Their Eyes Were Watching God
Eatonville Newspaper Project
For this project, your table group will write and create a newspaper about the people and town of
Eatonville, Florida, the site of the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. YOU WILL RECEIVE
BOTH GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL GRADES.
Your articles MUST reflect your knowledge of the book and its characters. You may make up
certain aspects of a character’s life to provide a reason for the article, but the articles must include
experiences of the characters that DID occur in the book. Your articles (except obituaries) MUST
include quotes, which you will make up or pull from the text, but they must reasonably reflect the
ideas and perspectives, as well as the voice, those characters would have had.
Your newspaper MUST include the following articles, though you may take any angle with them
you choose. Each Person in your group is responsible for writing and illustrating one of the
following articles:
1.) A profile of Janie (consider ideas like: she’s now Eatonville’s oldest resident, turning
100; she has recently returned from the Florida Everglades and is taking over her old
business; she’s being interviewed as the granddaughter of a former slave; she’s being
honored by the town of Eatonville in some way; etc.). Approx. 2 pages.
2.) At least two obituaries, one about Joe Starks and one of your choice. Approx. 1 page
each.
3.) An article about a news event in/near Eatonville, drawing on events from the book.
Approx. 2 pages.
4.) An opinion article about something the people of Eatonville would have had strong
opinions on at the time of this story. Approx. 2 pages.
5.) Two illustrations/photos/arts/graphic of some sort. I recommended that you aim for a
few of these to accompany articles. This person should also produce a flag/masthead for
the paper.
Your newspaper also can include the following, as needed to fill space and make it look neat
and put together:
1) Advertising relevant to the place and time (some of this will come from what you know of
businesses in the book; some will be made up but be era relevant).
2) Other community newspaper-type text relevant to a newspaper published in an all-black
community in late 1920’s Florida, including major news from nearby big cities, weather, crop
reports, job listings, real estate listings, etc.
3) Significant national and/or international news relevant to the era.
4) Letters to the editor.
Process
You will type articles Using The Microsoft Publisher Newsletter templates.
Due Date: 2nd period –Friday, April 24/1st period-Thursday April 23
Possible: 100
Group Members_________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Points
INCLUDE THIS PAGE AS THE COVER FOR YOUR PROJECT
TIPS
 Spend some time looking at the newspapers in the classroom; decide what you see in
those that you want to include in your own paper. Brainstorm, share ideas, BE
CREATIVE!
 Bring 2 or 3 copies of your typed article to class in case you have a disaster cutting
and gluing it; if you have original drawings or internet photos, etc., ask me to
photocopy them so you have a back-up if needed.
 Consider taking a sheet of paper and “mocking up” your paper before you get started,
planning where all the items will go.
 You paper should be typed, headlines and photo/illustration captions, but use dark
pen/marker and make sure you check for spelling.
 Make sure all articles are written in complete rough draft form by Monday, March
28, so you will have time to proofread/edit and look over them again before putting
your paper together beginning Tuesday, March 29.
NEWSPAPER GROUP PROJECT RUBRIC
/25 Includes all required elements: a Janie profile; Jody Starks obituary plus
another; a news event from Eatonville; an opinion piece; and photo/graphics, plus other
elements to complete two full pages.
/15 Includes additional articles, graphics, etc., relevant to a newspaper of this era.
/25 Articles demonstrate clear and thorough mastery of the novel, its themes and
characters, and related class discussion elements.
/20 Writing uses rules of standard English for grammar, punctuation, and
spelling, except where dialect is used in quotations; quotes are properly punctuated.
/15 Project shows creativity, neatness, and uses traditional newspaper design
elements.
/100 TOTAL SCORE
Turn this page in on April, 23-24
NAME________________________________________________ HOUR________
Individual Assignment Points
DUE DATES
_________/5 Group names with designated job
(Turn in this handout).
End of Period 3/30-31
_________/10 Research genre
On the internet, research the genre you’ve
been assigned and submit a ½ page explanation of
what that genre requires. What elements will
your piece include? What will you write about?
Homework
_________/15 Complete rough drafts
Monday, April 21-22
_________/20 Complete final drafts (standardized layout)
Tuesday, April 23/24
_________/50 TOTAL
Group Names and Assignments:
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