1920s Project
Overview:
With a partner, you will research topics from the 1920s and demonstrate your understanding by
creating a learning workbook for an elementary-aged student. Your book should provide information
about several topics and then test the student’s learning with various age-appropriate activities. This
project will serve as your largest grade for this unit.
What you need to do:
Choose a partner with whom you can work well. You may be able to be productive with a good friend,
or you may not – you need to make that call and make it wisely. If you are willing to work with any
classmate, simply submit your name and you will be matched up.
Choose THREE of the categories listed below:
government/politics
arts/music/entertainment
sports/recreation
laws
business
famous people
lifestyle/culture/social issues
Within those categories, pick TWO topics to cover.
For example, if you choose “famous people”, you would research two famous people from the
1920s and create an information page and an activity page for each!
You should then have SIX pages of information and activities (two topics in each of the three
categories).
Provide information and design activities in a variety of ways. An information page can take the form of
paragraphs, a graph/chart, a map, a quote, a poem/song, a graphic organizer, etc. Your activity pages can
include a wide variety of tasks. Make sure that the activities are appropriate for someone in 2nd-5th
grade (ages 7-11) and don’t use any activity more than once! Here are some suggestions:
crossword puzzle
word scramble
de-coder
word search
puzzles
mazes
math problems
sequencing
pictorial activities
quiz questions (open-ended, matching, multiple-choice, true/false,
fill-in-the-blank)
Other requirements:
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Include a cover page and images
Include a works cited page at the end (*Remember: you can use the textbook, other books, or
websites to gather information; but what you write in your project must be created by YOU!*)
Each partner is expected to share the workload. Evidence of imbalance will result in loss of
points.
Basic supplies will be provided to construct the books; but if you want something special, you will
have to obtain it yourself.
You will complete a self-assessment of you & your partner’s work; a rubric will be provided to
inform you of the grade breakdown.
There will be class time provided to work on this, but you may also have to arrange outside of
class work with your partner. Communicate and have a plan in case your partner is absent!
Be accurate, be thorough, and be creative! (You will be scored on how well you cover the
information as well as the quality of your workbook)
Project Rubric:
Required
content and
elements
included
9-10
Project contains
all complete
pages & required
elements
7-8
Missing one or
two elements
5-6
Missing one or
two pages OR
several
elements from
each page
3-4
Missing over
half the
required pages
& elements
Variety of
activities
5
All activity pages
are unique &
creative
4
One activity
repeated; could
show more
creativity
3
Same activity
used several
times; lacks
creativity
2
Only one
activity style;
little to no
creativity
Workbook
design &
construction
5
Construction is
solid; great
effort &
creativity shown
4
Construction is
somewhat
solid; shows
effort &
creativity
3
Construction
has some flaws;
could show
more effort &
creativity
2
Construction is
fairly poor;
design lacks
effort &
creativity
Quality of
content –
information
pages
13-15
Highly
interesting; info.
is all accurate &
very thorough;
age appropriate
10-12
Interesting;
minimal errors;
fairly thorough;
mostly age
appropriate
4-6
Lacks interest
& expression;
several errors;
lacks depth;
not age
appropriate
Quality of
content –
activity pages
13-15
Highly engaging;
aligns very well
with info; very
age appropriate
Spelling &
grammar
5
No errors!
10-12
Could show
more
engagement;
some errors in
design or
explanation
4
Minimal errors
(2-4)
7-9
Lacks some
interest &
expression;
some errors;
needs more
depth; not
entirely age
appropriate
7-9
Lacks some
engagement;
needs better
design; not all
activities age
appropriate
3
Some errors
(5-7)
Member
participation
9-10
Equal & active
participation;
taking initiative &
responsibility;
excellent use of
time
5-6
Somewhat
unequal or
inactive
participation;
some initiative
& planning
3-4
Unequal or
inactive
participation;
little initiative;
some poor
planning
1-3
Not engaging
or well
expressed;
most info.
contains
errors; minimal
depth; not age
appropriate
1-3
Activities are
very confusing
& not age
appropriate;
not related to
info. content
1
Consistent
errors
throughout
1-2
Great
participation
imbalance;
wasting time;
little evidence
of planning
Works cited
5
At least 5
sources,
properly cited
3
Missing several
sources; errors
in citation
2
Only 1 or 2
sources;
several errors
in citation
1
Only 1 source;
citation not at
all properly
cited
7-8
Equal
participation;
some initiative
&
responsibility;
could plan time
better
4
Missing 1 or 2
sources; minor
errors in
citation
4-6
Lacks
engagement;
confusing;
many activities
not age
appropriate
2
Several errors
(8-10)
1-2
Very minimal
number of
complete pages
& other
required
elements
1
Some activity
pages missing;
activities
copied from
sources
1
Minimal effort
shown in both
design &
construction
0
Project is
minimal and
does not follow
requirements
at all
0
No activity
pages
0
Construction is
very poor;
book is not
complete;
design shows
total lack of
effort
0
In no way
meets content
requirements
of this project;
info is cursory
and/or falsified
0
No activities
provided;
activities do
not at all relate
to info. content
0
Work is
indecipherable
due to errors
0
Total lack of
participation,
use of time, or
planning by one
or all members
0
No works cited