Assignments: Log/Artifacts/Cartoon, Oral History, and Newspaper

• Log
• Oral History
• Early North Carolina Newspaper Submission

'Log,' 'Captioned Artifacts and Visuals,' or 'Swamp Cartoon'

Teacher Notes

Student Resources

Assignment

Perspectives in Review

Questions for Thought

Assignment Objectives

Assessment Rubric

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Teacher Notes

• Log entries can be made daily, made every few days, or even document significant days only.
  
  
• Artifacts include: maps, tools of tools, other images, advertisements, deeds, wills, census records.
  
  
• Comic strips about the land: the example I know is Pogo. Pogo, by Walt Kelly, was a comic strip with animals from another swamp, the "Okefenokee" Swamp in Georgia, often acting like people. The cartoon occasionally took on political issues, and so, for a while, our hometown newspaper stopped carrying it (according to a family member--no I'm not quite that old). Pogo's "We have met the enemy and he is us" became a battle cry for some environmentalists. Here's part of another Pogo comic strip panel--from Marilyn K. White's I Go Pogo site.

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Your Resources:

The Land; "Mired in the Great Dismal Swamp"; "Land Use in North Carolina"; "Interlude: Indian Perspectives on the Land"; "Interlude: African Perspectives on the Land"; Slave Ship Narratives; The Household; Taverns and Public Places; The Church; Interlude: Slavery, Pro and Con: Arguments; and "Teacher Notes" (above).

Use resources that provide information about what life was like for the character you represent, that is, that provide information about life and land use from your chosen perspective.

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Assignment:

You will create either a log, an artifacts collection, or a cartoon series, from one of the perspectives below. Choose a perspective from below, and, while you're at it, decide on the age and gender of the character you will represent. YOu can imagine yourself as a person who really lived in mid-18th century North Carolina, or the person you imagine yourself as can be wholly imaginary. But, whoever you decide to be, remember that at least some of the log entries, artifacts, or cartoons should be dated with a date from the French and Indian War period.

• If you create a log, it should contain 10-12 entries of about one to two paragraphs each. You should tell your readers about your daily life, as well as about major events or problems in your life. At least one of your entries should be documented with an artifact of some sort (an image, document, etc.)--one you create yourself, or a real document or image you find on-line. Cite the source of any artifact you find on-line.

• If you create an artifacts collection, it should contain 10-12 artifacts, either ones you create yourself, or ones you find on-line. You may, if you like, rework images you find on-line (using MS Paint, Photoshop, Adobe), but make sure to cite the source of the image you rework (and also say that it was redone by you!), and, of course, cite the source of any other artifacts you find on-line that you do not rework yourself. The artifacts must be arranged to create a record of some period of your life. The artifacts can represent both problems and major events as well as daily activities. Any advertisements used can either be written by your character (for example, your character's advertisement trying to locate a runaway servant), or be advertisements about your character (in this case, your character might be the runaway servant advertised for in the ad). You should write a caption for each artifact that explains the role of that artifact in documenting your life.

• If you create a swamp cartoon, you should include in your collection about 3-4 short strips of about 3-4 panels each. Your strips should be drawn by you, should include appropriate dialog (your characters may speak in dialect, of course), and should depict and poke fun at daily life and various problems, as seen from your perspective. The cartoon strip can become a forum for the characters to voice opinions.

1. Review and discuss some resources with your same-perspective partner, jotting down locations of information relevant to your character's daily life, concerns, etc.
2. Plan a log, collection, or cartoon strips, re-checking your sources of information as you plan, to verify all information you are using. Outline what each log entry will be about, what each artifact will consist of, or what each cartoon panel and short strip will be about.
3. Begin creating your collection, again checking your sources as needed.
4. Work again with your partner to edit everything.

Perspectives in Review:

• Planter
• Small land-holder
• Indian trader (European)
• Indentured Servant (European)
• Slave
• American Indian

• Male or female
• Age: any age (but old enough to create the journal and to take the particular perspective; as far as birth date, remember that your character must be alive for at least part of the "French & Indian War").

