US History I ~ Final Project GuidelinesFor this project, you will focus on any aspect of American history up to 1870 and present the findings of your research in a creative format. This is an opportunity for you to dive into an aspect of early US history that truly interests you! Please find a list of genres to choose from. Your final project consists of three parts: 1) a proposal, 2) submission for grading, and 3) presentation. Your proposal is worth 5%, your project is worth 10%, and your project presentation + peer feedback is worth 10%. In Week 5, you will submit your final project proposal, your preferred method of presentation (see below), and an annotated bibliography of 5 scholarly/primary sources that you plan to use for your project. You can always add more sources later, but you must have at least 5 to begin with. I will give each of you individualized feedback on your proposal with detailed guidance and expectations for your particular project. In Week 10, you will submit your project along with a one-page rationale + overview of your project. The rationale + overview of your project will be one document (at least one page, double-spaced, 12 font maximum). In your rationale, you should indicate why you chose your project and why you chose this particular medium. Your overview should explain the American historical context of your project. You will include your sources at the end of this part on the second page. Please see project genres and ideas below. Your presentations will follow in Week 12. You will present your work in our online Gallery, which will be in a discussion forum format where you will upload your presentation (as a link or in the box) and your rationale + overview of your project (please paste this part into the text box so that students can read it before viewing your project). After you present your work online, you must also comment on at least 2 of your peers’ projects.Peer Feedback Prompts:1) Something I learned from your research project/presentation is…2) Something I love about your research project/presentation is…3) You have inspired me to …/I would like to learn more about…4) Another perspective I am thinking/wondering about is… Genre possibilities for the Final Project + a few examplesPoetryCreative Non-Fiction (see definition here: http://www.creativenonfiction.org/online-reading/what-creative-nonfictionComics/GraphicaSong(s)Photo-EssayFiction (Short Story)Letters (fictitious) Diary Entry BlogMini-DocumentaryiMovieGamePodcastOp-Ed piece(s) for a newspaperCollageWebpageShort FilmSpoken Word PerformancePlay / Monologue / Theatrical PerformanceJournal entr(ies)Newspaper / Magazine Article(s)Visual ArtPosterTimelineMap(s) you createMenuTravel BrochureCookbookNon-profit organizationSome examples:You could choose a particular time and place in history with some historical significance and design a menu for a restaurant in that place and time. Your menu could have photos of the foods if available or some kind of art or photos that relate to the place and time you are focusing on. You could create a fictitious character in history and write a serious of fictitious journal entries. Or you could choose a real historical figure and write fictitious journal entries during an important time in that person’s life. This is a popular choice when I offer historical fiction options in my 16 week classes, but it isn’t easy to get the details needed to be a history project, so be mindful if you choose this one. You could draw (by hand or on the computer) a map!! It would either need to be a map that doesn’t already exist but that has some historical significance or a map in existence that you add more information and creativity to.You could create a travel brochure for a certain place in a certain era. You would include places to stay, eat, and things to do, including historical sites to visit. If you are a musician/singer-songwriter, you could write a song about something you are passionate about. You can perform it live for us or video yourself and post.Any original artwork portraying any aspect of modern US history is welcome. The possibilities are infinite! I will NOT accept a PowerPoint presentation OR a traditional research paper in the place of creative options. You may, however, use PowerPoint as your means of presenting a presentation in a creative genre; for example, a timeline. Be sure to add a bibliography at the end of your project for all sources used to shape it. You are required to use Chicago/Turabian style citation.
