*An argument-driven essay explaining why a sequence of lessons for two weeks of class (in a block schedule classroom) in which language arts and history teachers co-teach a unit on the westward expansion of European settlers and its effects on the indigenous peoples of the US in the Midwest using The Birchbark House is important to teaching American literature in high schools today.
*Minimum 2000 words from start of first paragraph to end of last paragraph. This word count is a hard minimum. Should generally not be much longer than 3300 words (with about a page of wiggle room on the upper end).
*Substantial engagement with the arguments in (and therefore the use of) three relevant, high-quality secondary sources, at least two of which must be scholarly, minimum.
*Paper must be interdisciplinary—so the final draft requires substantial engagement with at least one scholarly source from the humanities and at least one from the social sciences[1]
*Should avoid formulaic organization (such as the five-paragraph or five-paragraph-style essay format).
*Be work primarily produced for ENGL 375.
*Result in a paper that is authentic to the voice of the student while also being appropriate for the academic discourse community.