Introduction
Introduction
The setting of To Kill a Mockingbird is critical to understanding the story. In this WebQuest you will delve into the lives and times of Scout, Jem, Boo, and Tom by creating a newspaper that portrays Alabama in the 1930s. To accurately depict this time period, you will want to explore the entertainment, politics, events, environment, and people.
Task
Task
Your group will write and design an issue of The Maycomb Tribune, the local newspaper of the fictional town in To Kill a Mockingbird. Be sure to carefully read and follow these directions:
You must include the following:
- Front page news report
- An editorial
- Feature article/ Comment piece
- An article of your choice: e.g. another news report or feature article
Each of these articles must contain at least one image/visual
Each group member will be responsible for writing one of these articles
Each person must also contribute a shorter piece of writing: e.g. Death notice, Neighbourhood watch, Odd Spot, Fashion report, a gossip column, cooking tips, etc. If you think of another addition you may negotiate this with your teacher.
Examples of possible news reports:
Court reporter on the trial of Tom Robinson
A news report on one of the incidents that occur in the text
A news report on a real incident that occured during the 1930's: e.g. Scottsboro boys
A global news report
*You may include news and entertainment stories, comics and pictures, opinion columns, etc.
*Each member of the group must contribute an equal amount of work to the newspaper ( a minium of two written pieces, one shorter and one longer) but may also contribute by drawing comics, creating advertisements, etc.
Process
Process
- Form groups of four.
- Read the Introduction and Task sections of the WebQuest.
- Assign roles to every student and review responsibilities.
- Explore the sites listed below, begin your research, and take notes.
- Brainstorm stories, articles, and ideas for your newspaper.
- Decide amongst your group who will write or draw each piece; the Editor-in-Chief leads this discussion.
- Write your articles and work on your contributions to the newspaper.
- Submit work to Research Editor, Copy Editor, Layout Editor, and Editor-in-Chief.
- Make necessary changes as recommended by group members.
- Submit final work to Layout Editor.
- Submit newspaper and bibliography page to your teacher.
Group Role Descriptions
Editor-in-Chief – The Editor-in-Chief’s job is to compile a list of and set deadlines for stories, articles, and drawings. She will decide, with the help of the group, what goes in the paper and what should be left out. She will make sure her writers are on task, and she will oversee the process of sending work through the Copy Editor and Research Editor to the Layout Editor. This person must be able to work well with her “staff”!
Layout Editor – This student will collect all of the group’s work via email and keep it in a safe, organised folder on her laptop. She will use an appropriate application to design the layout of the newspaper, find photos/artwork or collect them from group members, place and arrange the group’s work, and maintain the file to be submitted. Along with being responsible enough to hold on to the file, this person must have an eye for design!
Copy Editor – The Copy Editor will proofread everyone’s work (along with her own) before it is submitted to the Layout Editor. It is her responsibility to make sure every piece of work has been proofread and is ready for press! This person must have a knack for spelling and grammar, the ability to constructively criticise her classmates, and a desire to make the final copy as perfect as it can be!
Research Editor – This student will read every piece of work and double-check for historical accuracy. It is important that she researches, re-researches, and tells the writers to check their facts. If she discovers that a student’s work has historical inaccuracies, she should send it back to be fixed. In addition, the Research Editor will collect reference lists from each group member and compile a final bibliography page to turn in with the newspaper. For the newspaper to be accurate, the Research Editor must have a good sense of what Alabama in the 1930s was like!
Research Sites
Historical Background of To Kill a Mockingbird
http://library.thinkquest.org/12111/SG/SG5.html#author
Jim Crow Laws
http://www.nps.gov/archive/malu/documents/jim_crow_laws.htm
Scottsboro Trials
http://library.thinkquest.org/12111/scottsboro/scottsbo.htm?tqskip1=1&tqtime=0227
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/scottsboro/scottsb.htm
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/scottsboro/
http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/88/scottsboro.html
Personal Interviews
http://library.thinkquest.org/12111/mculley.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/12111/girl.html
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/wpaintro/exinterv.html
Monroeville , Alabama (the real Maycomb)
http://www.monroecountyal.com/
http://www.tokillamockingbird.com/
The Real Local Newspaper
http://www.monroejournal.com/Home.html
Entertainment
http://www.movieactors.com/30s.htm
http://www.moderntimes.com/palace/30.html
1933 World Fair
http://www.the-forum.com/collect/worldfai.htm
Map of Monroeville
Use www.mapquest.com
Photographs
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/list/085_disc.html (photographs revealing discrimination)
http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi&q (Google image search)
RPCS Library
https://rpcsweb.rpcs.org/libraryhomeremote.htm
Search Engines
www.vivisimo.com (a better Google)
www.wikipedia.com (double-check all information obtained here!)
