This document provides instructions for a diary assignment where students are asked to write a 1-2 page diary entry from the perspective of an absolute monarch such as Ivan the Terrible, Elizabeth I, Peter the Great, or Louis XIV. The diary should include details about where the ruler lives, what they are wearing, who they rule over, and who they hate. It then prompts students to include a description of what the ruler sees after unexpectedly traveling through a time machine to November 22, 2013 and comparing their style of rule to modern governance in the United States. Criteria for the assignment and an outline are provided to help students structure their diary entry accurately in both historical context and grammar.

1. Global 10 Diary
assignment
Absolute Monarchs

2. Time Machine
Q. If you had a time machine that could take you
anywhere in history, where would you go and
why?

3. Step 1
• Pick One of these
rulers:
• 1. Ivan the Terrible
• 2.Elizabeth I
• 3. Peter the Great
• 4. Louis XIV

4. Put your thinking cap/cat
on!!!
This task requires you to call upon previous knowledge, while still using
your imagination.

5. Two components
Time Travel
Stepping into someone else's shoes

6. Diary Assignment
• You will be required to write a 1-2 page diary entry as a ruler of
your choice.
• The diary will be written as if you are the ruler and should be
written in the proper context and voice.
• You will be required to mention specific things that are
happening in your life such as, a vivid description of where you
live i.e. castle, palace, house. The country in which you rule
over, the people in which you rule over, and more!
• Near the end of the diary we will pretend as if your ruler has
happened upon a time machine. The time machine has brought
you, to November 22 2013. You will be required to provide a
vivid description of what you see and how your government and
life compare to modern day.

7. Step 2
• On a separate piece of paper please write down
criteria for the assignment:
• 1. Must include an accurate date in which the diary
entry is occurring example: May 7, 1700 for Louis
XIV
• 2. A vivid description of the following, 1. place in
which you reside 2. clothing you are wearing, 3.
description of the people you are reigning over
4. Who do you hate? 5. After the time warp has
occurred, a vivid description of what you see
and how your government and life compare to
modern day.

8. Outline to get started
•
My name is _______________________
•
I am the ruler of ___________________
•
I live in (Country/City)_____ inside (Type of House)_______
•
The inside of my house looks like ______________
•
I rule over who? (People)____________
•
My enemies= ___________________________
•
If I were to describe my style/fashion sense it would be
______________________
•
After time travel, what sights and sounds do you see, how does the way
you ruled your country compare to the United States?
______________________

9. Short example
• January 28th 1500,
Dear Diary, today I married my sixth wife Catherine Parr. I
love her dearly and can’t imagine my life without her
(unless she looks at me the wrong way, then I would have
to chop off her head…).Anyways, it is another cold and
rainy day in England and the people of the kingdom are
constantly complaining they lack proper food and shelter.
Why can’t they understand that I am appointed by God and
deserver all the wealth and food in the country? It looks like
a strange time travelling box has appeared in my court
yard, I need to go investigate the matter! Until tomorrow
diary…
Xoxo- King Henry XIV

10. The 3 B’s
• Be Creative
• Be Accurate
• Be Grammatically Correct