A Slice of History "We Didn't Start the Fire," says Billy Joel in his 1989 hit song.  He looks at the people, places, and things of the past 40 years and notes that the fire of history "was always burning."  Your term project is to design a scrapbook for one of the stanzas in Billy Joel's song. A.  Choose a stanza from the song.     1.  Students who wish to work by themselves should choose a single year from 1949 through 1970.     2.  Students who wish to work in groups should choose one of the groups of five years (1971-75, 1976-80, 1981-85, 1986-90) or they may create new lyrics for 1991-95 (see section N on the next page).B.  Fill in the topic request form and hand it in BEFORE MONDAY, MARCH 12.Mr. Davidson MUST approve the topic.  Since only one student (or one group) in each U.S. History class can do a particular stanza, students who hand in their topics early will have a greater chance of having their topic approved.  Be sure to indicate your second and third choice of topic on the form.  As soon as your topic has been approved, you may begin your research.C.  Design a scrapbook for your year(s).  Your scrapbook MUST include at least 6 items if you are working alone, at least 10 items if you are working in a pair, or at least 15 items if you are working in a trio.     1.  Each scrapbook will be divided into three sections (categories).  Each category MUST be represented by at least TWO items in individual reports and at least THREE items in group reports.  These categories are:          a.  International news (happened outside the USA)          b.  National news (happened inside the USA)          c.  Popular culture (sports, books, movies, television, music, fads, products, etc.)     2.  If the stanza has at least two items in a category, use two items from the stanza.     3.  If the stanza does not have at least two items in a category, add additional items that could have been mentioned for that year, but were not included in the song.D.  All scrapbooks must include the following:     1.  Title page     2.  Introduction     3.  Main body          a.  International news          b.  National news          c.  Popular culture     4.  ConclusionE.  The main body of this project will consist of your individual items.  It should be divided into three sections (D.3.a,b,c).  Each item should appear on a separate sheet of paper.  You should include on that page:     1.  Briefly identify the item - Who, what, or where was it?

     2.  Why do we associate the item with your scrapbook year?

 **3.  Why was that item important at the time to Americans?     4.  How did this item affect America?  (since that time)     5.  What did Americans think of this item?  How did they react to it?     6.  (for items not in the song)  Why did you choose that item?     7.  You MAY include (if you want)          a.  a picture or map of the item          b.  how this item changed from your year to the presentF.  Your last page MUST contain a conclusion.  The conclusion is your own analysis of your research.  You should discuss:     1.  What did you learn from doing this project?     2.  What should we remember about your year(s)?     3.  How have things changed (or remained the same) since your year(s)?G.  Sources of information -     1.  To obtain basic information (E.1), you may look in your textbook, an encyclopedia, a dictionary of American History, or in Chronicle of the 20th Century.  Then you can get more detailed information elsewhere.     2.  To find out about people, look in Current Biography, Who's Who, Who Was Who, or a Biographical Dictionary.     3.  Your BEST sources of information are magazine and newspaper articles written in the year you are researching.     4.  You may interview any adult (parents, grandparents, teachers, neighbors, etc.) about THEIR REACTION to an item.     5.  You may use books (history books, biographies, etc.).     6.  For popular culture items, you can watch the movie or television show, read the novel, listen to the music, etc.H.  Source requirements -     1.  You MUST use at least TWO magazine articles for your scrapbook.  Use the Reader's Guide to locate magazine articles.     2.  You MUST interview at least ONE person as part of this project.  (Each group member must interview at least ONE person.)     3.  If you use an encyclopedia or Chronicle for an item, then you MUST use at least one other source.     4.  You may NOT use the textbook as one of your sources.  You may LOOK in your textbook for information, but your must find more detailed information elsewhere.     5.  You may use the internet, provided you include the full citation at the bottom of the page.  No more than half of your citations may be from the internet.I.  You should use short quotes when necessary.  But the overwhelming majority of this project should consist of your own words.  You should demonstrate your creativity in translating the author's words into your own.J.  At the end of each item, write your source of information for that item.  Use the following format for a magazine or newspaper article:     SOURCE:  Author's name, "title of article" ("in quotation marks"), name of magazine or newspaper (underlined), date of issue, page(s) of article.For an interview, include the name of the person you interviewed and the date the interview took place.K.  THIS PROJECT IS DUE ON MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2007.  Absolutely NO late projects will be accepted.L.  ORAL REPORT:     1.  In addition to the written project, you will be required to give an oral report in your U.S. History class.  Mr. Davidson will announce the schedule of oral reports.  Each day, starting in April, two students will give a short report in class.     2.  The oral report is separate from the written report.  Each oral report will be due on a different date.  This date may be before or after the due date of the written report.     3.  Your oral presentation will consist of three items and should last no longer than five minutes.  You must describe one item in each of your three categories (C.3.a,b,c).  This presentation must be in your own words.  You may use notes, but you MAY NOT read your scrapbook word for word.     4.  Students who are working in pairs or trios must EACH give a presentation of three items, one from each category.  A pair presentation will consist of SIX items; a trio presentation will consist of NINE items.M.  GRADING -     1.  All students will receive TWO grades--one for the written project and one for the oral presentation.

     2.  The oral presentation grade will be based upon the overall quality of the presentation.

     3.  The written grade will be based upon the following:          a.  accuracy of information          b.  quality of descriptions, explanations, and analysis          c.  appropriateness of additional items selected          d.  presentation (organization)          e.  sources of information     4.  Pair and trio reports will receive a joint grade for both the oral presentation and the written project.  All students who contribute to a joint report will receive the same grade.  However, if only one student does the work, then only that student will receive the grade.     5.  If the written project is typed and proofread, you will receive 10 extra points.  Please type double spaced.     6.  The written grade will count three times as much as the oral grade.  TOTAL GRADE = 25% oral + 75% writtenN.  Update for the 1990s -     1.  Billy Joel's song ends in 1989.  The additional lyrics written by Mr. Davidson end in 1990.     2.  Students may write their own additional lyrics for 1991-95.     3.  This option is available to groups of two or three students.     4.  On the page before your introduction, you must write your lyrics for the 1990s.  Do your best to make them rhyme.     5.  You must include at least 10 items (if working as a pair) or 15 items (if working as a trio), with at least THREE from each category (international, national, and popular culture).O.  If you have any questions or need any help, please speak to Mr. Davidson in room 101.