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Questions for Thought:

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Assignment Objectives:

• Log
• Artifacts Collection
• Cartoon Series

If you create a log,

• Your log includes 10-12 entries. (3 pts)
• The log entries are written from the appropriate perspective (2 pts)
  • and in the appropriate voice (1 pt)
• The log entries are arranged so as to tell your story, explain your problems. (3 pts)
• The log entries are based on your research (2 pts)
  • with sources cited. (1 pt)
• The log entries are dated. (1 pt)
• At least one log entry is accompanied by an artifact (1 pt)
  • and that artifact is appropriate to the entry and your perspective. (1 pt)
• At least some log entries demonstrate substantial thought and reflection on several occurrences in your character's life; and/or on problems your character experienced or ideas your character had. (2 pts)
• The log attempts to appeal to your audience (students, teacher, community). (2 pts)
• Finally, edit your writing to make sure any dialect you use fits your character; to eliminate inconsistencies in grammar and spelling; to make sure your story makes sense; and to adjust the length as needed (but do not forget; your log has to be a certain length just to include the required substance; if the substance is not there, you could lose a lot more points!) (1 pt)

If you create a collection of artifacts,

• Your collection includes 10-12 artifacts (3 pts)
• The artifacts document the life of your character (2 pts)
  • and his/her perspectives on life and land. (2 pts)
• The artifacts are arranged so as to tell your character's story, explain your character's problems. (3 pts)
• The artifacts show evidence of your research into and knowledge of the period and perspective taken, (2 pts)
  • with sources cited. (1 pt)
• Each artifact is accompanied by a caption (1/2 pt)
  • which explains the artifact's significance in your character's life. (1 pt)
• The artifacts are dated. (1/2 pt)
• The artifacts used demonstrate thought and reflection on several occurrences in your character's life; and/or on problems your character experienced or ideas your character had. (2 pts)
• The collection attempts to appeal to your audience (students, teacher, community). (2 pts)
• Finally, the collection has been reviewed to make sure that the arrangement makes sense, and that the collection is of the appropriate length; and the captions have been reviewed to make sure that the spelling and grammar is readable. (1 pt)

If you create a Dismal Swamp Cartoon Strip Series

• Your collection includes 10-12 cartoon panels (3 pts)
  • arranged into 3-4 short strips of about 3-4 panels each. (1 pt)
• The cartoon strips document and depict humorously the life/problems of your character, (2 pts)
  • and his/her perspectives on these. (2 pts)
• Each strip is arranged so as to tell the story of a particular event, or explain a particular problem. (3 pts)
• The cartoons show evidence of your research into and knowledge of the period and perspective taken, (2 pts)
  • with sources cited. (1 pt)
• The animals in the cartoon look like possible animal inhabitants of the eighteenth century Dismal Swamp. (1/2 pt)
• The strips are dated. (1/2 pt)
• The strips demonstrate thought and reflection on several occurrences in your character's life; and/or problems or ideas from your perspective. (2 pts)
• The collection attempts to appeal to an audience (students, teacher, community). (2 pts)
• Finally, the collection has been reviewed to make sure that the arrangement makes sense, and that the collection is of the appropriate length; and the captions have been reviewed to make sure that the spelling and grammar is readable. (1 pt)

In your work with your partner and jigsaw groups you will:

• Read and discuss partner's writing with him/her (4 pts)
• Listen to and take notes on discussion with partner on your own writing (4 pts)
• Share your story/collection/cartoon series in your 'same-group' (2 pts)
• Listen attentively & respectfully in 'same-group' discussion (1 pt)
• Respond thoughtfully to/comment thoughtfully on other 'same-group' members' work (1 pt)
• Make final revisions in log/collection/cartoon series in response to ideas/comments shared in 'same-group' discussion (2 pts)
• Share your story/collection/cartoon series in 'diverse-group' (2 pts)
• Listen attentively & respectively to others in 'diverse-group' discussion (1 pt)
• Comment thoughtfully on others' work in 'diverse-group' (1 pt)
• Bring back at least one story/event from 'diverse-group' jigsaw to share with 'same-group' (2 pts)

