Jamestown Newspaper Project

Pretend you are a journalist in the early 1600s. The Virginia Company has sent you and a group of 104 other men to travel to Virginia and help build the English colony of Jamestown. Your job is to write a newspaper for the colony and tell people back in England what is happening in Jamestown. Using what you know and facts about Jamestown, you will need to create stories and images for the newspaper which explore the following topics:

Your Name:______

Partner 1:______

Partner 2:______

(2 Points) Newspaper Name:______

Directions: you will be creating a newspaper about the colony of Jamestown. Each story will have be a minimum of 10 sentences. The newspaper will contain 6 stories about the following:

1.  Location (Which partner is responsible for writing this story? ______)

  1. What was the location like? What are benefits to the location? What are some drawbacks to the location? What were the results of choosing that location? Interview a colonist. How do the colonist feel about their location choice?

2.  Reasons For Colonization (Which partner is responsible for writing this story? ______)

  1. What company funded the expedition? What kind of people are traveling? Why are colonists going to Jamestown? When did the expedition take place? Interview a Jamestown colonist. How does he/she feel about their chances of finding wealth?

3.  Life in Jamestown (Which partner is responsible for writing this story? ______)

  1. What is everyday life like in Jamestown? How do people feel? What is the interaction with Native Americans like? Do the colonists feel safe? Why or why not? Interview a colonist or Native American. Do colonists regret coming to Jamestown? How do the natives feel about the presence of English colonists?

4.  Famous Colonists (Which partner is responsible for writing this story? ______)

  1. Who is Chief Powhatan and Pocahontas? Who is John Smith and what has he said about his experiences with the natives? Interview John Rolfe. Who is John Rolfe? What does John Rolfe say about the future of Jamestown? What does John Rolfe say about John Smith’s story about being saved by Pocahontas? How did Smith, Rolfe, Pocahontas, and Chief Powhatan all ensure the survival of Jamestown?

5.  Starving Time (Which partner is responsible for writing this story? ______)

  1. What is the starving time? When did it take place? Why did it take place? How could it have been prevented? What are people eating? Have you heard any crazy stories? Interview a colonist who has lost a loved one. Describe what happened.

6.  Significance of Jamestown (Which partner is responsible for writing this story? ______)

  1. Why is Jamestown a historically significant settlement? What made Jamestown a success? Why did it nearly fail? How does slavery play a role in Jamestown? Interview a slave owner. Does he think Jamestown can survive without slavery? Does he foresee any problems in the future?

Directions: Your news story should be as long as the example below. For full credit, each story must:

7 Points - Answer all questions in detail and include an interview

3 Points - Follow the writing style example below

3 Points – Effort/Creativity

______

13 Points per story x 6 stories = 78 Points Possible

Each drawing/printed image must:

2 Points - Historically relevant and be representative of your story

2 Points – Effort/Creativity

______

4 Points per drawing x 5 drawings = 20 Points Possible

Students Caught in Mystifying Case (EXAMPLE NEWS STORY)

by ______

Readalot, Pencilvania – According to numerous eyewitness reports, a major and shocking occurrence has happened in the community of Readalot, Pencilvania. The first reports indicate that on March 17, 2004, two unidentified students were caught holding and reading various textbooks and novels. An official investigation was launched yesterday to determine the truth about this matter. Since the investigation was announced, several witnesses have come forward to give testimony. One parent’s comment was, “It couldn’t have been my child! My son is an underachiever, and only watches TV or plays video games. Someone must have forced those poor kids. I’m sure it wasn’t their fault.”

Statistics show that only twenty-two percent of American adolescents read voluntarily. The community is in disbelief that local children would independently do such a thing. The names of the suspects have not been released, and they have not been interviewed. Their parents, however, have been contacted. The adolescents, both students at a local middle school, were not in class at the time. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of this strange and unexplained event.

Next week, a town meeting will be held to discuss the likelihood of future reoccurrences. Contact the local Reading Renegade Association for further information. Although the case remains unsolved, the community is keeping close watch on the students to determine the cause of this learning experience.