Modern History
Research Project



Decade: ___________________________
Group Members: ___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
Due Date: _________________________
Modern History Research Project
1. Introduction: Modern Georgia Research Project.
2. Group Projects: Groups will be required to complete two separate
projects for their selected decade:
• Technology Presentation Project: Groups will create a
technology project (Prezi, PowerPoint, Weebly, etc.), which will
be presented to the class. ALL group members are required to
participate in the project presentation.
• Scrapbook Project: Groups will create a scrapbook for their
selected decade. Scrapbooks are required to have a creative
cover, a table of contents, and a spread (two pages, side by
side) dedicated to each of the required topics (discussed on slide
4). In addition, each slide is required to have a minimum of 10
pictures, with descriptive captions for each picture. Students will
be shown examples of completed scrapbooks, as needed.
Modern History Research Project
3. Decades to Research:
•
1950’s: Beginning of the Cold War and the Domino Theory; Sputnik 1 and the
Space Race; the Korean War; Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott;
Brown v. Board of Education; Statehood for Hawaii and Alaska.
•
1960’s: The Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis; The Civil Rights Movement
and MLK; The Vietnam War (Beginning); Assassination of JFK and MLK.
•
1970’s: The end of the Vietnam War; Watergate and Richard Nixon; Presidency
of Jimmy Carter; Kent State Anti-War Demonstration; Jim Jones and the
Jonestown Suicides.
•
1980’s: Economics (Reaganomics); Presidency of Ronald Reagan; The Cold War
(End); Fall of the Berlin Wall; Space Shuttle Challenger.
•
1990’s: Persian Gulf War; Growth of Atlanta/Georgia; 1996 Summer Olympics;
Presidency and impeachment of Bill Clinton; World Trade Center Bombing
(1993) and the Oklahoma City Bombing; OJ Simpson Murder Case; End of South
African Apartheid.
•
2000’s: 9/11 and the War on Terror; Presidency of George W. Bush and Barack
Obama; Hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters (earthquakes, volcano
eruptions, etc.).
Modern History Research Project
4. Major Topics to Research:
• Major Historical Events (*See previous slide for major
required topics; research additional topics that your group
finds interesting or think are important).
• Important People (Example – Politicians, Actors,
Musicians, Artists, etc.).
• Technology and Inventions (What was invented,
created, etc.)
• Pop Culture (Popular music, movies, literature, sports,
fashion, fads, etc.)
• Lifestyle – What would your life be like if you lived during
your assigned decade (at home, school, work, average
salaries, life expectancy, church, etc.)?
Modern History Research Project
5. Establish Roles – Once your groups have been created, each group
member needs to choose (or be assigned) at least one role. The
roles are as follows:
• Leader – Lead your group by making sure everyone is
working to achieve the same task/goal; report to Mr. Short
as needed.
• Head Researcher – Lead the research portion of the
project and check all research to see if it is complete/correct.
• Presentation Leader – Lead the creation of the technology
portion of the group project (Prezi, PowerPoint, Weebly, etc.)
and the planning of the presentation.
• Lead Artist – Lead the creation of the group scrapbook.
• Assistant Researcher/Artist – Assist the group Leader,
Head Researcher, and Lead Artist as needed, to research and
create the technology portion of the project (Prezi,
PowerPoint, Weebly, etc.) and the scrapbook.
Modern History Research Project
Suggested Resources
•
Encyclopedia Websites (to find additional information on
topics) – http://en.wikipedia.org/ (Wikipedia) or other digital
encyclopedias from the Cobb Digital Library (*see above).
•
Search for your decade (Example – 1950’s) or a particular
topic (1950’s pop culture), event, person, invention, etc.,
to find additional information.
•
Cobb Digital Library (Encyclopedias and other research tools) http://www.mackinvia.com/ (School – “Griffin Middle School,
Smyrna, GA”, User ID – Your Lunch #, Password – read).
•
Lone Star College – Kingwood Library Decade Timeline (1950’s
– 1990’s) - http://kclibrary.lonestar.edu/decades.html
•
Google or other Search Engines (Search for your assigned
decade or topics to find additional information) –
http://www.google.com
•
Google Images - http://images.google.com/
•
Griffin Media Center (or Public Library) to check out books on
topics from your assigned decade.
Modern History Research Project
Part 1 – Research
Directions – Research your assigned decade (Major Historical
Events, Important People, Technology and Inventions, Pop Culture,
and Lifestyle).
Roles and Responsibilities:
• Leader – Assist in research; Report to Mr. Short as needed.
• Head Researcher – Lead the research; Be sure that all group
members know the topics they are researching today in class. Check
and collect notes as members find them.
• Presentation Leader- Assist in research; Help take notes.
• Lead Artist – Assist in research; Help take notes.
• Assistant Researcher/Artist – Assist in research; Help take notes.
 Remember, you are responsible for completing your job/tasks AND
assisting other members of your group in the completion of their
jobs/tasks!!!!!
Modern History Research Project
Part 2 – Final Product Creation
Directions – Create the final products for your assigned decade.
Roles and Responsibilities:
•
Leader – Assist in creating the final products; Report to Mr. Short as
needed.
•
Head Researcher – Assist in creating the final products; Check dates
and information being placed in the final products.
•
Presentation Leader – Lead the creation of the Technology
Presentation Project.
•
Lead Artist – Lead the creation of the Scrapbook Project; Collect and
keep all scrapbook materials at the end of class.
•
Assistant Researcher/Artist– Assist in creating the final products;
work with your group to make sure that the final products are completed
on time.
 Remember, you are responsible for completing your job/tasks AND
assisting other members of your group in the completion of their
jobs/tasks!!!!!
Modern History Research Project
Part 3 – Presentations
Directions – During class today, each group is required to present their
projects to the class. Presentations should include each of the
following components:
 Introduction of the project (names of group members and the
project topic/decade).
 Discussion of each of the required components (Major Historical
Events, etc.).
Presentation Reminders:
1. Groups will lose project points if group members are talking or not
paying attention during presentations (presenters AND audience).
2. All groups are required to present their Technology Project or they
will not receive a project grade! In addition, group members are
required to actively participate in the Technology Project
presentations.