The Library of Congress

Doing the Decades:
Group Investigations in Twentieth Century U. S. History

Sample Project Timeline

Week One: Teacher introduces project to students. Student groups are formed and core historical themes and topics are chosen within each group. Students begin to brainstorm their questions for investigation as they engage in model primary source analysis activities.

Core Historical Themes and Topics
Brief Guide to the Library of Congress
Using Primary Sources: What Can They Reveal to Us About the Past?

Week Two: Students begin their exploration of the American Memory collections, learning how to search the collections and find potential sources for their projects. Students refine their investigation questions.

Questions for Investigation

Week Three: Students clarify their project format or mode of expression and begin to make decisions about primary and secondary sources that are helpful in responding to the essential question, their specific theme(s) and investigative questions. Students develop a work plan for their project.

Questions for Investigation
Core Historical Themes and Topics
Project Details
Mode of Expression Requirements:

• Multimedia Presentation Requirements
• Mass Circulation Magazine or Newspaper Requirements
• Family Scrapbook Requirements
• Series of Letters or Correspondence Requirements
• Illustrated Children's Book Requirements
• Historic Mural/Museum Exhibition Requirements

Work Plan:

• From Concept to Completion
  
• Group Process Timeline

Week Four: Students continue acquiring sources and begin to map how they will construct relationships between the sources and their Core Historical Theme(s), Questions for Investigation and Core Topics.

Week Five: Students develop preliminary bibliographies for their projects. Project-specific storyboards, outlines or other structural frameworks for the final project are done in first draft form.

Bibliography

Week Six: First draft project critiques are provided by the teacher and peers. Groups refine their projects incorporating peer and teacher critiques.  Students assume historical roles in preparation for group presentations.

Peer Review Form
Historical Biography/Resume

Week Seven: Final preparation for project presentations takes place. Each group devises a strategy for sharing their essential findings related to the Essential Question with the class.

Strategy for Sharing

Week Eight: Group presentations begin. Peer critiques and teacher evaluations occur. Students complete Making Sense of What We've Studied as presentations are given. Groups revise their projects prior to public display (if desired).

Making Sense of What We've Studied
Oral Presentation Evaluation

Week Nine: Summative evaluation of full class learning occurs using an Assessment Rubric. Students complete Project Evaluations and discuss the results in class, as well as recommendations for project improvement.

Assessment Rubric
Project Evaluation