WWI

Propaganda Project

 

Overview – Students will work with class members to research one aspect of WWI, and using propaganda techniques, create a poster and a news article to teach the class about their subject.

Objective: - Students will successfully synthesize information from a variety of sources, and provide the class with a review of one aspect of WWI.  The student will produce a propaganda poster and news article of 5 paragraphs (minimum), and present both to the class.  Each student in a group will be given a specific role, and will be graded on that role, and the work produced.

Start Date: - March 17, 2003

Due Date: - March 19, 2003

Suggested Timeframe:

     Class #1 – Students are assigned tasks.  Information is organized and project begun in class.  Some computer time will be available.  HW: Finish individual project piece at home and bring to class for peer review.

     Class #2 – 30 minutes will be devoted to combining elements of the project.  News article should be peer reviewed by group.  The remainder of class will consist of classroom presentations of student work.

Assignment: -

Group #1 – Causes of WWI

Group  #2 – Causes for American entry into WWI

Group #3 – Life on the home front

Group #4 – War protests and Government attack on civil liberties

Group 5 – Technology in WWI

Group 6 – Treaty of Versailles

 

Person #1 – Artist

Person #2 – Researcher/teacher consultant for group

Person #3 – Journalist for The Stars and Stripes newspaper

Person #4 – Primary Resource Collector

Person #5 – Time Liner

Person #1: Artist/Cartoonist/Propagandist

Your job is to create the artistic portion of your group project (poster).  Your talent should not be a thoughtless one, but rather, one where you are the visionary who will pull the pieces of student work together in a visual way.  Your class time should be spent assisting others in your group, and your HW should be the combining of group elements into a visual presentation.  Do not treat this role lightly.

 

Person #2: Researcher/teacher consultant for group

You are your group’s leader.  You decide with the others in your group just what information needs to be presented.  You are the researcher of the group, so using the book and other available resources should be your strong suit.  If not, see me, because that is what ONLY you are allowed to do.  You are the group “task master.”   Because you are organized, you have been chosen for this role.  A constant check on group partners is needed to keep the group moving.  I will be around to help in this matter.  It is you whom I will see about the group’s process. 

 

Person #3: Journalist for The Stars and Stripes newspaper

Your role is to be the writer for your group.  At first, you will assist the other in your group by helping to collect information for the project, but while others are using the information in different ways, your role is to present the important info in the form of a newspaper story.  I have chosen The Stars and Stripes newspaper for your 1^st job as a journalist.  This paper, when published, was the main source of news for our soldiers on the front lines.  Your job is to tell them the important details of what your group has learned about your topic by creating a story that MIGHT have been written at the time.  But remember, news of this time period was definitely slanted in a pro-US fashion.  This is called Propaganda when it is intended to convince someone of a particular opinion.  Your intention should be the lifting of a soldiers morale.  This paper should be typed in 12 font, New Times Roman, and be 1 ½ pages long (minimum), double spaced. 

 

Person #4: Primary Resource Collector

Anything related to your group’s theme and from the time period in question is a primary resource.  Your job is to begin assisting the research in the quest for what information is relevant.  But your task becomes unique when you see what your topic is about.  Your group needs to see things from the time period so as to create a better visual and news story.  Constant consultation with group members is the order of the day.  You may use the computer, books, library, or other sources of information available to you.  You will likely be in high demand by both the artist and the journalist.  They may even try doing your job at times.  It is important that if you are not looking up primary resources at any given time, that you are assisting the other’s in your group.

 

Person #5: Time Liner

Your role as the time liner is to place your project into a historical context.  Not all groups have a Time Liner, so your job is unique.  At first, you are someone who assists the group in defining their direction.  You will assist the researcher in the task of uncovering information.  You may assist the Primary resource collector as well, but at some point, you must put together a vertical timeline poster that includes dates pertinent to your team’s group theme.  10 dates required.

Part IV: Rubric