Project Overview:
Throughout this unit on the American Colonies, you and a group of your classmates will work together to create a Colonial magazine. The magazine will have cultural articles, advertisements, and political editorials. The final product is due at the end of the unit, but almost every lesson requires certain steps toward the completion of the magazine.

Project Roles:
Each member of your group has two roles for this project. Everyone has the role of Journalist. Everyone in the group is responsible for writing articles and advertisements for the magazine.
The second role is different. Each member of your group must select one of the following roles. Each role comes with unique responsibilities:

  1. Editor in Chief: Responsible for proof reading and compiling the group’s work into a final magazine product. The Editor in Chief should be someone who enjoys leadership and meets deadlines.
  2. Associate Editor: Responsible for creating the layout for the magazine pages. The Associate Editor should be someone who is organized and has a good sense of design.
  3. Art Director: Responsible for the cover of the magazine and assisting all magazine team members with artwork and images for individual stories. The Art Director should be someone who is comfortable with creating or editing art and photos on the computer.
  4. Discussion Leader: Responsible for communication with the teacher throughout each lesson and for leading all of the group discussions. The Discussion Leader should be someone who feels comfortable communicating with the teacher and with peers.

Project Grades:
There are three categories of grades for this project:

  • Discussions: each lesson has a project discussion associated with it. You receive 5 participation points for each discussion that you actively participate in. Total: 25 points
  • Individual Magazine Work: each group member writes one magazine article (20 points), creates one advertisement (15 points), and writes one political editorial (15 points). Total: 50 points
  • Project Role Work: each role has specific responsibilities toward the final product. You will receive an individual grade for each lesson’s role assignment. Total: 30 points.

Project Steps by Lesson:
Detailed directions are provided within each lesson, but it is always a good idea to read through the steps before beginning a collaborative project! Take the time now to carefully read through each step in the charts below. Notice that each lesson has individual tasks as well as group goals.

 

Lesson 2.00 Colonial Magazine Collaborative Project

Step One - 2.00 Magazine Roles Group Discussion
Introduce yourself to your group mates. Then, decide as a group who will take on each role (roles are listed above).

Step Two - 2.00 Project Work Dropbox
After you decide who in your group will take on each role, each group member should complete 2.00 Project Work document and submit it to 2.00 Colonial Magazine Dropbox.

 

Lesson 2.01 Jamestown Colony

Step Three - 2.01 Magazine Title and Layout Group Discussion
Work together to come up with a creative magazine title and discuss what aspects of Colonial magazine layouts you like.

Step Four - 2.01 Project Work Dropbox
After deciding on a title for your magazine and discussing layout ideas each group member should complete their individual 2.01 Project Work document. Note: each project role has a separate document to complete and then submit to 2.01 Project Work Dropbox.

 

Lesson 2.02 New England Colonies

Step Five - 2.02 Magazine Articles Group Discussion
Work together to decide who in your group will write about each topic for the magazine.

Step Six - 2.02 Project Work Dropbox
After deciding who is working on each topic for the magazine articles, each group member should complete their individual 2.02 Project Work document. Note: each project role has a separate document to complete and then submit to 2.02 Project Work Dropbox. 

Step Seven - 2.02 Article Dropbox
Each group member writes a magazine article about their selected Colonial topic. Articles should use correct MLA citation for all outside sources. Submit the articles to 2.02 Magazine Article Dropbox for an individual grade.

 

Lesson 2.03 Middle and Southern Colonies

Step Eight - 2.03 Magazine Advertisements Group Discussion
Work together to decide what type of advertisement each member of the group will create.

Step Nine - 2.03 Project Work Dropbox
After deciding what advertisements everyone is going to make, each group member should complete their individual 2.03 Project Work document. Note: each project role has a separate document to complete and then submit to 2.03 Project Work Dropbox.

Step Ten - 2.03 Magazine Ad Dropbox
Each group member creates one magazine advertisement and submits it to 2.03 Magazine Ad Dropbox.

 

Lesson 2.05 Life in the Colonies

Step Eleven - 2.05 Magazine Editorials Group Discussion
Work together to discuss which issue of Colonial life each group member will write about.

Step Twelve - 2.05 Editorial Dropbox
Each member of the group writes one political editorial and submits to 2.05 Political Editorial Dropbox. Editorials should use correct MLA citation for all outside sources.

Step Thirteen - 2.05 Project Work Dropbox
After everyone has posted their work on the discussion board, the Editor-in-Chief will compile the work into a final product. As a final grade item, each group member should complete their individual 2.05 Project Work document. Note: each project role has a separate document to complete and then submit to 2.05 Project Work Dropbox.