RATIONALE

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This section is due Wednesday, November 28th. Please post it on your **I-face project** page

**What is a Rationale?**
A rationale is the justification for your choice of topic in your project. A rationale is the starting place in any research project. At this point you should understand the requirements of this project, and have chosen the specific subject for your project. In short, //what is your reason for choosing this topic?// This is your space to describe, in general terms, the subject of your interview, and show how he or she represents the face of Israel in your eyes.

The following checklist may help you organize your thoughts.
 * Your understanding of the goals of this project
 * Subject's name
 * His/her profession
 * His/her personal accomplishments
 * A discussion of what you hope to show about this person in the course of your project
 * Your personal views on the responsibilities and values of the ideal Israeli.

=FAQS=

**How long should it be?**
It is hard to answer this, but I would expect it to be approximately 10-20 sentences, well-organized and divided into logical paragraphs.

Can I change it as I work on the project?
Yes. A project of this length evolves as you progress. You may discover that the interview reveals information you did not know, and will cause you to change your direction slightly.

=Example of a Research Question and Rationale=

This question and rationale was written by a student who participated in last year's 10 th grade project. More can be found in the Neve Chana Projects menu. Clearly, yours will be different, but this will give you the idea of what I am looking for. Research Question: "What Rulerships did Jerusalem pass through, and how did each one affect the Jews?"

Rationale: We chose to research the impact that different empires and rulers have had on Jerusalem so that we would better understand our strong connection to the city. It is crucial for us to be able to connect to our ancestors who were exiled from Jerusalem countless times, always yearning and longing to return to the holy city. When looking at Jerusalem through history, it helps us put things into perspective and realize that we are not living in this incredible land by our own merit. Rather, we are living here in the merit of all of those who never gave up hope of returning to the city of their dreams. It was not us who settled or developed the land, and it was not us who fought on the battlefields to fight and protect her. Yet, it is our responsibility to contribute and devote ourselves to the land to the best of our ability.

For thousands of years, Jerusalem was under foreign control. It was destroyed, desecrated, and even turned into a place of foreign worship. We wanted to understand all of what Jerusalem has been through, and how it is possible that we are able to travel there today without even thinking twice. Learning the history will strengthen our awe and feeling of responsibility to this land that has miraculously been given to us. Identifying with the land’s history can explain of why so many peoples fight over Jerusalem. The number of countries that want Jerusalem in their control is not logical. After all, why would an empire as strong as Rome care about an insignificant speck on the map? Why is Jerusalem more important than anywhere else? All of these questions will help us comprehend and appreciate Jerusalem and our responsibility to her.

=Rubric for grading= Here is the rubric I will use to grade you on your rationale


 * ||  || Name: || Teacher: __Mrs Weglein__ ||   ||
 * || Date Submitted: || Title of Work: ||  ||
 * ||  ||   || **Criteria** || **Points** ||   ||
 * ||  || 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 ||   ||
 * **Organization** || Sequence of information is difficult to follow. || Reader has difficulty following work because student jumps around. || Student presents information in logical sequence which reader can follow. || Information in logical, interesting sequence which reader can follow. ||  ||
 * **Content Knowledge** || Student does not have grasp of information; student cannot answer questions about subject. || Student is uncomfortable with content and is able to demonstrate basic concepts. || Student is at ease with content, but fails to elaborate. || Student demonstrates full knowledge (more than required). ||  ||
 * **Grammar and Spelling** || Work has four or more spelling errors and/or grammatical errors. || Presentation has three misspellings and/or grammatical errors. || Presentation has no more than two misspellings and/or grammatical errors. || Presentation has no misspellings or grammatical errors. ||  ||
 * **Neatness** || Work is Illegible. || Work has three or four areas that are sloppy. || Work has one or two areas that are sloppy. || Work is neatly done. ||  ||
 * ||  ||   ||   || **Total>** || __ ||   ||   ||
 * **Teacher Comments**: ||
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