Assessment 3: In Your Own Words

Write an essay using a variety of sources to examine and analyze the physical and cultural patterns of land use, settlement patterns and ecosystem change.

Finding Out Forest History

Use notes below as a guide to writing a cohesive essay.

Paragraph 1: Take a stance.
Do historical artifacts--photos, maps, documents, dioramas--give clues to ecosystem change. Why or why not?

Body: Back up your argument with proof.
List your sources. Analyze their credibility and validity. Describe the evidence gleaned from each one.

  • Photographs: Wilderness Home, Worm Fence, Diorama 1, 2, 3
  • Documents: History of Petersham
  • Web Information: The Nipmuc People, Indian Tribes Map
  • Graphs: Changes in Land Use
  • Diagrams: Forest Succession
  • Maps: Forest Cover in 1930, Forest Cover in 1985, Population Density 1765, 1831
  • Secondary Sources: From Farm to Forest and Back Again

Last Paragraph: Conclusion.
Restate your stance. Summarize your proof. Speculate on the long range implications of your argument for society.