Dr. Benjamin Rush - January 19 & 20

Details

Students have been asking questions and reading about Philadelphia in the year 1793. Currently they are reading American Plague (nonfiction narrative) by Jim Murphy and Fever 1793 (historical fiction) by Laurie Halse Anderson in class. In order to be better equipped to appreciate and analyze Fever 1793, students are working their way through American Plague to build background knowledge. We are spending a lot of time discussing eighth grade skills of comprehension, analysis, reading strategies, writing structure, and grammar while reading this nonfiction narrative.
Students in the gifted classes have been tasked with writing an expository short essay on Dr. Benjamin Rush, a celebrated doctor and signer of the Declaration of Independence. Below is an excerpt from American Plague (chapter 2, pg. 12... there are not enough text copies for students to take books home) students will use in their writing; and attached is the prompt and definitions students are expected to use for the response.
Periods 1 and 4 have already completed rough drafts and are working on peer edits. Please make sure to respectfully and thoughtfully complete peer edits.
Periods 6 is expected to come to class with rough drafts their next class period.
Period 7 should pre-write/organize thoughts and write their introductory paragraph at a minimum; students in period 7 will be given additional time in class to complete their writing Thursday, but some work should be started prior to coming to class.

The prompt and assignment is listed in google classroom.

American Plague excerpt:
American Plague, Chapter 2 paragraph 3:
"He was passionate and outspoken in his beliefs, no matter what the subject. He opposed slavery, felt that alcohol and tobacco should be avoided, urged that the corporal punishment of children be stopped, and thought that the best way to keep a democracy strong was by having universal education. Along with his beliefs went an unimaginable amount of energy. Despite a persistent cough and weak lungs that often left him gasping for air, he worked from early in the morning until late at night -- writing letters and papers, visiting patients, reading the latest medical literature, or attending to any one of a number of institutions and charities he belonged to."

Downloads

Click on the filename to download the file.