Assessment
[Rubric for Log/Artifacts Collection/Cartoon is in the works]

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Interview with a Community Elder: Elder's Images/Memories/Experiences on the Land

Student Resources

Assignment

Questions for Thought

Assignment Objectives

Assessment Rubric

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Your Resources:
Richard A. Pence, Searching your family tree (http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/roots-l/genealog/genealog.fhsearch)
Pence reminds people seeking information about ancestors to ask very specific questions!;
Kindred Keepsakes.com's Memory Book Questions--List of Possible Oral History Questions (http://www.kindredkeepsakes.com/products/questions/index.asp) (Note: since the Memory Book Questions can now only be had for sale, you might want to download the sample questions at http://www.kindredkeepsakes.com/products/questions/sample.pdf.)

Just use questions and ideas from the above resources that will help you learn about the person you are interviewing's views of and experiences with the land--though of course you may wish to ask one 'warm-up' question (a question that is just funny, that helps your interviewee unwind a bit).

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Assignment:

Interview an elder in your community about his/her images, memories, and experiences on 'the land.'

Your interview should be about 15-30 minutes in length.

Steps

1. Go over the questions for thought, check out the on-line resources on conducting oral interviews, and then create a list of possible questions. Submit your question list for approval.
2. Set up a time and place to interview the person you select.
3. Arrive on time, and record the interview on tape. Take notes too.
4. Listen to the tape, and revise your notes. You do not need to transcribe the entire interview.

Questions for Thought:

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Assignment Objectives:

For you interview, you will

• Submit a list of at least 5-6 questions you are planning to ask (4 pts) that are
  • Designed to elicit information about the ways this person has used land, and about his/her perspective on the land (2 pts);
  • Thought-provoking (2 pts);
  • Interesting (2 pts).
• Bring to class and place in your portfolio your notes on at least 5-6 major pieces of information you gathered during the interview (10 pts).
• Talk about (3 pts) and play (2 pts) from your audiotape a highlight of your interview--that you have excerpted from the interview--to the class.
• Listen respectfully and attentively when your classmates share their interview highlights (5 pts).

Assessment
[Rubric for Oral History In Process]

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Your Newspaper Submission

Teacher Notes

Student Resources

Assignment

Perspectives in Review

Assignment Objectives

Assessment Rubric

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Teacher Notes

• The first newspaper in North Carolina, was published in 1751.

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Your Resources:

Your log, artifacts collection, or cartoon is your primary resource. For examples from early newspapers, see: Articles and Such from Early Colonial Newspapers at The Colonial Records Project

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Assignment:

You will submit to the class's newspaper project a cartoon or artifact from the collection you have created, or, if you prefer, you may submit a letter written about an entry (or several entries together) from your log or artifacts collection or about one of the short cartoon strips you have created that deals with a particular/issue incident (the letter may be written by the person you represent, or merely about some event in his/her life); or you may submit a short article written about one (or a group of) log entries or artifacts.

You'll then work with your classmates to put together the newspaper.

1. Select and copy or create an item to submit to the newspaper.
2. Work with your classmates to match pictures to articles and advertisements when possible
3. Decide with your classmates what sections the newspaper will have in it. Will it have recipes, news articles, opinion letters, cartoons, various types of advertisements?
4. Work with your classmates to lay out the pages. Each diverse-perspectives jigsaw group may wish to work together to lay out a single section of the paper.
5. Paste onto grid paper the items for your section. The grids will be scanned and printed.

Perspectives in Review:

• Planter
• Small land-holder
• Indian trader (European)
• Indentured Servant (European)
• Slave
• American Indian

• Male or female
• Age: any age old enough to create the journal and perspective

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Assignment Objectives:

• The newspaper entry you submit is
  • from the appropriate period (2 pts);
  • relevant to your perspective (2 pts);
  • edited for clarity (2 pts).
• You participate in layout (2 pts),
  • and you are on-task (3 pts);
  • and work cooperatively (3 pts).
  • The section you create hangs together--that is pictures/images go with articles (1 pt).

Assessment
[Rubric for News Article Submission is in the works]

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Essay Assignments

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