History Publication
For this ‘History Publication’ project you will create a publication focusing
on westward expansion after the Lewis and Clark expedition. You can produce
a newspaper, magazine or informational pamphlet. You may work alone or with a
partner. However, once a partnership is established there can be no
changes! Think carefully about anyone you may be thinking of working with.
Both partners earn the same grade. A rough draft is not required, but highly
recommended. As you work in the library or class, take advantage of the
opportunity to have me read a rough draft of your work. Be careful to avoid
plagiarism – this will result in a zero grade for the project.
60 points – Historical Accuracy: Everything in your publication must be
thorough and accurate with detailed information.
40 points – Creativity in Writing: All articles must be well written with a
minimum of grammatical and spelling errors. Together we will evaluate
newspaper and magazine articles for effective writing.
20 points – Notes and MLA work cited: As you do your research, take clear
notes. Keep track of where you find your information and include with your
final product a work cited page in the MLA format. You must have a minimum
of 5 different sources.
30 points – Appearance: You will be graded on the overall appearance of your
project. Creativity and unique ideas are encouraged – talk to me first
before doing anything ‘crazy’.
Due dates:
In class and library work days: May 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 11, 14 and 15
Homework: 10 days = roughly 3½ hours
Topic: Friday, May 4
Notes: May 9
Final product: Friday, May 18
Tips for success:
Make the most of your class time to get the work done!!
Check out the samples in the classroom to get ideas!!
Ask questions if you aren’t sure how to do something!!
Have me read a rough draft!!
Requirements:
Your publication must have:
a title
a bi-line
a publication date
One person –
must do:
1 ‘hard news’ article
an illustration with a caption written by you
a book review with 2 books listed
and
choose 4:
an article about a scientific discovery
an article about popular culture
an editorial
an advertisement
an obituary
an interview with a famous person
an article about food with a recipe
an advice column ‘Dear Abby’ style
Two people working together -
must do:
2 ‘hard news’ articles
2 illustrations with a caption written by you
a book review with 4 books listed
and
complete:
an article about a scientific discovery
an article about popular culture
an editorial
an advertisement
an obituary
an interview with a famous person
an article about food with a recipe
an advice column ‘Dear Abby’ style
Your publication must be put together to look like a magazine, newspaper or
pamphlet. If you have a creative idea of how to create this product, check
with me first!
Quarter 4 Project- Guidelines and Tips
Take notes as we discuss these in class!
“Hard News”
This will be your “current events” type of article. The type of news
that you see on the front page of a newspaper or magazine. Think about the
news today, what kinds of stories or events are people talking about? Often
times court trials are in the news (think of the recent trial over Trayvon
Martin, what famous trials too place during the mid 1800’s?), or news about a
war or battle that is occurring. What kind of issues would have made
headlines from 1820-1880?
The article will be informational, factual, and interesting; but not
too lengthy (maybe a couple of paragraphs). There may or may not be a bias to
your article.
Illustrations
When people read a newspaper, what do they find interesting? Or, what
helps bring the story alive? The answer could be pictures. There is an old
saying that “a picture is worth a thousand words”. As such, an illustration
is required. In newspapers today, often there is a photograph, but the
technology of photography has not been around forever. How would people
represent events in the past? Would they have paintings, illustrations
(drawings), or some other type of art? Did your event take place after the
arrival of photography?
Illustrations may be photocopied, traced, or hand drawn, but give
credit to the person who created the image. YOU must write the caption for
your illustration. You may incorporate your illustration into an article or
advertisement.
Book Review
Think about the different sections of a newspaper. In most major
publications there is a section on the arts, which often contains reviews
(reviews are the author’s opinion on the subject at hand, and may contain
critiques of works) on performances, music, and books. Books are an important
part of society, think about the impact Harriet Beecher Stowe had with her
book Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and how some people say that this book helped start
the Civil War. What books were important during the time period you picked?
You need at least 2 books in your review. YOU DO NOT NEED TO READ THE
BOOKS. You should however, include a few sentences describing the book, date
of publication (You may either review books FROM the time period, or ABOUT
the time period), information about the author (including previous works),
and a recommendation for reading.
Science
In today’s newspapers, you can often find a section talking about the
latest in technology or scientific developments. Think about all the hype
made about the latest iphone or ipad. What major developments in science were
occurring during the mid 1800’s? Was a new form of transportation developed
or expanded—i.e. railroad travel? What kind of new technologies were
developed (as mentioned above photography was developed during this time)?
