By Ben S., Seventh Grade, Krieger Schechter Day School of Chizuk Amuno Congregation
The famous “upstander” research paper is perhaps the most talked about assignment in all of Krieger Schechter Day School’s curriculum. Seventh-grade students at KSDS research a famous figure in history, inspired by one word: upstander — one who stands up against an injustice to help a people or a cause.
For this research paper, students compile research facts to prove that their figure deserves the title of upstander.
Kelly Platzke, who has been teaching middle school English at KSDS for 12 years, describes the upstander paper as a “great project in which students develop their research skills and become well prepared for high school.”
KSDS’s seventh graders commence the project by reading a biography about their upstander. They take note of relevant and important biographical information, including place of birth, family and education. Next, students search databases of the Enoch Pratt Free library for articles about their upstander’s contributions and impact.
Once the students have gathered all of their information, “They take the information, write note cards, organize the note cards into an outline and then finally synthesize all of the information into a five to 10 page paper,” Platzke explains.
Platzke further elaborates that “the paper is divided into three different sections. First, the students have to research and understand the injustice that is taking place. Next, they have to research their upstander’s actions and how that person stood up against the injustice. Finally, they do some additional research on how their upstander’s life and actions have made an impact on our world today.”
Throughout the years, KSDS students have researched many famous upstanders, including Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Malala Yousafzai, Rachel Carson, Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King Jr. and many more.
“Rachel Carson was a very influential environmentalist, and author of ‘Silent Spring.’ Through ‘Silent Spring,’ Carson was able to raise awareness against pesticides and later went on to get them banned,” said KSDS seventh grader Ben A. who researched Carson for his paper.
According to Andrew F., another KSDS seventh grader, “Writing the upstander [paper] was a humbling experience because it taught me many valuable skills that I can use in the future, like learning how to organize research and recognize valuable information. I also learned how to use credible sources and avoid plagiarism.”
KSDS’s research paper has evolved quite a bit over the years. More than 20years ago, it started as a research paper about an American of significant impact. The major difference was that students could research an individual who either positively or negatively impacted the world . The upstander paper now focuses on the positive.
The upstander paper will always be a great milestone in the KSDS’s curriculum. The paper is a great project unique to KSDS that greatly prepares its students for their many research papers to come in the future.
Ben S. is a seventh grade student at the Krieger Schechter Day School of Chizuk Amuno Congregation.
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