1920's Radio Broadcast GRoup Project
Task
The radio was a big part of everyday life in the 20's. Your task will be to create a radio broadcast that your team can perform by researching a variety of sites on the decade and writing a historically accurate program. You may perform the program live for the class, or submit a video we can view on YouTube.
Process
You will be working in a group. Each group member will be responsible for a significant contribution to the big project.
Here are the steps you will take to complete your assignment:
Step 1
Step 2
For each of the segments I have provided several links to assist you with the research. Note: Do not plagiarize, I can tell. Write the article in your own words. Remember to write down or copy/paste the URL of the file you take the facts from so you can quickly go back to it if you need to get more information. Citations are to be attached to each article.
Be sure to leave enough time to write out your articles clearly, remembering your audience cannot see you, they can only hear your voice. Your stories should be true to history, and as interesting as possible.
Segment 1: National news and Economics: Use the Internet information linked below to help create Segment 1:
Facts on File
Schmoop
Think about: What was going on in politics? Who got elected when? What was going on in the country? Choose one event or political figure (it must be an American!) to feature.
What was happening in business? What was happening to people's money? How did it impact their lives? Choose one event or trend to report.
Segment 2: Criminals and Sports: Use the Internet information linked below to help create Segment 2:
The Roaring Twenties - Sports in the 1920's
The Golden Age of Sports: A Roaring Replay of the 1920's
These questions should be answered:
1. What were some of the famous crime stories of the times? Choose one to report on.
2. Who were the stars of what sports? What kind of accomplishments did they make? Choose one sport to report on or one sports figure to feature.
Segment 3: Fashion, Music & Literature: Use the Internet information linked below to help create Segment 3:
Roaring 1920's Concert Extravaganza - Music of the Roaring 1920s
Women's Fashions of the 1920s
History of Fashion 1920 - 1930
Brief Timeline of American Literature, Music, and Movies 1920-1929
These questions should be answered:
1. What was the news in fashion? Women's, men's, children's clothes -- what were they wearing that was new? How was it different from what came before it? Choose one or two items to focus on.
2. What was 'hot' in music? Who was performing it? OR What was 'hot' in literature? Who was writing it?
Segment 4: Commercial and Interview: Use the Internet information linked below to help create Segment 4:
Caricatures
Old Time Commercials
These questions should be answered:
1. What products were being advertised in the 1920's? Choose one and write a commercial. If you don't know enough about the product, where can you go to find out more about it?
2. Who was famous enough (non-political) to have something to say on a radio interview? What would the interviewer ask of this famous person? What might the person's response be? Remember - don't change history, just report it
The radio was a big part of everyday life in the 20's. Your task will be to create a radio broadcast that your team can perform by researching a variety of sites on the decade and writing a historically accurate program. You may perform the program live for the class, or submit a video we can view on YouTube.
Process
You will be working in a group. Each group member will be responsible for a significant contribution to the big project.
- Your program will have four segments. Each segment will have one reporter.
- Each reporter must submit their segments in writing (typed - with citations).
- The person responsible for segment 1 will write one national news story and one story about the economic condition of the nation.
- The person responsible for segment 2 will write one story about crime or criminals, and one sports story.
- The person responsible for segment 3 will write one story about fashion, and one about either music or literature.
- The person responsible for segment 4 will write one commercial, and interview one non-political person living at the time.
Here are the steps you will take to complete your assignment:
Step 1
- Everyone in the group must read this article for background information: Radio Begins.
- An introduction to the 1920s can be found at the end of this page.
- Choose the group members that will be responsible for each segment, and agree on the format of your presentation. If you decide to broadcast live, I will video the segments in class.
- These instructions are also available in a downloadable file below.
Step 2
For each of the segments I have provided several links to assist you with the research. Note: Do not plagiarize, I can tell. Write the article in your own words. Remember to write down or copy/paste the URL of the file you take the facts from so you can quickly go back to it if you need to get more information. Citations are to be attached to each article.
Be sure to leave enough time to write out your articles clearly, remembering your audience cannot see you, they can only hear your voice. Your stories should be true to history, and as interesting as possible.
Segment 1: National news and Economics: Use the Internet information linked below to help create Segment 1:
Facts on File
Schmoop
Think about: What was going on in politics? Who got elected when? What was going on in the country? Choose one event or political figure (it must be an American!) to feature.
What was happening in business? What was happening to people's money? How did it impact their lives? Choose one event or trend to report.
Segment 2: Criminals and Sports: Use the Internet information linked below to help create Segment 2:
The Roaring Twenties - Sports in the 1920's
The Golden Age of Sports: A Roaring Replay of the 1920's
These questions should be answered:
1. What were some of the famous crime stories of the times? Choose one to report on.
2. Who were the stars of what sports? What kind of accomplishments did they make? Choose one sport to report on or one sports figure to feature.
Segment 3: Fashion, Music & Literature: Use the Internet information linked below to help create Segment 3:
Roaring 1920's Concert Extravaganza - Music of the Roaring 1920s
Women's Fashions of the 1920s
History of Fashion 1920 - 1930
Brief Timeline of American Literature, Music, and Movies 1920-1929
These questions should be answered:
1. What was the news in fashion? Women's, men's, children's clothes -- what were they wearing that was new? How was it different from what came before it? Choose one or two items to focus on.
2. What was 'hot' in music? Who was performing it? OR What was 'hot' in literature? Who was writing it?
Segment 4: Commercial and Interview: Use the Internet information linked below to help create Segment 4:
Caricatures
Old Time Commercials
These questions should be answered:
1. What products were being advertised in the 1920's? Choose one and write a commercial. If you don't know enough about the product, where can you go to find out more about it?
2. Who was famous enough (non-political) to have something to say on a radio interview? What would the interviewer ask of this famous person? What might the person's response be? Remember - don't change history, just report it