American Memory
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html
Research Sites
Historical Background of To Kill a Mockingbird
http://library.thinkquest.org/12111/SG/SG5.html#author
Jim Crow Laws
http://www.nps.gov/archive/malu/documents/jim_crow_laws.htm
Scottsboro Trials
http://library.thinkquest.org/12111/scottsboro/scottsbo.htm?tqskip1=1&tqtime=0227
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/scottsboro/scottsb.htm
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/scottsboro/
http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/88/scottsboro.html
Personal Interviews
http://library.thinkquest.org/12111/mculley.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/12111/girl.html
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/wpaintro/exinterv.html
Monroeville , Alabama (the real Maycomb)
http://www.monroecountyal.com/
http://www.tokillamockingbird.com/
The Real Local Newspaper
http://www.monroejournal.com/Home.html
Entertainment
http://www.movieactors.com/30s.htm
http://www.moderntimes.com/palace/30.html
1933 World Fair
http://www.the-forum.com/collect/worldfai.htm
Map of Monroeville
Use www.mapquest.com
Photographs
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/list/085_disc.html (photographs revealing discrimination)
http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi&q (Google image search)
RPCS Library
https://rpcsweb.rpcs.org/libraryhomeremote.htm
Search Engines
www.vivisimo.com (a better Google)
www.wikipedia.com (double-check all information obtained here!)
American Memory
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html
Evaluation
Self Evaluation to consider before submission
| 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| Layout and Neatness | Newspaper layout is neat, organised, easy to read, and creative. Appropriate graphics are included. | Newspaper layout is neat, organised, and easy to read. Some graphics are included. | Newspaper layout is adequate, but possibly disorganised and difficult to read. Few graphics are included. | Newspaper layout is disorganised and difficult to read. Few or no graphics are included. |
| Grammar and Spelling | Few or no grammar and spelling mistakes. | Few grammar and spelling mistakes. | Many grammar and spelling mistakes. | Abundance of grammar and spelling mistakes; obvious lack of proofreading. |
| Quality of Articles and Newspaper Content | Article topics are interesting, informative, and well-researched. Time period is accurately depicted. | Article topics are mostly interesting and informative. Time period is depicted. | Article topics are adequately interesting and informative. Time period is barely depicted or has historical inaccuracies. | Article topics reveal lack of research, or lack of knowledge of historical time period. |
| Diversity of Newspaper | Newspaper is an excellent compilation of articles, stories, editorials, graphics, etc. The work submitted by group members is diverse and varied. | Newspaper is a good compilation of articles, stories, editorials, graphics, etc. The work submitted by group members is suitably diverse and varied. | Newspaper is a fair compilation of articles, stories, editorials, graphics, etc. Articles and stories may be pedestrian and unimaginative. | Newspaper is a poor compilation of articles, stories, editorials, graphics, etc. Articles and stories may be spare, too similar to one another, or unimaginative. |
| Research and Works Cited | Newspaper reveals thorough research, and many aspects of the time period are accurately depicted. Works Cited page is turned in and completed in proper format. | Newspaper reveals adequate research, and some aspects of the time period are well-depicted. Works Cited page is turned in and in proper format. | Newspaper reveals lack of adequate research, and the time period is only vaguely depicted. Works Cited page is incorrectly formatted or not turned in. | Newspaper reveals lack of research or comprehension of the historical elements. Time period is not depicted. Works Cited page is incorrectly formatted or not turned in. |
Conclusion
Conclusion
You will visit excellent web sites and learn all about the lives and times of real people who Scout, Jem, Boo, and Tom were based on! Remember, To Kill a Mockingbird is fiction based on the real history of the South in the 1930s.
Secondly, you create your very own newspaper using what you know from To Kill a Mockingbird, what you learn through your research, your creativity, your beautiful writing, your friends and group members.
Congratulations on embarking on and completing this WebQuest!
Your finished product will be displayed in the Learning Commons