Power and Corruption Research Project - Leadership - Ambition Abuse of Power

Examine the concepts of self-identity, absolute power and corruption, leadership and influence with this high-interest resource! Learn the common traits of powerful people and discover how absolute power can be used to improve society or to devastate and destroy.

This modern research project takes a fascinating look at the world’s most powerful and influential people throughout world history - including those who are living in today’s world.

Students will select and research a person of power, analyze the influential person's identity, trace his or her rise in power, and discover if the person used his power to make a positive impact on society.

This research project aligns with the following overarching thematic units and concept frequently implemented in English Language Arts curriculum:

✅ Personal and Cultural Self-Identity

✅ Power and Corruption

✅ Journeys

✅ Choices and Consequences

This project can be easily implemented in ELA, World History, and Psychology.

This Power and Identity Research Unit requires students to locate relevant facts from a variety of digital resources, create their own unique (but supported) conceptual definitions of power, engage in in-depth textual analysis while extracting relevant details from a variety of sources, locating relevant quotations, and synthesizing supporting information and examples.This resource includes the following materials:

Power and Identity Resources

★ Pre-Search Song Activity with Lyric Analysis Handout

★ Defining Power and Examining Three Influential People (Activity and Handout)

★ People of Power Research Symbaloo (One Link Access to 52 Bookmarked Sites and Video Clips on Influential and Powerful Men and Women Today and Throughout History)

Supporting Research Materials

★ Research Questions and Points to Consider Handout

★ Digital or Print Note-Taking Card with Guiding Prompts

★ How to Cite Sources in MLA Format with Examples (8th Edition)

★ How to Write Summaries, Paraphrase, and Quote Student Handout

★ How to Conduct Effective Keyword Searches with Example and Keyword Planning Sheet

Four Research Project Options for Choice and Differentiation:

★ Project One Option: Create a Digital Timeline for a Person of Power

This technology-related project option includes links to free timeline tools and websites with video how-to tutorials for each. Project One: Digital Timeline also includes Create a Digital Timeline Project Sheet with editable requirements and guidelines.

Students can use the timeline graphic organizer to insure they include all of the required content, and teachers are provided with a person of power digital timeline rubric for easy assessment!

★ Project Two Option: Create a Slides Presentation Documenting a Person of Power or Influence

This project option includes a student project sheet with guidelines and minimum slide presentation requirements. Students will also have available a Person of Power Slides Presentation Graphic Organizer. A grading rubric is provided for this project option, also!

★ Project Three Option: Write a Compare and Contrast Essay on Two Influential People

This option provides a Compare and Contrast Essay Project Sheet with guidelines and essay requirements. This is a great option for students who want to examine a person who has used his or her influence and power to enhance our society and world vs. someone who has misused or abused his or her influence in order to intentionally cause harm.

Students will be given structure prior to writing their research-based essays through the use of the included Compare/Contrast People of Power Graphic Organizer. Teachers have a grading rubric to assess this project option.

★ Project Four Option: Write a Three Trait Essay Defining the Common Traits of Powerful People (Argumentative Essay with Thesis)

Students who select this Power and Identity Research Project option will write an argumentative essay outlining the three defining traits of powerful people - while using research-based evidence for support. A project sheet is included. The Three Trait Essay Graphic Organizer will provide structure and organization for your students as they build their arguments with examples, supporting details, and evidence. A Three Trait Argumentative Essay grading rubric is included.

The Power and Identity Research Project provides your students with the opportunity to engage activities that reinforce inquiry-based research skills - such as those defined by the Common Core Learning Standards!

Power and Identity Unit Materials Format

This resource inbcludes Google Drive resource links but is compatile with Microsoft Office and printing (once downloaded from Google Drive).

See what TEACHERS LIKE YOU are saying about this resource!

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"I love this product. I have used this with a ELA 10 writing class and it really helped my students narrow down their inquiry question.

I have used it to outline positive and negative characteristics (Famous or Infamous) people in our world with great success." Lori G

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"This unit is very well thought out and put together. I purchased it to use while revamping my senior ELA curriculum to be based around a theme of power. This fits perfectly!" Heather H.

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"Awesome project! My students did a fantastic job with this project and it is set up with steps to help guide them step by step for monitoring on my part and for choices on their part." Christine Williams

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"This was a great end-of-the-year project since so much of what we read dealt with identity and power." Laura H.

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"Worked so well for my AP Lang class!" Raelin D.

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"This breaks down how to research for an essay. I ended up making my students write a 6 page essay. It was very helpful!" Elizabeth H.

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"I look forward to using this next year. It will take some time to go through and decide how to use the different parts and where it fits best. The theme has a great tie in to literature, especially in 10th grade. Thank you!" Lightbulb Lit

If you and your students enjoyed this research project, check out Stand Up! Civil Disobedience Research

You can find all of my research projects HERE.

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