This+Day+in+History

Project Description
This Day In History "And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." [|John F. Kennedy]

You will be assigned to research and develop a news broadcast about one significant day in history since 1950. Within the assignment you will create a script, edit video footage, and film the actual broadcast.

You will pick your own groups according to the requirements listed within this packet. Make sure you choose wisely, this will count as a large part of your 4th marking period grade. You must select students who you can work with and will get the job done.

In order to select your date you will draw random numbers. Each number will correspond with a date on the following page. This is the date you must research and produce a broadcast for.

= News Team =

You will work in groups of 5 and each member will have a different role in the group. This individual role will be your responsibility; however each group member will also contribute when needed.

Position 1: Director


 * The director is the leader of the group.
 * The director has the final decision regarding any creative materials.
 * They will also have to make sure all of the components of the project are being completed.
 * The day of production the Director will be giving out the directions during the broadcast.

Position 2: Anchors (2)


 * The primary job of the Anchor is to present the final presentation to the camera.
 * The two person news anchor team must be able to communicate as well as rehearse to perform the broadcast.
 * Anchors will have to be in front of the camera. Make sure you pick someone comfortable with performing.

Position 3: Editor


 * The Editor is responsible for cutting and editing both audio and video that will be used in the final broadcast.
 * The Editor will use Microsoft MovieMaker, or any chosen program at home, to produce all of the green screen footage that will be used in the background during the broadcast.
 * They will also select the audio that will be used for both the introduction as well as the ending credits.

Position 4: Producer


 * The Producer is in charge of managing the broadcast. They need to make any props needed for the day of shooting.
 * They will also need to schedule times for their group to meet to film their final broadcast.
 * The Producer will be the mediator between your team and your teachers.
 * Producers will be asked to give updates on production to their teachers on a daily basis.

Required Tasks
1. Research


 * You will use a variety of resources to research your specific date in history. These resources will include your classroom internet, History books that will be in your classroom, EBSCO online database, as well as Grolier encyclopedia.
 * It is suggested that each group member will keep a journal with any research they can find that they will share with the group.

2. Script


 * The group must produce a script for the final broadcast. On this script will be all of the information that your anchors will say during the broadcast.
 * You will also need to indicate where certain audio/video clips will be inserted into the broadcast.

3. Visual Production


 * Students will create videos or images to play in the background during the broadcast. These videos should correspond with what the anchors are saying on air. For example, your anchor should not be talking about Stewie Griffin while a picture of Mickey Mouse is on the screen. What the anchors are presenting should be represented with images and videos of that specific day.

4. Broadcast


 * The broadcast will be the most important part of the project. During the broadcasts the anchors will perform their script, while the other group members work the audio and video in the studio.
 * The broadcast will be approximately 5 minutes in length. You must rehearse so that you can make sure that your broadcast meets this requirement.

5. Post Production


 * The group will present their project to the class once it is rendered. The best project for each decade will be featured on the Carteret Schools website.

=Assessment =



[|DSOTM Project Video]



[|Miracle on Ice Project Video]



[|2000 Election Project Video]





= Reflection =

=**The objective behind this project was to create a culminating 8th grade technology assessment that would bridge the gap between social studies, language arts and technology. The students were able to gain a variety of knowledge from working on the project. The initial part of the assignment was to do research on their topic. Students used a variety of resources that we had available, such as EBSCO and Grollier Online. They were given tutorials in their social studies classes on how to do such research and what information was important. The student’s then created their own videos/slideshows to use in the background of their project. The student’s learned how to fuse together both videos and images. They were shown examples of how to edit video images and put together digital videos. The main component of the project was the actual presentation. Students were given time in their language arts classes to work on and perfect their individual scripts. These scripts were then used on a teleprompter as the students gave their “live” broadcast. The students also had to prepare for the broadcast by rehearsing their content and making sure all of the elements of the event were covered. This project took the students out of the traditional classroom setting and placed them in a real life task scenario. The result was an increase in student learning and motivation in the classroom. **=