Your Task: Create a visual timeline in the form of a scrapbook and self-reflection of a decade in American history. This
scrapbook must include two interviews from people who lived during this decade and a typed self-reflection piece at the
end of the project.
Format/ Process:
Interview:
-The decade you wish to choose must be decided
 Interview at least two people who lived and experienced the
by____________________________
decade you chose, using the interview form provided. You
-The decades covered are 1950 through 1999 (no exceptions)
can also ask one or two additional questions. Note: these
-Any part of the project that requires reflection or information
questions must require more than a yes or no answer.
 Use the information gathered from your interview in your
must be typed.
reflection piece.
-The project must have a cover page-Name/Title/ Period
#/Date/Picture
 Please be sure to the write the name of the person being
-Must use the scrapbook format provided.
interviewed in the space provided on the interview form.
-There will be a limited number of individuals who can
choose a particular decade. Therefore, be sure to sign up for Scrapbook Timeline Organizer:
your decade as soon as the list is posted. (See date for
 Fill out the timeline organizer provided for you in this
posting below)
packet
-Scrapbook:
 It will help you organize your notes and narrow your search
Must have five pages of scrapbook material:
for pictures.
 Use five pages for pictures to be posted in a collage format.  Timeline must be included in final draft of your scrapbook
 Each page should follow a theme of categories provided.
 Use the four required categories and choose a fifth from the Reflection Piece: (one and half to two pages total)
list below.
 Type a one and a half page reflection of what you learned
from researching the decade.
 Each picture must have a caption describing its
significance.
 This reflection must include:
o Overview of the decade (½ -page)
 You must have at least 5-7 pictures per page.
 Events, people, of importance.
-Presentation:
 Why the decade is important to American
 Make a PowerPoint with other members in the class who
history
worked on the same decade
o Summarize and reflect on the interviews. (½ page)
 Present items to the class
 Give background of the person
 Copy down information on other decades in notebook when
 Any interesting items discussed
not presenting.
o
Synthesis
of what you learned (½ page)
 Notes and presentation items will be taken for a separate

Ideas
that surprised you
grade later.
 Do you wish you could have experienced
the decade? Why or why not?
Scrapbook Categories:
(Four required category*)
 Famous People (Political)*
 Events- national / international (Political)*
 Invention / Technology*
 Pop Culture-Fads and Fashions*
(Choose one optional)
 Sports
 Entertainment (movies/books/television)
 Music
 Art / Architecture
Work Cited:
 All pictures must be cited using the format sheet provide by
the LMC.
o Pictures can either be sited directly under the
picture or in a separate bibliography
o Please Note: just putting google.com is not
acceptable.
 All text information must also be cited using the LMC
Work Cited Format Packet.
 Must have at least six sources and only four can be Internet
NOTES TO REMEMBER
-Dates in the library for research:____________________________________________________
-Decade Sign up sheet will be posted on:____________________________________________
-Your decade must be chosen by: ______________________________________________
-Optional Category must be chose by: ________________________________________________
-Interviews and Scrapbook timeline must be finished no later than :_____________________________
-The Final Project is Due: __________________________________________________________
Interview Format Sheet
NAME______________________________________DATE______________________
Please Note: This form must be included with the student’s project and each answer must be
completely. Remember, you lived through this decade the student interviewing you did not.
1. What do you remember most about the 19____’s? Why?
2. What do you remember about fads, clothing, music games… from the decade? Why?
3. How do you think this decade affected you as a person? (your growth, maturity, major personal
changes) Why?
4. Whom did you admire most from this period? (Famous Person? Teacher? Relative?) Why?
5. Talk about a famous event from the decade. Describe where you were and how it affected you?
Why?
6. Your Question—Needs to be one that requires more than just a yes or no answer. Why?
Interview Format Sheet
NAME______________________________________DATE______________________
Please Note: This form must be included with the student’s project and each answer must be
completely. Remember, you lived through this decade the student interviewing you did not.
1. What do you remember most about the 19____’s? Why?
2. What do you remember about fads, clothing, music games… from the decade? Why?
3. How do you think this decade affected you as a person? (your growth, maturity, major personal
changes) Why?
4. Whom did you admire most from this period? (Famous Person? Teacher? Relative?) Why?
5. Talk about a famous event from the decade. Describe where you were and how it affected you?
Why?
6. Your Question—Needs to be one that requires more than just a yes or no answer. Why?
Historical Scrapbook Rubric
Parts of the Final Report
Possible
Score
Format:

Title page included (10)
o Name/date/period#/title/
o Pictures
o Scrapbook timeline

Scrapbook items(25)
o Use five pages for pictures to be posted in a
collage format.
o Each page should follow a theme of categories
provided.
o Use the four required categories and choose a
fifth from the list below.
o Each picture must have a caption describing its
significance.
o You must have at least 5-7 pictures per page.
35
Interview:


