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:
Before students start performing their own research on the topic, teachers can briefly explain the events surrounding the Great Depression and explain some key ideas and vocabulary words to the students. For example, some younger students might find it hard to understand the concept of economy, inflation, or economic depression.
In order to clarify the concepts further, teachers can give relevant and relatable examples and explain them in simple terms. This can also be done by using daily life activities or classroom activities and using them as examples to explain the complex events of the Great Depression. This will help the students grasp the basic concepts easily.
The use of a combination of primary and secondary sources should be emphasized. Primary materials give firsthand knowledge of the era through images, letters, and personal reports; secondary sources, on the other hand, analyze and interpret the material.
Help the students focus on how to evaluate and combine data from various sources. Encourage them to assess the veracity of the material they encounter, compare points of view, and look for recurring themes. Teachers can also ask them to jot down important details, quotations, and personal observations. The organizing of their findings later on will be made easier by this.
Ask the students to summarize their research and put it in an organized form. Once the main insights are in a comprehensive format, students can share their findings with the rest of the class and discuss their analysis of the situation and if there are any current world events they think can be related to this research. Help the students reflect on this information and guide them to use this information for different activities.
A range of pieces, including editorials, feature stories, interviews, and news reports, can be included. This variety will offer a thorough understanding of the story's characters and events and provide students with a chance to execute their creativity and imagination.
Yes, as long as they relate to the novel's ideas and events, students are allowed to use fictional elements. For instance, students can write articles offering their thoughts on current events or make up fictional character interviews.