â€Å"Free at Last† and who now has his own national holiday that we all celebrate (The King Center). Barack Obama an African American who became the 44th president of the United States and the first African-American President in U.S. history. After working at Business International Corporation (A company that provided international business information to corporate clients) and NYPIRG, Obama moved to Chicago in 1985. There, he worked as a community organizer with low-income residents in Chicago’s Roseland community and the Altgeld Gardens public housing development on the city’s South Side. During these years, Obama worked with both Democrats and Republicans in drafting legislation on ethics, expanded health care services and early childhood education programs for the poor. He also created a state earned-income tax credit for the working poor. And after a number of inmates on death row were found innocent, Obama worked with law enforcement officials to require the videotaping of interrogations and confessions in all capital cases. (History Channel). In the November 2004 general election, Obama received 70% of the vote to Keyess 27%, the largest electoral victory in Illinois history. Obama became only the third African- American elected to the U.S. Senate since Reconstruction. In February 2007, Obama made headlines when he announced his candidacy for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination. He was locked in a tight battle with former first lady and current U.S. Senator from New York, Hillary Rodham Clinton until he became the presumptive nominee on June 3, 2008. On November 4th, 2008, Obama defeated Republican president nominee John McCain for the position of U.S. President. He is now the 44th president of The United States. Oprah Winfery who launched the Oprah Winfrey Show in 1986 as a nationally syndicated program with its placement on 120 channels and an audience of 10. million people, the show grossed $125 million by the end of its first year, of which Winfrey received $30 million. She soon gained ownership of the program from ABC, drawing it under the control of her new production company, Harpo Productions (‘Oprah’ spelled backwards) and making more and more money from syndication. Resulting in becoming the richest African American women in the world. (AAH). Rosa Parks as the mother of the Civil Rights Movement. Her refusal to surrender her seat to a white passenger on a Montgomery, Alabama bus spurred on a city-wide boycott and helped launch nation-wide efforts to end segregation of public facilities. Rosa Parks received many accolades during her lifetime including the Spingarn Medal, the NAACPs highest award. She also received the Martin Luther King Jr. Award. On September 9, 1996 President Bill Clinton awarded Rosa Parks the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor given by the U.S. executive branch. The next year, she was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest award given by the U.S. legislative branch. In 1999, Time magazine named Rosa Parks one of the 20 most influential people of the twentieth century. (History Channel). Malcolm X A Controversial Civil Rights Activists Influential Advocate of Black Nationalism In the four years of the American Civil War, the United States began to redeem itself. African Americans as human beings went through so much in their days from the 250-year-long tragedy of slavery.While some people have proposed the offering of reparations, there is a belief that this will never happen due to the unwillingness of white people to make an effort. The call for reparations seems to have been adjusted to merely a call for an official government apology. Some white people argue against an apology for slavery because they dont feel responsible for the acts. This would justify the call for reparations. At the time this text was originally typed, African Americans have not received reparations or an official government apology for slavery. Some feelings and attitudes toward slavery have changed very little in the past 400 years. Throughout this time frame, white people have continued to collectively hold higher socioeconomic positions than Black people in the United States. (African American Atlas). This position of power and wealth may make the issue of reparations seem almost like an attack because it seems to be Black people trying to take things from white people for something that happened long before these people were born. Black people still suffer from the effects of slavery and some can still see the need for reparati ons, or an official apology for African American slavery. Therefore, the discussion and conflicts may continue for a long time. Other ethnic groups fought for reparations for many years, finally reaching their goal. Perseverance is a part of being black, and while we cannot determine the outcome of all the call for reparations,Or if the issue will be important in the future, we can be assured that our people will not allow the importance of our struggles to be forgotten. (American Atlas). As anyone can see, the preceding people faced suffering at the hands of others. Slavery was wrong. Yet, each person persevered and won his or her own battles one way or another. It took years and a lot of work. Being a part of history should be respected as just so. These people should be remembered and studied, but not necessarily glorified. Some slaves earned freedom by hard work; yet others took different approaches that weren’t always admirable. In addition, the people of today’s generation should not be blamed for what happened in the past, which is beyond our control. (African American History). America is made up of different languages and cultures, and though we are different in heritage we need to unite as a country. Nothing can be done to repair the wrongs of slavery. No matter how much time goes by, slavery will always be a ghost in Americas past, spooking anyone who looks back. Now America needs to look forward to a tomorrow where slavery doesnt exist, where blacks and whites are equal, and where racism isnt a factor. We need to make that happen. I believe reparations to be ones in a new generation of Americans. Perhaps the most America can do for its people is to apologize for slavery, promise it will not ever happen again, and then concentrate on working towards a better tomorrow. African Americans overcame many trials and tribulations during the 19th century. In conclusion, many people doubted African Americans but we have come a long way today in the 21st century. We’ve come from being slaves; someone owning us, to President of the United States. This proves that we are all equal no matter what your race or religion is. It also proves you can be anything in the world if you really want. If you set your mind to something you really want to do you can do it. References â€Å"African American History: Heritage, not Hate.