Completed forms included in the scrapbook
Evidence of use in the reflection piece
10
Reflection Piece:


Type a one and a half page reflection of what you
learned from researching the decade. (5)
This reflection must include:(45)
o Overview of the decade (½ -page)
o Events, people, of importance.
o Why the decade is important to American
history
o Summarize and reflect on the interviews. (½
page)
o Give background of the person
o Any interesting items discussed
o Synthesis of what you learned (½ page)
o Ideas that surprised you
o Do you wish you could have experienced the
decade? Why or why not?
50
Work Cited:



All pictures must be cited using the format sheet provide
by the LMC.
All text information must also be cited using the LMC
Work Cited Format Packet.
Must have at least six sources and only four can be
Internet
Total:
Comments:
15
110
Final Score
Resources for 1950 – 1999 Research
General Encyclopedia for Background Information:


General encyclopedias in book form (RR030) – World Book, Britannica
Grolier Online includes – Encyclopedia Americana, Grolier, New Book of Knowledge
<http://go.grolier.com>
Books:


Use OPAC to locate books related to your topic. Generate a list of keywords to use as
search terms (NASA > Space Program > Moon Landing)
Browse shelves:
Twentieth Century America – 973.9
Biography – 920 (collective); 921 (individual)
Books on your topic (Civil Rights, Vietnam War, Woodstock, etc.)
American History Overview




Dictionary of American History (R973.03)
Encyclopedia of American Facts and Dates (R909.82 Car)
Encyclopedia of North American History (R970.003 Enc)
A History of US (R973 Hak)
Twentieth Century






Chronicle of the 20th Century (R909Chr)
Facts on File Encyclopedia of the 20th Century (R909.82 Fac)
This Fabulous Century (R973.91 T) – Series on the decades
The Twentieth Century (R973.9 Twe) – Series on the decades
Twentieth Century America (R73.921 Twe) – Decade books with primary documents
UXL American Decades (R973.91 UXL)
Biographical Sources:







American Reformers (R973.09 Ame)
Current Biography (R920 Cur) - Found at end of nonfiction shelves – (Worldwide
coverage; living figures from 1940 – present)
Grolier Library of North American Biographies (R920 Gro) – Living and deceased
Merriam Webster’s Biographical Dictionary (R920 Mer) – Worldwide coverage; deceased
UXL Encyclopedia of World Biography (R920.02 UXL) – Living and deceased
Webster’s American Biographies (R920 Web) – Living and deceased
Encyclopedias and collective biographies of presidents, artists, explorers, inventors, etc.
See OPAC for call numbers.
Newspaper and Magazine Articles:
Passwords for databases are available for home use.
EBSCOhost <http://bcsd.k12.ny.us/middle/LMC>
 Select Online Databases
 Select EBSCOhost, and EBSCOhost again.
 Under Choose Databases, Select MasterFILE Select, Middle Search Plus, Newspaper
Source and Topic Search. Click OK.
 Follow these directions for searching:
Two separate terms:
education and technology
Enclose phrases in quotes:
“World War II”
InfoTrac Junior Edition <http://bcsd.k12.ny.us/middle/LMC>
 Select Online Databases
 Select Gale Databases
 Select Proceed
 Select Junior K-12
Videos:

See the library media specialist
Web Resources for 1950 – 1999 Research
Search Engines and Guides
History Channel
http://www.historychannel.com/
Yahoo
http://www.google.com/
Google
http://www.google.com
Teoma (Links to most relevant, authoritative sites) http://www.teoma.com
Metasearch Engines
(Search many search engines simultaneously)
Ixquick.com
http://www.ixquick.com
Surfwax.com
http://www.surfwax.com
Vivisimo (Clusters results into hierarchical folders) http://www.vivisimo.com
Search Engines for Images
The Amazing Picture Machine
Corbis
Google Images
Picsearch
Webseek
http://www.ncrtec.org/picture.htm
http://www.corbis.com/
http://google.com (select Images)
http://www.picsearch.com/
http://www.ctr.columbia.edu/webseek/
Web Sites on the Twentieth Century
American Cultural History: The Twentieth Century
http://www.nhmccd.edu/contracts/lrc/kc/decades.html
Decades in 20th Century America
http://www.aclibrary.org/teenroom/decades.asp
History of the Twentieth Century
http://teachers.westport.k12.ct.us/resource/twentieth_century.htm
Twentieth Century History (About.com)
http://history1900s.about.com/
Year-by-Year: 1900-2001
http://www.infoplease.com/millennium1.html
Search Tips
Be specific: Cuban Missile Crisis rather than Cuba
Enclose phrases in quotation marks: “Vietnam War”
Use Plus (+) and minus signs (-) to include and exclude search terms: “George W. Bush” -Iraq
Format for citing graphics in your scrapbook
(Number the graphics on each page of your scrapbook and write the website address next to the
corresponding number on this sheet)