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Jazz Age and Harlem Renaissance Semester Project (Fuller): Assignment

W.E.B. DuBois

The Jazz Age

Harlem Renaissance Women

Scopes Trial

Instructions

HARLEM RENAISSANCE & JAZZ AGE SEMESTER PROJECT PROPOSAL

Proposal Due: 10/8

 Bibliography & Notecards Due: 10/27

Thesis Statement & Outline of Project: 11/4

First Deadline (1/3 complete): 11/8

Second Deadline (2/3 complete): 11/21

Third Deadline (complete & ready to present): 11/28

  1. Working title of your project.
  1. Description of the project and what you are exploring about it. What are you trying to learn about the Jazz Age/Harlem Renaissance? What questions are you trying to answer? What assumptions do you have about this topic?
  1. Back up plan in terms of project?
  1. Bibliography (final version due by 10/27). At least 5 sources. Use NoodleTools.
  1. At least 4 notecards per source (due 10/27). Tell what your research reveals about the viability of your topic. The connection of the cards to your topic should be clear. How does your initial research back up your assumptions?
  1. Term papers are acceptable, but creative projects like a portfolio of paintings, poems, songs, plays, or short films based on the styles or material of this decade are encouraged. Still, they must be accompanied by an explanation of how your project allows you to explore the themes of the decade and what you discovered in the process. Finding ways to incorporate quotes from our reading and your research is also strongly encouraged. How can they help tell your story and put the project in the context of our study?
  1. The written component must draw contemporary parallels to our current decade and its issues. Good possibilities: prohibition, immigration policy, race issues, education to promote agenda, separation of church and state. What parallels do you see thus far?
  1. You must choose an advisor for your project and get his or her approval. “cc” me in email to advisor.

Jazz Age & Harlem Renaissance Final Project 2022

Dr. Fuller

Academic Goals:

  • To use historical scholarship to learn more about topics in the course that particularly interested you
  • To use research, text, images and/or music to craft an original project that is both instructive and entertaining

The final project will be the culmination of your work and presented at the end of the semester. Your topic may be biographical (thinkers, politicians, musicians, poets, painters, dancers, or athletes), thematic, or stylistic, but it must be based on your research and inspired by our study of the decade. Think of yourself as a storyteller; your story is about an important person, genre, theme or issue from the twenties.

As a method of scholarship, this project requires you to ask the following questions: What research do I need to do? How do I present my subject well—with respect, curiosity, creativity and intelligence? How do I analyze early drafts in order to improve the final product? What story emerges from my scholarship and use of text, images, film, and/or music? Term papers are acceptable, but creative projects like a portfolio of paintings, poems, songs, plays, or short films based on the styles or material of this decade are encouraged.

Final Product:

  • Project
  • Statement (1 page typed) of what question you hope to answer about the decade (20s) and why you chose this medium to explore the issue. Explain the goals of your project and what you discovered in the process.

Questions to Consider:

  1. What is my project about? What is the focus?
  2. What is the pt. of view of my project?
  3. Is my project scholarly and truthful first?
  4. Is my project entertaining and interesting to look at?
  5. Have I been clear in communicating important contextual information?
  6. How can I break new creative ground?

Rubric:

The final project will be graded accordingly:

20%    Design – Effectiveness and completeness of the plan for the project

20%    Knowledge – How effectively the student uses of research and presentation of ideas from inquiry, analysis and experience

20%    Application – How well the student uses skills and strategies to apply knowledge to the issues investigated creatively

20%    Process – How well the student follows the necessary steps, adheres to deadlines, incorporates suggestions and evaluations from critiques

20%    Production – How polished is the final project?

 

Topics Fall 2022

Andrew Smith - Prohibition

Colin Kerrigan - Black Sox Scandal

Evan Smith - Recording Industry and Music of the Twenties

Trey Wieck - League of Nations & Treaty of Versailles

Liam Campbell - Al Capone

Oakley McFerrin - 19th Amendment

Tahj Woods - Scopes Monkey Trial

Coleman Smith - Blues