NAME: _________________________ BLOCK: _______ DATE: _________________

SHI HUANG DI ESSAY ASSIGNMENT PACKET

DUE: Monday, Nov. 8, before 3 p.m.

The purpose of this assignment is to evaluate the reign of Shi Huang Di of the Qin dynasty.

The final product for this assignment is a three-paragraph, thesis-driven analytical essay that
answers the thesis question using specific evidence.

Thesis question: Shi Huang Di’s policies are considered by many historians to be ruthless. Did
the results justify his actions?

Your source packet can be found on the class blog: http://mskuoworldhistory.blogspot.com.

You will need to turn in:

□ the essay
□ Works Cited page
□ the rough draft
□ completed outline from this packet
□ the rubric that is in this packet

The essay itself should contain:

□ A thesis statement and focus statement in the introductory paragraph, which will also
have background information to give historical context
□ TWO body paragraphs that include the following in EACH:
o An idea-driven topic sentence
o 2-3 pieces of specific evidence that prove one PERSIA GEM
o Brief background context that introduces each piece of evidence
o Analysis on each piece of evidence
o A link that wraps up and transitions to the next paragraph
□ A maximum of two direct quotations. Choose your marshmallows carefully. 
□ parenthetical citation

The essay you turn in should:

□ Be final-draft quality
□ Be typed
□ Be formatted in 12-point Times New Roman, doubled-spaced
□ Be printed out before you get to class. I do not have a printer and do not accept e-mailed
assignments.
□ Have your name on it

The essay will be graded using the rubric included in this packet

This essay is worth a test grade of 80 points. One-third of a letter grade (ex., B to B-) will be
deducted for each day the essay is late.
 SHI HUANG DI ESSAY CALENDAR

BLOCK 1 BLOCK 2 BLOCK 3 BLOCK 4

In class:
Week of 10/25
* Han dynasty
* Introduce Shi Huang Di
essay

Homework:

* Read and annotate first and

second sources in essay packet
* Put evidence in your
evidence organizer (in packet)
* fill out bibliographic info

In class: In class: In class: In class:

Week of 11/1
* China quiz * NoodleBib tutorial with * Writing a thesis statement * Start rough draft in class!
* paraphrasing, quotations, librarians IN LIBRARY!
embedded citations  remember your essay
packets!

Homework: Homework: Homework: Homework:

* Read and annotate third and
fourth sources in essay packet
* Put evidence in evidence
organizer
* fill out bibliographic info
*work on MLA citations
using NoodleBib. Questions?
Ask the librarians!
* Color-code your evidence
according to PERSIA GEM
* Use thesis statement
organizer to write a rough
thesis statement
* Use essay outline to
organize your essay
* finish rough draft
* self-edit for quality and
components
* finalize final draft
PRINT! Before class!
Remember that the school
library has a printer, too!
 BLOCK 1 BLOCK 2 BLOCK 3 BLOCK 4
In class:
Week of 11/8
* essays due!
* Han dynasty

Homework:

Silk Road pre-activity

 EVIDENCE ORGANIZER

YES, the results did justify Shi Huang Di’s NO, the results did not justify Shi Huang Di’s
actions actions

COLOR CODE YOUR EVIDENCE:

_green __ politics ________ intellectual ________ military
________ economics ________ artistic
________ religion ________ geography
________ social ________ engineering/technology
NAME: ______________________________ COLOR: _____________ DATE: _________________________

SHI HUANG DI ESSAY THESIS ORGANIZER

Thesis question: Shi Huang Di’s policies are considered by many historians to be ruthless. Did the results justify his actions?

STEP THREE STEP ONE STEP TWO

3 to 4 possible criticisms (“although”) one central argument/idea 4-5 possible BIG IDEAS/concept umbrellas

Now, formulate your thesis: _________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__
 SHI HUANG DI ESSAY ORGANIZER

I. Background info/historical context

Thesis statement
a. Counterargument: __________________________________________________
b. Answer the question: ________________________________________________
c. Big idea/concept umbrella: ___________________________________________
 put it together here: _______________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
___
Focus statement: Which PERSIA GEMs are you using to prove your point?

