Your Job and Your Teams

Project Steps

Step 1
Topic

Step 2
Research

Step 3
Script
Storyboard
Images

Step 4
iMovie

Step 5
Project Checklist Conclusion

 

Student Guide
Documentary Research Project

Situation:
Crimes against humanity are not isolated events in history, but such events continue today among ethnic and cultural minorities around the world. What are Crimes against humanity? Find the definition here. The question that comes to mind is:

Essential Question
Can we put an end to crimes against humanity? What can you do to help? Will you stake a stand?

  • Can you help? How can you promote worldwide understanding, tolerance and acceptance of ethnic, cultural, religious and personal differences?

Your Job:
Your World Lit class is asking you to create a documentary to investigate people who have been victims of crimes against humanity.

As a team your assignment is to conduct research using current online newspapers and magazines to learn more about the situation victims find themselves in and what might be done to solve the situation. Script a documentary that chronicles the injustices against individuals, families, or groups of people and how you or others can help solve the situation. Convince us that we must help this situation.

Use your script to create an iMovie presentation to convince others that we must help and what steps we can take.

Work in Learning Teams
Create teams of two based on your common interest. Everyone is responsible for all aspects of the project (including the written material) and making our publication deadline. You may choose a topic below or your own

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Step 1
Choose A Research Topic
Hot topics and perspectives you might consider:
Broad Topic
Broad Research Question
Actual Events
Genocide in Sudan What is life like today for people in Darfur? Violence in Darfur
Palestinians in Israel What is Palestinian life like in Israel today? Jenin, Bethlehem Church of the Nativity, Gaza Strip
Chechens in Russia Can Chechens live peacefully in Russia? Chechnya school violence hostages
Jews in Israel Are Jews safe in Israel? Suicide bombing
Muslims in India What’s it like to be a Muslim in India? (Not Hindu) Hindu-Muslim clash in Godrha, Hindus burned by mob
Iraq citizens How safe is Iraq for its people today? Iraq religious factions fighting
Kurds in Iraq Will the Kurds survive in Iraq? Chemical Warfare in Halabja, weapons of mass destruction
Gender rights in China Are all children born equal? Honor killing women
Child Soldiers What does it take to turn children into unquestioning soldiers? Libera, child soliders
Honor Killings Should women who have broken a moral law be killed? Honor killing, women

Start your research with Student Resource Center Gold. Use reference materials, newspapers, magazines, and websites to find articles about your topic. Print seven and keep a record on your worksheet of sources you have used. (Click here for a digital copy of the Research Journal). You MUST use current event news articles as a basis of your research.

Can't find a topic? Use these links to read more about world events. Choose a topic and prepare for research with Student Resource Center Gold.

Amnesty International
http://www.amnesty.org/

The BBC
http://www.bbc.com

Human Rights Watch
http://www.hrw.org/

Humanitarian Resource Institute
http://www.humanitarian.net/

iAbolish (The Anti-Slavery Portal)
http://iabolish.com/index.html

Lives Lost Lives Found
http://www.surgir.ch/

ReliefWeb
http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf

The Anti-Defamation League
http://www.adl.org/

United Nations Humanitarian Affairs
http://www.un.org/ha/

World Health Organization
http://www.who.int/en/

Human Rights Library
http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/index.html

A personal website - chronicle of crimes against humanity

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Step 2
Research Your Topic

  1. Use these databases for your research: Student Resource Center Gold
  2. Complete your research plan and journal. Use Online Newspaper and Magazine Research Resources. Download the Scanning a Text handout to help you understand how to sift through large amounts of information to find what's most useful.
    Big idea questions to consider in your research:
    • Can we put an end to crimes against humanity? What can you do to help? Will you stake a stand?
    • Can you help? How can you promote worldwide understanding, tolerance and acceptance of ethnic, cultural, religious and personal differences?
  3. Uses these resources for written research:
  4. Download these handouts and use them to help guide you in reading the articles you have found: Handout One: Talking to the Text. When you have finished Talking to the Text, use Handout Two: Synthesizing Info to help you understand how use your research journal more effectively.
  5. Use Handout Three: Organizing Info to help you organize your information so you can write your script.
  6. Make a bibliography

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Step 3
Script and Storyboard
Now it's time to create your script.
  1. Make sure that you have used Handout Three: Organizing Info to help you organize your information so you can write your script.
  2. Write your script: Here is an example of how it should look. Example Script
    Convince us that we must help resolve this situation. Include this information in your script:
    • A brief description of the situation
    • Background information about why this situation is a problem in the US or the world
    • Who are the people, individuals, or families affected by the situation?
    • What is happening today to help or NOT, help solve the situation?
    • What will happen to the people if this situation is not solved?
    • Describe what you or others can do to help solve the situation
  3. Gather relevant images from http://images.google.com and save them to a folder on your desktop

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Step 4
Create your iMovie Documentary
Arrange your digital material and make your movie

  1. Create your title slides
  2. Record your script (audio)
  3. Import your images or use iPhoto (optional live video capture)
  4. Arrange your photographs
  5. Make transitions
  6. Use FreePlay music only. Obtain teacher permission for exceptions.
Step 5
Project Checklist
Download the complete packet of materials (MS Word Document). Use this document to guide your work as a team. Be sure and turn in the following:

_____Research Plan (Inspiration document)
_____Research Journal
_____Bibliography (Easybib)
_____Rough draft script
_____Storyboard
_____Final written script
_____iMovie
_____ Documentary and iMovie Rubric


Conclusion and Performance
It's time to show the world and your peers what you have learned from your research and teach them how they can make a difference to make our world a better place.

Ideas
Taking It Global - use this site to tell the world
Get your work published in the Academic Showcase Page

 

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