When you study the Gilded Age it is difficult to study it chronologically, so many different events are occurring simultaneously. When Native Americans were struggling to preserve their way of life; Thomas Edison was working in his laboratory, coal miners and steel workers were agitating for labor reform, Rockefeller was dominating the oil industry, Muckrakers were trying to cure the ills of society etc. etc. etc. etc……………………………………………..    

Therefore, it is easier to group the material into specific categories. We are going to group the material into categories and produce newspapers dealing with each category in order to summarize and explore the main events of the Gilded Age.  

  1. General instructions:


1. Each of you will be assigned to a group. 

a. Elect an editor - responsible for making sure that the group meets all deadlines.
b. Elect a taskmaster - someone responsible for keeping the group focused.
c. Elect an encourager - makes sure that everyone's opinion is heard and respected.
d. Elect a technical specialist - assigned to finding images and obtaining permission for their use from the appropriate sources.

2. Each group will be assigned different events and themes related to the Gilded Age.

    Homesteaders and sodbusters.
    Homestead Act
    Railroads.Group B - Chapter 23
    Agriculture and Cowboys
    Robber Barons v. Real Western Outlaws
    The Gospel of Wealth
    TechnologyGroup C - Chapter 24
    Immigration
    Land rush
    Labor
    Political bosses
    Muckrakers and ProgressivismGroup D - Chapter 25
    Imperialism
    "Yellow journalism"
    Spanish American War
    WWI
     

3. Each group will be responsible for creating a newspaper that deals with your assigned topics.

  1. Your paper should contain the following:
    1. Two articles from each member of the group summarizing an important event from your assigned unit. Each article must be at least five paragraphs.
    2. Two sets of editorials dealing with two distinct issues from your unit. (Example - Robber Barons v. Labor or isolationalist v. expansionist) Each set of editorials must contain opposing viewpoints on the issue or issues being
    3. explored.
    4. A timeline on all the events from your unit. (Each group must produce 1)
    5. Each person must draw a political cartoon related to your unit.
    6. Each person must create or acquire two advertisements appropriate for the time period.

     

  1. All project work will be saved in GA Main>Curricular>newspaper. Create a folder in newspaper with your first name last initial, eg. carols. All work will be saved in this folder.
  2. Remember to save all file names with the extension .doc. Using your GA email account found at http://mail.germantownacademh.org:8383. Send all articles and editorals to yourself and save them in your newspaper folder in Curricluar.
  3. Identify, locate, copy and save pictures or photos of scenes, maps, items, photos, cartoons, etc you want to include in each article. Remember to save all these items with the correct extension .gif or .jpg. Usng your GA email account found at http://mail.germantownacademh.org:8383, send each item to yourself. Up to three attached files can be sent with each email.
  4. Save all images to your, GAMain>Curricular >newspaper folder.
  5. Each member of your group will be responsible for different aspects of the newspaper. The editor will have overall responsiblity and will assign jobs to other members of the group. Layout, graphic designer, text editor, etc.
  6. Using the column feature of PageMill you will layout your newspaprer, incorplrating text, graphics, etc. Save the page with the .html extension.
  7. Using Macromedia Fireworks the graphic designer will design the newspaperbanner and all article headlines. Save all graphics in the .png format while designing. When thre graphic is completed exported it using the .gif format.
  8. Remember your newpaper should have the appearance of a newspaper produced during the Giulded Age or the Progressive Era.

You will receive an individual and a group grade for theis project. Do not let your group down!

Producing your newspaper will allow you to explore and learn about the main events of the Gilded Age and sharpen your technology skills as you wordprocess your articles using Word, use email to collect your articles, use Page Mill to layout the newspaper and use Fireworks to create your graphics

 

This project designed and implemented by Andrew Burke, history teacher for the students of Germantown Academy Middle School. Web page design and technical assistance furnished by Carol Siwinski, Curricular Technology Specialist.

March, 2002