__________________________________________________________________
II. Which PERSIA GEM are you using to organize the first paragraph? ______________
Topic sentence: _______________________________________________________
Evidence 1: ___________________________________________________________
Analysis 1: ___________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
___
Evidence 2: ___________________________________________________________
Analysis 2: ___________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
___
Evidence 3: ___________________________________________________________
Analysis 3: ___________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
___
 link (wrap up and transition): _____________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
__
III. Which PERSIA GEM are you using to organize the second paragraph? ___________
Topic sentence: _______________________________________________________
Evidence 1: ___________________________________________________________
Analysis 1: ___________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
___
Evidence 2: ___________________________________________________________
Analysis 2: ___________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
___
Evidence 3: ___________________________________________________________
Analysis 3: ___________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
___
link (wrap up and transition): _____________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
__

No conclusion necessary
SHI HUANG DI ESSAY RUBRIC
CATEGORY Exemplary
Introduction/ * Expresses a specific,
Thesis supportable central idea in a
sophisticated, concise manner
* Establishes a clear, concise,
and compelling preview of the
paper's purpose using PERSIA
GEM categories
* Complexity of Shi Huang Di
and Qin Dynasty's roles in
Chinese history is clearly
explained
Content * Employs two pieces of strong,
well-chosen evidence per body
paragraph that are relevant to
the central idea & explained in
detail
*Evidence is appropriately
presented in 2 clearly distinct
themes
Analysis *Paragraphs begin with strong,
idea-driven topic sentences
*Develops and analyzes all
evidence with sophistication
and originality, taking risks
with ideas
Conventions/Pr * Uses appropriate grammar &
ocess spells correctly throughout
*Cites varied sources,
paraphrases at least one in a
sophisticated way, and uses
two well-chosen, succinct
direct quote
* Uses the correct citation
format consistently
NAME: _____________________
Proficient
* Expresses a specific,
supportable central idea in
a concise manner
* Establishes a clear
preview of the paper's
purpose using PERSIA GEM
categories
* Background information
on Shi Huang Di and Qin
China is included
* Employs two pieces of
evidence that are relevant
to the central idea
*Evidence is presented in
two themes
*Paragraphs begin with
clear topic sentences
*Develops and analyzes
most of the evidence,
taking few risks with ideas
* Uses appropriate
grammar & spells correctly
most of the time
*Cites at least two sources,
paraphrases from at least
one source, and uses at
least one direct quote
* Uses the correct citation
format most of the time
LATE?: ________
Developing
* Expresses a vague,
somewhat supportable
central idea
* Attempts to preview the
paper's purpose
* Some background
information on Shi Huang Di
is mentioned
* Provides some weak
evidence that may or may
not be relevant to the central
idea
*The 2 body paragraphs are
not dealing with separate
themes
*Not all paragraphs begin
with topic sentences
*Reiterates content with a
limited amount of analysis
* Makes grammatical &
spelling errors that distract
but do not compromise
meaning
*Cites less than two sources,
paraphrases from one or
uses one direct quote
* Uses incorrect citation
format
SCORE: __________
Limited
* Expresses an extremely
vague, trite and/or
insupportable central idea
* Neglects to preview the
paper's purpose
* Shi Huang Di's role in
Chinese history is not clear
* Provides little or no
evidence relevant to the
central idea
*It is unclear which themes
either paragraph belongs to
*Paragraphs lack a clear
opening
*Does not attempt analysis
* Makes grammatical &
spelling errors that
compromise meaning
*Does not cite sources,
paraphrase or use a direct
quote
* Does not use citations
* Rough draft and/or
paragraph organizer not
 * Well-edited rough draft and * Edited rough draft and * Minimally edited rough included
thoroughly completed paragraph organizer draft and somewhat
paragraph organizer included included complete paragraph
organizer included

Is the essay in 12-point (_____) Times New Roman (_____) and doubled spaced (_______)?
 SHI HUANG DI ESSAY CHECK LIST

INTRODUCTION
 Background info that gives the essay historical context?
 Thesis statement that has three parts?
 Focus statement that gives the reader a preview of your essay?
o Does NOT say something like “My two PERSIA GEMs are …” or “The PERSIA
GEMs for this essay are …”

FIRST BODY PARAGRAPH

 Idea-driven (concept-driven) topic sentence?
 Topic sentence introduces the PERSIA GEM that you are using?
 Two well-chosen evidence?
 Two analysis that addresses the questions to consider? (see evidence v. analysis sheet)
 A link that wraps up your argument and transitions to the next?
 Correct parenthetical citation?
 A structure that looks like this:
P purpose
E1 first evidence
A1 first analysis
E2 second evidence
A2 second analysis
L link

SECOND BODY PARAGRAPH

 Idea-driven (concept-driven) topic sentence?
 Topic sentence introduces the PERSIA GEM that you are using?
 Two well-chosen evidence?
 Two analysis that addresses the questions to consider? (see evidence v. analysis sheet)
 A link that wraps up your argument and transitions to the next?
 Correct parenthetical citation?
 A structure that looks like this:
P purpose
E1 first evidence
A1 first analysis
E2 second evidence
A2 second analysis
L link

WORKS CITED
 Does the title say Works Cited?
 Is it on its own page, separate from the essay?
 Does it conform to MLA style? (ask the librarians!)

OTHER STUFF
 Only third person (they, them, she, he, etc.)?
 NO very, really, extremely, obviously, clearly, etc.?
 Check spelling and grammar?
 Read it aloud?