† 123 HelpMe.com13 Mar 2009 Encyclopedia: Lincoln, Abraham. (2004). The History Channel website. Retrieved 19:13, May 9, 2006, from historychannel.com/thcsearch/thc_resourcedetail.do?encyc_id=214843. â€Å"To Be A Slave.† 123HelpMe.com. 13 Mar 2009 The African-American atlas: Black history and culture / Molefi K. Asante and Mark Mattson. New York: Macmillan, 1998. Reference E185.A79 1998 [Chapter 2: The Transatlantic Journey. African American History, Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia 2008 http://encarta.msn.com  © 1997-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved Research Papers on African American History Report19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XHip-Hop is ArtBringing Democracy to AfricaThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationCapital PunishmentComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoWhere Wild and West MeetPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

Preparing Students for the Testing Season

Preparing Students for the Testing Season Spring  is traditionally the  season  of beginnings, and for middle and high school students, spring is often the beginning of the testing season. There are district tests, state tests, and national tests for students in grades 7-12 that begin in March and continue through the end of the school year. Many of these tests are mandated by legislation.   In a typical public school, a student will take  at least one  standardized test  annually. Those high school students who enroll in college credit courses  may take even more tests. Each of these standardized tests is designed to take a minimum of 3.5 hours to complete. Adding up this time over the course of  the six years between grades 7-12, the average student participates in standardized testing for 21 hours or  the  equivalent of  three full  school days. Educators can first provide the information that helps students better understand the purpose of a specific test. Is the test going to measure their individual growth or is the test going to measure their performance against others?   Two Kinds of Standardized Testing for Grades 7-12 The  standardized tests  that are used in grades 7-12 are either  designed as norm-referenced or as criterion-referenced tests. Each test is designed for a different measure. A norm-referenced test is designed to compare and rank students (similar in age or grade) in relation to one another: Norm-referenced tests report whether test takers performed better or worse than a hypothetical average student Norm-referenced tests usually are simple to administer and easy to score because they are usually designed as multiple-choice tests.    The criterion-referenced  tests are designed to measure student performance against an expectation: Criterion-referenced  tests and  assessments  are designed to measure student performance against a fixed set of predetermined criteria or  learning standards Learning standards are descriptions by grade level of what students are expected to know and be able to do.  The criterion-referenced tests used to measure learning progress can also measure gaps in student learning.   Preparing Students for the Structure of Any Test Teachers can help prepare students for both  kinds standardized tests, both norm-referenced  tests and criterion-referenced  tests. Educators can explain to students the purpose of both criterion referenced and  the norm-referenced test so students will have a better understanding when they read the results. Most importantly, they can expose students to the pace of the exam, to the format of the exam and to the language of the exam. There are practice passages  in texts and online from different tests that will allow students to become more familiar with  the format of the test. To prepare students for the pace of the exam, teachers can offer some practice testing under conditions that mimic the actual test. There are released tests or materials that mimic the test that students should be encouraged to take independently. A timed practice text is particularly helpful is giving students the experience so they will know how fast they have to move to answer all the questions. Multiple practice sessions for timed essay writing should be offered if there is an essay section, for example, like the AP exams. Teachers have to coach students to determine a pace that works for them and recognize given how much â€Å"average† time they will need to read and answer an  open-ended question. Students might practice how to survey the whole test at the beginning and then look at the number of questions, point value, and difficulty of each section. This practice will help them to budget their time. Exposure to the format of the exam will also help student distinguish the amount of time that might be needed in reading multiple choice  questions. For example, one standardized test section requires students answer   75 questions in 45 minutes. That means students have an average of 36 seconds per question. Practice can help students adjust to this speed. In addition, understanding the format can help students negotiate the layout of a test, especially if the standardized test has moved to an online platform. Online testing means a student must be proficient in keyboarding, and also know which keyboarding feature is available for use. For example, the computer-adaptive tests, like the SBAC, may not allow students to return to a section with an unanswered question.   Multiple Choice Preparation Educators can also help students practice with how tests are administered. While some of these remain pen and paper tests, other tests have moved to online testing platforms. A part of test preparation, educators may offer students  the following multiple choice question strategies: If any part of the answer is not true, then the answer is incorrect.  