Jim Crow Webquest

READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BELOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR PROJECT. THIS WILL GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO DO.

Introduction
The novel To Kill a Mockingbird is about a young girl growing up in rural Alabama in the 1930's. Her father is a lawyer in the town assigned to defend Tom, a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman. Taken for granted in the story is an understanding of Jim Crow Laws and culture. You will now investigate further on these laws and the people who were affected by the laws. You will take on the role of a historical researcher searching for information on the Jim Crow South. You will examine the birth of legal racial separation, the history of Jim Crow, and actual Jim Crow Laws; you will read the stories of individuals who overcame the odds and resisted Jim Crow Laws, listen to interviews of African-Americans who were directly affected by the restrictions set on them, look at racial turmoil throughout the US in this time period, and examine photographic evidence of the Jim Crow laws and their enforcement. Your mission as a historical researcher is to uncover what it was really like to be black during a time of extreme racism and segregation, and to make an emotional connection to the lives of African-Americans. Without this understanding, the book will be much harder to comprehend.

The Mission
As historical researchers, you will be required to work to complete this mission before you can begin reading To Kill a Mockingbird. Here is a description of what you must do:

A detailedresearch log
Individually write a personal response that reflects your research and your personal response to that research
In a research conference on the Jim Crow Era, you will share your findings with others (this will be in the form of the Speech Proficiency later this year).

The Process

Site One: Visit the Plessy v Ferguson site to get background on the Supreme Court case that legalized racial separation in the United States. Make sure that in addition to whatever other information you find relevant, you answer the following questions:

Who was Plessy?
What was his complaint?
How did the Supreme Court rule?
Was it unanimous?
How did that ruling set up the conditions for Jim Crow laws to be enacted and enforced?

Complete the first entry of your research log.

Site Two: Visit The Origin of Jim Crow to get background information on Jim Crow Laws. Create a timeline of events from 1883-1914 listing the major events on this site.

Complete the entry for your research log.

Site Three: Visit Examples of Jim Crow Laws. Choose 3 different laws (each law must come from a different state).

How would you react to having to obey that particular law?
These will be turned in with your homework.

Complete the entry for your research log.

Site Four: Visit Jim Crow Profiles. There is a list of 20 people and their profiles. You will choose one person to research. Before you begin your research, you must get your choice approved by the teacher. Choices will be approved on a first-come, first-serve basis. Each student should take personalized notes on the individual being studied for use in your homework assignment. At minimum you should include the following information in your notes: name, date of birth, place of origin, major cause this person fought for, and major accomplishments. After you have completed your personal notes, make sure the research log has been completed for this part of the assignment.

Site Five: Visit Jim Crow Narratives. This site has 15 people telling their own stories of living under Jim Crow. You will now listen to a recording of one of these interviews. Before you begin your research, you must get your choice approved by the teacher. Choices will be approved on a first-come, first-serve basis. After you listen to the interview, you should take a minute or two to record your personal responses to the interview in your own notes; this will be needed for your homework assignment. How did you feel while listening to this person’s story? What effect did hearing the person’s voice have on you? As you listened to the interview, could you hear emotions that are similar to your own? If so, describe what emotions you heard and how you know. Make sure that you have completed the research log for this part of the assignment.

Site Six: A number of students wonder why this was so accepted. As a matter of fact, there was a great deal of racial turmoil in this period. Each student needs to pick one of the following incidents to explore further (warning--some of these sites have pictures of violent situations):

Atlanta, Georgia
East St. Loius, Missouri
Elaine, Arkansas

Knoxville, Tennessee

Omaha, Nebraska

Rosewood, Florida

Springfield, Illinois

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Before you begin your research, you must get your choice approved by the teacher. Each student should take personalized notes on the individual being studied for use in your homework assignment. At minimum you should include the following information in your notes: When did this event occur? What was the incident that started the riot? What happened to those responsible for starting the riot (if anything)? After you have completed your personal notes, make sure that you have completed the research log for this part of the assignment.

Site Seven: Visit Photographs of Signs Enforcing Racial Discrimination: Documentation by Farm Security Administration-Office of War Information. You must choose one photograph and complete a Visual Literacy Guide (see p. 5). After you have completed the VLG, make sure that the research log for this part of the assignment has been completed. The VLG will be turned in with the research log.

Finally, before you complete your research, make sure that your entire research log has been filled in and submitted to the teacher.

Research Log

You should fill out the following log as you work to complete this assignment. Your research log will begin once you enter the first site. Make sure you keep a detailed log; otherwise your mission will not be complete. It is your responsibility for seeing to it that this log is as accurate as possible.

