Local Histories Final Project Assignment

Final Project Assignment
Local Histories Class
January 15, 2009
Final Due Date: Monday, January 26, 2009

Your final project for Local Histories will be to create, in your team, a book about the person(s) you have been interviewing.

Things You Will Do on Your Own:
Each student must turn in THREE of the four items from the list below:
• An “I am From” poem based on things you have learned about the participant.
• A free-form poem or story, like those we practiced early in the term, based on the participants life.
• An historic newspaper article from a significant event in the interviewee’s life.
• An historic photograph from a significant event in the interviewee’s life.
o Students will write a description of the article and photograph that includes:
 A brief summary of the historic event.
 An explanation about how this event was important to the interviewee.
o "The New York Times is an excellent resource for historic headlines and happenings.)

Thing You Will Do in Your Group:
As a whole group, you are responsible for producing:
• 1 typed transcript of the two interviews you have done with your participant (s).
o It is up to your group to decide how to spread out this work load. For example, you could all do this separately, or you could each do sections.

• 2 books (1 for your participant, and one to turn in to Ken):
o Each book will include sections on all of our participants.
o Your section must include at least:
 1 “I am From” poem about your participant(s)
 1 free-form poem or story
 1 historic newspaper article with summary and explanation.
 1 historic photograph with summary and explanation.

The final book may contain several of the above pieces (multiple poems, articles, etc.). Your group will decide which pieces to include. However, at least one piece from each student must be included.

Grading:
Part of your grade for this project will be based on the individual pieces you turn in to Ken, and part will be based on the group component:
• Three individual pieces (poems, article, photograph): 45%
• Transcripts: 20%
• Book: 35%

Individual student work will be evaluated according to each student’s individual writing goals. The transcripts and books will be evaluated for completeness and overall quality of presentation.