Headlines Newspaper Project--Teaching Historical Perspective

Created by Nathan Gilson of "Understanding Who We Were" - Visit My Store

A project rubric for several newspaper projects. This project teaches students to view historical events from more than one side. It teaches bias, historical perspective, understanding and creating political cartoons. This assignment reinforces teamwork, project management, writing and creative skills.

This 39 page project/worksheet/rubric encourages students to create two newspapers from opposite sides of a historical issue (ex. King George III and American Colonists). Includes guiding questions to help students create:

*Headline articles

*Secondary articles

*Political cartoons (includes a mini-lesson on how to understand and create original political cartoons)

*Advertisements

*Letters to the Editor

Also includes a student checklist, grading rubric, score sheet, and suggestions for 4 different "job descriptions" within the group.

*An alternative (modified) project that encourages students to merge ideas into a "status quo" and "revolutionary gazette" newspaper to compare various historical movements. Includes a primary source and worksheet that students can use to read, and "report" on the facts contained within the document. Documents for the Protestant Reformation, Scientific Revolution, English Civil War, Age of Exploration, American Revolution, French Revolution, Industrial Revolution, Boxer Rebellion, World War 1, Russian Revolution, and World War 2.

*Imperialism Newspaper project (Project-based Unit) with two templates (google docs) to write newspapers from a colonial and imperial perspective. Separate rubrics and directions. Teach one topic each day, then let students add to their newspapers showing how each side would have viewed the same event differently.

*Cold War Newspaper project (Project-based Unit) with two templates (google docs) to write newspapers from an American and Soviet perspective. Separate rubrics and directions. Teach one topic each day, then let students add to their newspapers showing how each side would have viewed the same event differently.

*Includes 3 Historical headline story suggestions for the following issues:

-Protestant Reformation (Luther vs. Leo X)

-Age of Exploration (Conquistadors vs. Aztecs)

-Scientific Revolution (Scientists vs. Church Officials)

-American Revolution (Colonists vs. Great Britain)

-French Revolution (Peasants vs. Government)

-Imperialism (Europeans vs. African colonists)

-World War 1 (Central Powers vs. Allied Powers)

-World War 2 (Axis Powers vs. Allied Powers)

-Cold War (Soviet vs. NATO/American)

-Indian Independence (Great Britain vs. Gandhi and Separatists)

-Apartheid (ANC vs. Apartheid government)

By changing the topics list (one page) you could adapt this project to any other subject area in history. Great for Middle School or High School.