Log in the title of each site you visit.
Take note of any significant facts you find at each site.
When questions are asked about a site, make sure they are all answered.
Supply examples to back up your answers.
Note any personal responses you have to the site.
Back up any personal responses you have with evidence from the site.

Site One

Title:
Any facts that you find important:
Who was Plessy?
What was his complaint?
How did the Supreme Court rule?
Was it unanimous?
How did that ruling set up the conditions for Jim Crow laws to be enacted and enforced?
Personal reactions:

Site Two

Title:
Timeline:
Any facts that you find important:
Personal reactions:

Site Three

Title:
Any facts that you find important:
Personal reactions:

Site Four

Title:
Name
Date of birth
Place of origin
Major cause this person fought for
Major accomplishments
Any additional facts that you find important:
Personal reactions:

Site Five

Title:
Name
Date of birth
Place of origin
Major cause this person fought for
Major accomplishments
Any additional facts that you find important:
Personal reactions:

Site Six

Title:
When did this event occur?
What was the incident that started the riot?
What happened to those responsible for starting the riot (if anything)?
Any additional facts that you find important:
Personal reactions:

Site Seven

Title:
Cut and paste the Picture you have chosen.
Answer these questions from the Visual Literacy Guide:

Any additional facts that you find important:
Personal reactions:

Visual Literacy Guide (VLG)

Write a complete bibliographic entry for the photograph you have selected.
What is the setting of the photograph?
indoors or out?
lighting?
urban or rural
what time of day or night?
Describe what you see in the photograph. Include specific details.
are there any people?
number?
age(s)?
clothing?
Color?
Distinguishing features?
What catches your eye first?
What structures are in the photograph?
homes or businesses?
in what condition?
what is the spacing?
what surrounds the structures?
What is the tone of the photograph?
heavy or light?
positive or negative?
dark or light?
Write a paragraph explaining your response to this photograph. Use specifics from your responses to the other questions to support your answer.
Write two questions that you might ask the photographer or the subjects of the picture if you had the opportunity to learn more about the photograph or / and its subject(s).

A level work / B level work / C level work / D level work
Research Log / Each site logged in and all information for that site noted. All questions for each site were answered and at least one example given when needed. When appropriate, personal (and emotional) responses noted and backed up with evidence from the site. / Each site logged in and all information for that site noted. All questions for each site were answered. personal reactions noted, but not always backed up with evidence from the site. / Most sites logged in and some information for that site noted. Not all questions for each site were answered. personal reactions not always noted and not always backed up with evidence. / Did not log in many sites visited. Did not answer many of the questions asked. Mainly did not note personal reactions and provided little evidence for what reactions were mentioned.

Homework

Each student must write a response paper. The paper should be approximately 3-4 pages, double-spaced. If typed, 1.5-2 pages, double spaced, Times New Roman, 12 pt font. Please make sure the correct heading is in the upper right-hand corner of page one. Late papers will have 10% deducted for each day late. Focus your personal response paper on the following:

Give a brief summary of what Jim Crow Laws are and how they affected Americans.
Explain one of the Jim Crow laws you took individual notes on and your personal reactions to that law.
Describe the person you researched and what impact this person had on the African-American community and American society in general.
Discuss the interview you listened to. What affect did this person's story have on you?
Discuss the incident of racial turmoil you researched and what impact it had on the African-American community and on you personally.

Incorporate your personal reactions to what you learned. How did you feel while learning about the restrictions created by Jim Crow Laws? What effect did learning about the individuals your group studied and listened to have on you? How were you affected by images on the various sites?

Research Conference (Due later this quarter as Speech Proficiency – more details to follow)
As a closing activity for this project you will share your research findings with the class. You should view this session as a research conference where all researchers have come together to share their findings. In this presentation of your findings, concentrate on the unique research you did. Each person should be prepared to briefly summarize the following information:
The laws (pick three)
The person you researched
The incident of racial turmoil
The historical importance of the above
Your personal reaction to the findings
You are expected to prepare the presentation of the findings.

A Level Work / B Level Work / C Level Work / D Level Work
Research Conference / The Speaker addressed all required elements of the presentation, and included some additional information in a well organized talk. The Speaker included historical importance and emotional effects. The speaker was easy to hear and understand. / The Speaker addressed the required elements in a well-organized talk. The Speaker discussed the historical importance and emotional effects of the assignment. The Speaker could be heard and understood. / The Speaker addressed some, but not all, of the required elements of the presentation. The presentation was organized and coherent. The Speaker needed to speak more loudly and/or more clearly. / The Speaker did not address the most of the required elements of the presentation. The Speaker needed to speak more loudly and more clearly.