Capstone Assignment: Integrative Analysis of “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street”

• To analyze how the play’s themes may confer Darwinian fitness from an evolutionary biology perspective.

What Does it Mean to Confer Darwinian Fitness?

Darwinian fitness refers to an organism’s ability to survive and reproduce in its environment. Traits that confer Darwinian fitness enhance an organism’s chances of surviving, finding a mate, and producing offspring that can also survive and reproduce. These traits can include physical characteristics, behaviors, or psychological tendencies that increase an individual’s evolutionary success. In the context of literature, analyzing how characters’ behaviors or societal dynamics in a story might confer Darwinian fitness involves examining how these elements could be advantageous for survival and reproduction.

Assignment Instructions

1. Part 1: Articulate the Theme of the Play

   • Identify and clearly articulate the central theme of “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.”
   • Discuss what the play is saying about humanity. Consider the aspects of fear, suspicion, and the breakdown of community trust.

2. Part 2: Discuss Darwinian Fitness

   • Analyze how the play’s themes may confer Darwinian fitness.
   • Consider how the behaviors depicted in the play (such as fear and suspicion) might have been advantageous for survival in human evolutionary history.
   • Discuss whether these traits might still confer some form of evolutionary advantage or if they are now potentially maladaptive in modern society.

3. Optional Contemporary Connection

   • If you have time, briefly touch on recent credible UFO sightings and government actions. Consider how these contemporary events relate to the themes in Serling’s play and whether they might influence modern perceptions of survival and fitness.

4. Write Your Report

   • Prepare a written report in MLA format. The report should be concise, focused, and approximately 1000 words in length.
   • Support your analysis with quotes from the play and references to scholarly sources on evolutionary biology and contemporary UFO research.

What You Will Turn In

• A written report of approximately 1000 words in MLA format.
• Support your analysis with quotes from the play and references to scholarly sources on evolutionary biology and contemporary UFO research.

  Evaluation Criteria

  Your analysis will be graded based on the following criteria:

  Grading Rubric

  Grading Rubric

  Criteria	Exemplary	Proficient	Basic	Needs Improvement	Points
  Understanding of Themes 25 points	Provides a clear and detailed explanation of the play’s main themes with insightful examples. Demonstrates a deep understanding. 25 points	Accurately identifies and explains the main themes with relevant examples. 20 points	Identifies some themes but explanations lack depth or clarity. Examples are minimal or somewhat relevant. 15 points	Fails to identify or explain the themes correctly. Lacks relevant examples. 10 Points	25
  Application of Evolutionary Biology 25 points	Excellently applies evolutionary biology concepts to the play, enhancing understanding of the text with strong examples. 25 points	Correctly applies evolutionary biology concepts to the play with some good textual examples. 25 points	Attempts to apply the concepts but lacks strong connections or textual support. 15 points	Incorrectly applies or fails to apply the concepts. Lacks understanding and textual evidence. 10 points	25
  Research and Citation 20 points	Integrates external sources to support the analysis effectively. Citations are correctly formatted and enhance the argument. 20 points	Uses external sources with correct citations. Sources are relevant but integration could be deeper. 15 points	Uses external sources but integration into the analysis is minimal or somewhat irrelevant. 5 points	Fails to use or cite any external source appropriately. 0 Points	20
  Clarity of Writing 20 points	Writing is clear, concise, and well-organized. Grammar and spelling are correct, making the analysis easy to understand. 20 points	Writing is mostly clear with minor grammatical or spelling errors. Arguments are understandable but could be more concise. 15 points	Writing lacks some clarity and organization. Multiple grammatical or spelling errors that impede understanding. 5 points	Writing is unclear and disorganized with frequent grammatical and spelling errors. Difficult to understand. 0 Points	20
  MLA Format 10 points	Report is correctly formatted in MLA style with proper citations and references. 10 Points	Report is mostly correctly formatted with minor MLA errors. 8 Points	Report has several MLA formatting errors. 6 Points	Report does not follow MLA format. 4 Points	10

  Total Points: 100

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  Additional Notes

  • Exemplary: Work demonstrates thorough understanding and insightful analysis.
  • Proficient: Work fulfills the basic requirements with satisfactory understanding and analysis.
  • Basic: Work shows effort but is incomplete in understanding or execution.
  • Needs Improvement: Work does not meet the basic requirements of the assignment. Proficient in exemplary needs improvement needs improvement exemplary

  View Rubric

  Rubric for Capstone Assignment: Integrative Analysis of “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street”

  Rubric for Capstone Assignment: Integrative Analysis of “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street”
  Criteria	Ratings	Pts
  Understanding of themes	25 pts Exemplary Provides a clear and detailed explanation of the play’s main themes with insightful examples. Demonstrates a deep understanding. 20 pts Proficient Accurately identifies and explains the main themes with relevant examples. 15 pts Basic Identifies some themes but explanations lack depth or clarity. Examples are minimal or somewhat relevant. 10 pts Needs improvement Fails to identify or explain the themes correctly. Lacks relevant examples.	/ 25 pts
  Application of evolutionary biology	25 pts Exemplary Excellently applies evolutionary biology concepts to the play, enhancing understanding of the text with strong examples. 20 pts Proficient Correctly applies evolutionary biology concepts to the play with some good textual examples. 15 pts Basic Attempts to apply the concepts but lacks strong connections or textual support. 10 pts Needs improvement Incorrectly applies or fails to apply the concepts. Lacks understanding and textual evidence.	/ 25 pts
  Research and citation	20 pts Exemplary Integrates external sources to support the analysis effectively. Citations are correctly formatted and enhance the argument. 18 pts Proficient Uses external sources with correct citations. Sources are relevant but integration could be deeper. 16 pts Basic Uses external sources but integration into the analysis is minimal or somewhat irrelevant. 14 pts Needs improvement Fails to use or cite any external source appropriately.	/ 20 pts
  Clarity of writing	20 pts Exemplary Writing is clear, concise, and well-organized. Grammar and spelling are correct, making the analysis easy to understand. 18 pts Proficient Writing is mostly clear with minor grammatical or spelling errors. Arguments are understandable but could be more concise. 16 pts Basic Writing lacks some clarity and organization. Multiple grammatical or spelling errors that impede understanding. 14 pts Needs improvement Writing is unclear and disorganized with frequent grammatical and spelling errors. Difficult to understand.	/ 20 pts
  MLA format	10 pts Exemplary Report is correctly formatted in MLA style with proper citations and references. 8 pts Proficient Report is mostly correctly formatted with minor MLA errors. 6 pts Basic Report has several MLA formatting errors. 4 pts Needs improvement Report does not follow MLA format.	/ 10 pts
  Total Points: 0