Your Job and Your Teams

Project Steps

Step 1
Topic

Step 2
Research

Step 3
Script

Step 4
Podcast

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 Podcast 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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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:
• Thomson Gale- online data base of reference books, newspapers and magazines
  http://www.fhs.fuhsd.org/acad_library/library_resources.html
• Gale Virtual Reference Library - Online ebooks http://www.fhs.fuhsd.org/acad_library/library_resources.html
• Google Headline News
  http://news.google.com
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
   • Use Easybib

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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

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Step 4
Create your Podcast Documentary
Arrange your digital material and make your podcast. Download the Podcast instructions.

1. Record your script (audio)
2. Use FreePlay music only. Obtain teacher permission for exceptions.

_____Research Journal
_____Bibliography (Easybib)
_____Rough draft script
_____Final written script
_____Podcast
_____ Documentary and Podcast 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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