The article could be about the latest in technology, medicine, or
discovery. Check the Timetables of Science in the library for some ideas.
Popular Culture
What other types of information are people interested in when they
read a newspaper or magazine? Often they wish to find out about what new and
exciting things are going on within the popular culture. Think about what
topics are discussed in the Life section of a newspaper. You could write
about food clothing, or the arts. Or if you are more interested in
celebrities, you could even look up a famous celebrity or figure during the
mid 1800’s (think of famous politicians, abolitionist, or any other famous
person) and write a tabloid (gossip) about that person. Have fun with this
section!
Advertisement
Some people just read newspapers for the advertisements—often you can
find good deals or coupons for certain items (think of deals you would like
to receive!)—like clothes, new technologies, or other things people like to
buy. Create an advertisement for a product during the time period you chose.
Be historically accurate!
Editorial
This is an opinion piece about a situation or event relating to your
topic or time period. Think about famous commentators in our news society.
Are Bill O’Brien’s or Jon Stewart’s views on an issue balanced? If you know
who they are, then you know that they interpret events in a very certain way.
You should do the same in this section! This should be a biased piece of
writing. Have fun!
Obituary
An obituary is a short section about a person in the community who
has recently died. The person you create an obituary for may be fictional, or
you can pick a historical figure who had passed away, and write on that—i.e.
if your time period is after the civil war, you could write an obituary on
Lincoln. The names could be fictional, but make sure that the CAUSE of death
is APPORIATE to the topic/time period of your project. For example, HIV/AIDS
is a relatively new disease, so no one in the mid 1800’s could have died from
it.
Interview with a Famous Person
What kinds of articles do you find interesting in a newspaper or
magazine? Would you read an article about an interview with your favorite
musician or celebrity? In this section, you create questions that you would
have liked to ask a famous person from your chosen time period. Then, based
on research you have done, the “famous person” you have chosen answer those
questions. This must be historically accurate and based on FACT. In choosing
a famous person from the past, you may wish to interview an abolitionist like
Frederick Douglass, a general from a war (like Sherman or Lee), or a famous
politician (maybe a president). Have fun! This is an opportunity for you to
show your creative side.
Recipe
Sometimes there are sections in a newspaper devoted to food, and
recipes people may wish to try out. What would have been something someone in
the mid 1800’s would have eaten? (Think of the foods Denzel Washington’s
character mentions in the movie Glory.) How would it have been prepared, and
how would they have gotten the necessary ingredients? There would not have
been supermarkets like Nugget or Safeway around. Think about the market
scenes in the movies we watched over the year.
Advice Column
This would look like an Ann Landers or Dear Abby type of article, but
specific to your topic. If you haven’t read a Dear Abby article before,
usually people write Abby a letter asking for advice, which she then replies
to. What kinds of problems would people have had during the 1800’s? Think
about the moral issues of the day such as slavery. How would someone who was
against slavery feel about being married to a slaveholder, or living in the
South?
Pre- Civil War Events
There were many events leading to the Civil War that were contributing
factors to the South’s secession. Place each of the following in
chronological order on a timeline. Each notation should be a short paragraph
in length and include the following points: date, brief description, how it
may have contributed to tension between the North and the South. Choose 5 of
the events and add an illustration component to the notation.
Missouri Compromise
Annexation of Texas / Mexican-American War
Wilmot Proviso
Compromise of 1850
American Anti-Slavery Society
Fugitive Slave Act (1850)
Kansas – Nebraska Act
Popular sovereignty in Kansas / Bleeding Kansas
Dred Scott decision
Lincoln – Douglas debates
Lincoln elected
South secedes
Freedom Award Speech
You will work with an assigned partner to complete three components of this
assignment: write a speech that would be given at an awards ceremony to
introduce an award winner, write an acceptance speech and design the award
that will be given. The award recognizes the:
“American Abolitionist Most Instrumental in Ending Slavery”
Your partnership will be assigned a person instrumental in ending the
institution of slavery. Each played a role in the abolition of slavery, but
is unique in how they did it. For their efforts you will be giving them an
award. One of you will write an introduction speech and the other will write
an acceptance speech. Make sure the information in your speeches cover the
requirements but is not repetitive.
