Task
Your task is to investigate the life of an eminent person in history who is widely recognized for their leadership, courage, determination, compassion and commitment to making the world a better place. Their inspiring personal qualities will have had an impact upon the culture in which they lived, and possibly well beyond. They may be an inspiration to you personally.
Having conducted an investigation, you will write a biography of this eminent person and make a brief presentation to the class.
The biography should answer the following questions:
- where were they born? where did they grow up?
- what position(s)/role(s) did this person occupy during their lifetime?
- were they a member of any group(s)?
- what are they most remembered for?
- what influences (e.g.: gender, race, socio-economic status, location) shaped the early development of this eminent person? what shaped their attitudes and views?
- what were the views/morals/beliefs/principles that they espoused?
- why did they espouse these views?
- what circumstances led them to becoming involved in the work/struggle that made them so renowned as a hero?
- what impact/influence did they have upon their culture? how did they change their culture?
- what was their legacy to future generations?
Assessment Criteria
Culture - level 2
- The student is able to describe the role and some of the achievements of an eminent person.
- The student can explain the role and main achievements of an eminent person, and describe some way in which this person affected his/her culture.
- The student is able to explain the role and main achievements of an eminent individual in some depth, detailing a path of development through life, organisations that they participated in, and key principles or beliefs that they are known to have espoused. The student can also identify key ways that this eminent person changed/impacted upon his/her culture.
- The student can explain how an eminent person's gender, race, socioeconomic status and cultural context influenced his/her political or religious beliefs, and how this caused them to take perilous/defiant actions that were intended to benefit others. The student can detail the eminent person's key beliefs/principles as well as their achievements, as well as provide an explanation of how they influenced/changed a culture.
- The student can explain in detail how an eminent person's gender, race, socioeconomic status and cultural context influenced his/her beliefs and decion(s) to take perilous/defiant actions that benefitted others. The student can detail the eminent person's beliefs/principles, as well as their achievements. They can discuss the lasting legacy of these achievements upon society and culture.
- The student has an depth understanding of the social, cultural, economic and political factors that were part of the formation of an eminent person. The student understand both how the eminent person was formed through historical factors, and how this person acted upon their conscience to alter the course of events in their cultural context in a substantial way which affected many/all others in that culture. The student has thoroughly researched the details of the eminent person's life (e.g.: significant events growing up, organisations they were a part of, important beliefs and principles they espoused) and is able to provide a detailed report on these and how they related to the society in which they lived. The student is able to explain the lasting impact and legacy that this eminent person has had on their culture (and other cultures beyond their own) and how their beliefs and actions continue to inspire others.