When there are identical responses, then neither is correct.Consider no change or none of the above as a valid answer choice.Students should eliminate and cross off those distracting answers that are absurd  or obviously incorrect.Recognize transition words that  describe relationships between ideas in choosing a response.  The stem or start of the question should agree grammatically   (same tense) with the correct answer, so students should quietly read the question aloud to test each possible response.Correct answers may offer relative qualifiers such as sometimes or often, while incorrect answers are generally  written in absolute language and do not allow for exceptions. Before taking any tests, students should know if the test gives a penalty  for incorrect responses; if there is no penalty, students should be advised to guess if they dont know the answer.    If there is a difference in the point value of a question, students should plan on how they will  spend time on the more weighted sections of the test. They should also know how to split their time between multiple choice and essay answers if that is not already separated by section in the test. Essay or Open-Ended Response Preparation Another part of test preparation is  teaching students to prepare for essays or open-ended responses. Students to write directly on paper tests, take notes or use the highlighting feature on computer tests in order to identify sections that can be used for evidence in essay responses: Follow the directions by looking carefully at keywords: Answer A  or  B vs.  A  and  B.Use facts in different ways: to compare/ contrast, in  sequence or to provide a description.Organize facts  based on headings in informational texts.Use transitions with enough context in a sentence or paragraph to make the relationships between facts clear.Suggest that  students answer easiest questions first.Suggest students write on only one side of the page.Encourage students to leave a large space at the beginning of a response, or to leave a page  in between,  in the event a student ends up with a different thesis or position or would like to add or to change details later if time permits.   When time is limited, students should draft an outline by listing key points and the order they plan to answer them.   While this would not count as a complete essay, some credit for evidence and organization may be credited.   Which Tests Are Which? Tests are often better known by their acronyms than why they are used or what they are testing. To get balanced data  from their assessments, some states may have students take  norm-referenced tests as well as  criterion-referenced tests in different grade levels. The most familiar  norm-referenced tests  are those designed to rank students  on a  bell curve The  NAEP  (The National Assessment of Educational Progress)  reports  statistical information about student performance and factors related to educational performance for the nation and for specific demographic groups in the population (e.g., race/ethnicity, gender);The SAT  (Scholastic Aptitude Test and/or  Scholastic Assessment Test);  Scores on the SAT range from 400 to 1600, combining test results from two 800-point sections: mathematics, and critical reading and writing.  The following states  have opted to use the SAT as a high school  exit exam:  Colorado,  Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Idaho* (or ACT), Illinois, Maine*, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island*. (*optional)  PSAT/NMSQT  a precursor to the SAT.  The test is composed of four sections: two Math Sections, Critical Reading, and Writing Skills used to determine eligibility and qualification for the  National Merit Scholarship Program.  Students in grades 8-1 0 are the target audience for the PSAT.  The  ACT  (American College Test) is four  content area tests  scored individually on a scale of 1–36, with the composite score as the whole number average. The ACT does have elements of  a criterion-referenced in that it also compares how a student performs compared to ACT College Readiness Standards which are regularly reviewed.  The following states  have opted to use the  ACT  as a high school  exit exam:   Colorado,  Kentucky,  Louisiana,  Mississippi,  Tennessee,  Utah. ACT Aspire  tests map learner progress from elementary grades through high school on a vertical scale which is anchored to the scoring system of the ACT. Challenges to the tradition of norm-referenced testing came with  the expansion of  criterion-referenced tests in 2009 when tests were designed to measure  the impact of the  Common Core State Standards (CCSS).These  criterion-referenced  tests determine how college and career ready a student is in English Language Arts and in mathematics.   While initially embraced by 48 states, the two testing consortiums have the remaining states committed to using their platforms: The  Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers  (PARCC) in the following states  Colorado,  District of Columbia,  Illinois,  Louisiana,  Maryland,  Massachusetts,  New Jersey, New Mexico,  Rhode IslandThe  Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium  (SBAC)  The states that use this  SBAC computer adaptive testing include:  California,  Connecticut,  Delaware,  Hawaii,  Idaho,  Iowa,  Michigan,  Montana,  Nevada, New Hampshire,  North Carolina,  North Dakota,  Oregon,  South Dakota,  U.S. Virgin Islands,  Vermont,  Washington,  West Virginia The College Board  Advanced Placement (AP)  exams  are also criterion referenced. These exams are created by the College Board as  college-level exams in specific content areas.  A high score (5) on the exam may award college credit. At the conclusion of the spring testing season, the results of all these tests are then analyzed by different stakeholders in order determine student progress, possible curriculum revision, and in some states, teacher evaluation. The analysis of these tests can guide the development of a schools educational plan for the following school year. Spring may be the season for testing in the nations middle and high schools, but preparation for an analysis of these tests are a school year long enterprise.