Usually at an awards ceremony a speech is given about the recipient prior to
the award being given. This speech would include:
• background information about the recipient
• details about their life and work that makes them eligible for this
award
• description of their character
Most award recipients give an acceptance speech. This would include:
• why they thought this work was important
• who helped them along the way
• what are their future goals
Both speeches should include:
• an introductory statement that gets the audience’s attention
• details and factual information
• complete sentences
• no more than page in length
Additionally, your partnership will design the award. Many awards come with
a statue, plaque or some other tangible item that recognizes the achievement
of the recipient. Nobel Prize recipients are given a medal, the Oscars have
the golden statue, the Grammy’s are a gramophone and many sporting awards are
a cup, bowl or medal to be worn. Your design should be drafted in color on
11x18 size paper and reflect:
• the importance of the work that was done
• the spirit of the recipient
• be of a realistic size and material
Lewis and Clark Expedition
You are going to write 8 passages in a journal that may have been kept by one
of those participating in the Corps of Discovery. You could choose to write
from the perspective of: Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, York, Sacagawea,
one of the other soldiers part of the group (even the dog Seaman if you
really want to be creative.) No mater who you chose to write as, you must at
least mention all of these participants at some point in your journal. You
may choose to spread your entries out over the course of two years or focus
in on a shorter time period.
Each entry should be approximately 1/2 page in length and must mention at
least 2 of the following: a person, an event, description of the land, the
climate, the flora and fauna. As part of your journal you must have at
least one map and one illustration. Entries need to be based in factual
information (at least 4 historical facts in each) but can be written
creatively. For example, you can infer how they might have felt at a
particular time or place, but don’t make up events, places or people. You
may not be creative with spelling and grammar, these must be correct or
historically accurate.
As we watch a video and read from the text books available in the classroom,
take notes on the factual information you’d like to include in your
journal. In addition to seven class days of work time for this, including
four days to research using the internet in the library, you will have all of
your homework time until the due date to complete this assignment.
Final product due on: Wednesday, January 18th
Prentice Hall: 188 – 195 History of US #4: 57 – 63
A More Perfect Union: 222 - 229 History Alive: 211 - 215
Websites:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisandclark/resources_timeline_1803.html
http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/
http://lewis-clark.org/
http://www.lewisandclark.org/
http://www.nps.gov/lecl/index.htm
http://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/
http://www.biography.com/articles/Sacagawea-9468731
http://www.sacajaweahome.com/
http://www.time.com/time/2002/lewis_clark/lyork.html
Each entry should be approximately 1/2 page in length and must mention at
least 2 of the following: a person, an event, description of the land, the
climate, the flora and fauna. As part of your journal you must have at
least one map and one illustration. Entries need to be based in factual
information (at least 4 historical facts in each) but can be written
creatively. Use this as a checklist to make sure your journal entries are
complete.
Lewis and Clark Journal
_____ map _____ illustration
Journal Entry 1
_____ person
_____ description of the land
_____ climate
_____ flora
_____ fauna
_____ event
Facts _____ _____ _____ _____
Journal Entry2
_____ person
_____ description of the land
_____ climate
_____ flora
_____ fauna
Facts _____ _____ _____ _____
Journal Entry 3
_____ person
_____ description of the land
_____ climate
_____ flora
_____ fauna
_____event
Facts _____ _____ _____ _____
Journal Entry 4
_____ person
_____ description of the land
_____ climate
_____ flora
_____ fauna
_____ event
Facts _____ _____ _____ _____
Journal Entry 5
_____ person
_____ description of the land
_____ climate
_____ flora
_____ fauna
_____ event
Facts _____ _____ _____ _____
Journal Entry 6
_____ person
_____ description of the land
_____ climate
_____ flora
_____ fauna
_____ event
Facts _____ _____ _____ _____
Journal Entry 7
_____ person
_____ description of the land
_____ climate
_____ flora
_____ fauna
_____ event
Facts _____ _____ _____ _____
Journal Entry 8
_____ person
_____ description of the land
_____ climate
_____ flora
_____ fauna
_____ event
Facts _____ _____ _____ _____
___ Lewis ___ Clark ___York
___ Sacagawea ___Soldiers ___ Seaman
____ extra credit ________________/100
"Ghosts of Mississippi is a true story drama covering the final trial of the
assassin, Bryon De La Beckwith, of the 60s civil rights leader Medgar Evers.
