As students read the novel, it can be helpful to connect the real events of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl with the story. A helpful way to do this is for students to create a newspaper! Using one of the newspaper templates, students can create the front page of a newspaper that the characters might have read during their time in the story. Students will make inferences based on the text and may also complete additional research to flesh out their project.
As an extended or classroom activity, have students create the whole newspaper, including various interior articles that also follow sub plots or real life events. Students can print their newspaper pages out, and they can be bound together as a class!
For additional templates to include in this assignment, check out our Newspaper Poster and Newspaper Worksheet templates!
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create the front page of a newspaper set during or just after the events of the story. Feel free to use historical context for your article!
Student Instructions:
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
Proficient 7 Points | Emerging 4 Points | Beginning 1 Points | |
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Headline and Descriptions | Students include a catchy headline for the front page as well as detailed descriptions for each event illustrated that explain what happened in a minimum of 3-5 sentences. | The headline and/or the descriptions for the events can be understood but it is somewhat unclear or too brief. | The front page is missing either the headline or descriptions of each of the events depicted. |
Illustrations | The illustrations represent the events using appropriate scenes, characters and items. It is clear the student took time and care in creating the illustrations. | The illustrations partially relate to the events but they are difficult to understand or appear rushed. | The illustrations do not clearly relate to the key events of the story. |
Spelling, Grammar, Punctuation | Final product is free of spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors. | Final product contains up to three errors in spelling, punctuation, or grammar that do not alter the meaning of the text. | Final product contains more than three errors in spelling, punctuation, or grammar. |