It begins with the murder and the events surrounding the two initial trials
which both ended in a hung jury. The movie then covers District Attorney,
Bobby DeLaughters transformation and alliance with Myrlie Evers, wife of
Medgar Evers, as he becomes more involved with bringing Beckwith to trial for
the third time 30 years later."
The film is a good way to conclude our Constitution Unit - it examines
the 'due process' amendments and trial procedures.
Moot Court
Each person in the class is required to argue a case as an attorney and rule
on at least one case as a justice. You will earn three grades as part of
this process: as an attorney, a justice and a participation grade. (100
points total)
Choose a partner to work together with as a legal team. The two of you will
need to find another team that is interested in arguing the same case. You
will also need to determine which team will argue what side of the case.
Each side will need to prepare a 2 – 4 minute oral argument using the
persuasive writing techniques in the 8th grade literature book (pgs 404 and
412.) Each team will also need to prepare a 1 - 2 minute rebuttal taking
into consideration the arguments the other side will make. Arguments must be
factual and based in evidence. Be clear on what you want the justices to
decide. As an attorney you should be prepared and professional when
presenting arguments. If your partner is absent on presentation day you will
still be required to go – make sure both partners have a copy of the
arguments. You will have 3 days to work on preparing and practicing
arguments in class.
A copy of the arguments (in bullet point note form is fine) is due from each
partnership on the day we start presentations: December 2, 2011
(50 points for written and oral arguments)
As a member of a nine-judge panel you will hear at least two cases.
As a justice your demeanor should reflect the seriousness of the situation.
You should ask at least one question of the attorneys while serving as a
justice. You must choose one of the cases to write a “decision of the
court.” In the decision you should include what the court’s decision was,
how did you decide and what was the reasoning for the final outcome. You
must include the law in question and how it factored into the decision. This
part of the assignment is due by December 13th (25 points)
You will earn a participation grade during the Moot Court process.
Appropriate behavior while your classmates are arguing or serving as justices
is expected. Students will complete a Moot Court note taking guide of the
proceedings. The note guide is due on December 9th
(25 points)
I will randomly assign the presentation schedule which will start on December
2nd and should finish on Dec 9th . You must be prepared to go on your
scheduled day even if your partner is absent – there isn’t time to reschedule.
Legal Brief
Researching a Landmark Case
You are required to research a case that has been reviewed by the US Supreme
Court, write a ‘brief’ and an evaluation of the effect the case has had on US
History. You must follow the brief format provided. The brief and
evaluation are due on November 18th.
Here are some examples of court cases students have done in the past:
Brown v. Board of Education US v. Nixon
Miranda v. Arizona Gideon v. Wainwright
Korematsu v. US Bush v. Gore
Plessy v. Ferguson US v. Virginia
Atkins v. Virginia Engel v. Vitale
Texas v. Johnson Furman v. Georgia
There are examples of each of these student briefs in the classroom for you
to read. I will go through each part of the brief format and give you some
tips on how to research for that section – pay attention and take notes!!
Our school library has collected a wide variety of resources on these and
many other cases. These resources will remain on reference status throughout
the research time. We will spend a total of seven days together as a class
in the library researching.
Your final product must include a work cited in the MLA format with at least
four sources!
Library research days: October 27, 31, November 1, 2, 3, 8, 9
In-class teacher edit days: November 4, 7 10 and other days as time permits.
Bring part or all of your project for feedback.
Teacher edits will be done in class on a ‘first come first served’ basis. If
you wait until the 16th, there may not be enough time for a teacher edit of
your project.
Due date: Friday, November 18
[Projects turned in on November 28th or later will earn no more than %50]
Legal brief websites
http://www.landmarkcases.org/
http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/index.html
http://www.findlaw.com/casecode/supreme.html
http://www.supremecourtus.gov/
www.oyez.org
www.usscplus.com
Format (see below the "rough draft & research guide"
Legal Brief: (This section should be about 2 pages in length.)
The Case and Case #
Facts of the case:
Briefly summarize the case and the facts surrounding it up to its arrival at
the Supreme Court. Include the decisions of the lower courts.
The Law:
What is the article of law in question for this case? Landmark cases are an
issue of Constitutionality.
Legal Question:
What is the question the Supreme Court needs to answer?
Arguments:
Briefly summarize the arguments each side gave to the Supreme Court. What
are the main points on each side of the argument?
Opinion of the Court (justice’s name):
Summarize the opinion of the court (decision.) List all of the justices who
were part of the majority opinion. (List all justices in agreement.)
Concurring Opinion (justice’s name):
Were there justices who agreed with the majority decision but for different
reasons? List them and briefly summarize their reasoning.
Dissenting Opinion (justice’s name):
Summarize the points made by the justices disagreeing with the majority
opinion. (List all justices dissenting.)
Evaluation: (This section should be about 2 pages in length.)
What was the final outcome of the case? What was the immediate
response to the court’s decision? Did your case change any previous
decisions made by the Supreme Court? Has there been a lasting impact on
American citizens and the legal system? Does the decision made in your case
still stand or has it been changed by subsequent cases? What is your
opinion regarding this case and its impact on Americans?
Sample projects are available in the class room.
This is the ‘rough draft tool’ for the Legal Brief research project.
The Case_____________________________________________________
Case #________________________________________________________
Facts of the case:
Briefly summarize the case and the facts surrounding it up to its arrival at
the Supreme Court. Include the decisions of the lower courts.
______________________________________________________________________________
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The Law:
What is the article of law in question for this case? Landmark cases are an
issue of Constitutionality, the law will be from the Constitution.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Legal Question:
What is the question the Supreme Court needs to answer?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Arguments:
Briefly summarize the arguments each side gave to the Supreme Court. What
are the main points on each side of the argument?
Petitioner:___________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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Respondant:___________________________________________________________________
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Opinion of the Court (justice’s name):
Summarize the opinion of the court (decision.) List all of the justices who
were part of the majority opinion. (List all justices in agreement.)
(____________________________________):
________________________________________________
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Justices who agree with the majority
opinion:_________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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Concurring Opinion (justice’s name):
Were there justices who agreed with the majority decision but for different
reasons? Who were they?
Dissenting Opinion (justice’s name):
Summarize the points made by the justices disagreeing with the majority
opinion. (List all justices dissenting.)
(____________________________):_______________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________________
Justices who agree with the dissenting
opinion:________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Evaluation:
What was the final outcome of the case? How did the justices decide the
case – who ‘won’?
______________________________________________________________________________
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What was the immediate response to the court’s decision? How did people
around the country react? Did most people agree with it? Were there any
groups/people that were angry with the decision?
______________________________________________________________________________
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Did your case change any previous decisions made by the Supreme Court?
______________________________________________________________________________
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Has there been a lasting impact on American citizens and the legal system?
______________________________________________________________________________
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Does the decision made in your case still stand or has it been changed by
subsequent cases? Are there laws today that exist because of the decision
in your case?
______________________________________________________________________________
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What are some cases related to this one? List at least one case that is in
some way similar to the law and/or outcome to the case you researched.
Explain how they are similar.
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What is your opinion regarding this case and its impact on Americans? Do you
think this case is important in our country’s history? Why? Does this case
affect you or how you live your life?
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American Revolution
From the list below, create a work product that demonstrates an understanding
of the American Revolutionary War. You may choose one person/event or
broaden your focus to include a group of people or a series of events. To
find a topic, skim through A History of US chapters 14 – 31 and pages 59 –
63 in Prentice Hall. You will have 1 library research day, 4 days in class
work time and 4 days of homework time to complete this mini-project. If your
project includes a presentation aspect please let me know ASAP. For those
who prefer not to complete a project, the alternate assignment is reading and
answering questions from History of US, Colonies to Country (see me for the
list of chapters and the questions.) Those completing the mini-project
option may work with a partner; the alternative assignment must be done
individually. This assignment is due on Tuesday, September 27th.
Students had 5 days of work time (3 days in the library) and all of thier
homework time between Sept 19 - 26 for this assignment. Please don't spend a
large amount of time working on this over the weekend.
Colonial Regions
(Periods 1, 2 & 6)
After completing the atlas activities choose one of the options below and
write a two paragraph response. It’s possible to do a different topic, but
check with me first.
• Evaluate the lives and roles of women in the colonies.
• You are a poor English tenant farmer. Make up a speech to your
family giving your reasons for moving to the colonies. Discuss which colony
you will move to and why.
• Write an investigative report that may have appeared in a London
newspaper regarding indentured servitude and slavery in the American Colonies.
• Prepare an advertisement that a colonial governor might have used to
recruit settlers to their colony. Provide all the important information
about the colony – really sell it!
Due: Friday, September 2nd
