Murder and Mayhem - The Great Gatsby: Facts behind the Fiction Newspaper Directions

Newspaper Directions

Your newspaper should be eight pages long - one page for each of the sections listed below.

You may assemble your newspaper using a computer program (such as Microsoft Word, PageMaker, etc.) or you may create a mock up by cutting and pasting the typed articles and images to your newspaper pages.

Before you begin, examine the contemporary newspaper provided to evaluate the content and story types for each of the pages.

Required sections

1. News (front page)
   • Write at least one news story featuring a major historical event based on a document/object that you located from your search of the American Memory collections. If the document does not contain enough information, you may need to complete additional research.
   • Write at least one fictionalized news story based on details from The Great Gatsby.
   • Include all of the parts found on the front page of a newspaper including the "flag" (newspaper name) date, headlines, pictures and captions, etc. (Examine the modern newspaper provided for examples.) Use images from the American Memory collections.

2. Editorials
   • Write at least one editorial featuring a major historical controversy based on a document/object that you located from your search of the American Memory collections. If the document does not contain enough information, you may need to complete additional research.
   • Write at least one fictionalized editorial based on details from The Great Gatsby.
   • You should include several "letters to the editor" which concern both historical events as well as fictionalized events in The Great Gatsby.
   • Include all of the parts found the editorial page of a newspaper including the "masthead" (newspaper name and the names of editors) date, headlines, political cartoons, etc. (Study the modern newspaper provided for examples.)

3. Lifestyles
   • Write at least one lifestyle story featuring a major historical event based on a document/object that you located from your search of the American Memory collections. If the document does not contain enough information, you may need to complete additional research.
   • Write at least one fictionalized lifestyle story based on details from The Great Gatsby.
   • Include all of the parts found on the lifestyle page of a newspaper as well as headlines, pictures and captions, etc. (Examine the modern newspaper provided for examples.) Use images from the American Memory collections.

4. Advertising
   • Select historical advertisements from your search of the American Memory collections and create your own fictionalized advertisements based on events described in The Great Gatsby. Include a "classified" or "personals" section on your advertisement page.

5. Entertainment
   • Write at least one entertainment story featuring a major historical event based on a document/object that you located from your search of the American Memory collections. If the document does not contain enough information, you may need to complete additional research.
   • Write at least one fictionalized entertainment story based on details from The Great Gatsby.
   • Include all of the parts found on the entertainment page of a newspaper as well as headlines, pictures and captions, etc. (Examine the modern newspaper provided for examples.) Use images from the American Memory collections.

6. Obituaries
   • Write at least one full-length obituary featuring a prominent figure from the 1920s and based on a document/object that you located from your search of the American Memory collections. If the document does not contain enough information, you may need to complete additional research.
   • Write at least one fictionalized obituary based on details from The Great Gatsby.
   • Include all of the parts found on the obituary page of a newspaper including the abbreviated death notices. (Study the modern newspaper provided for examples.) Use images of "the deceased" from the American Memory collections.

7. Sports
   • Write at least one sports story featuring a major historical event based on a document/object that you located from your search of the American Memory collections. If the document does not contain enough information, you may need to complete additional research.
   • Write at least one fictionalized sports story based on details from The Great Gatsby.
   • Include all of the parts found on the sports page of a newspaper as well as headlines, pictures and captions, etc. (Examine the modern newspaper provided for examples.) Use images from the American Memory collections.

8. Business
   • Write at least one business story featuring a major historical event based on a document/object that you located from your search of the American Memory collections. If the document does not contain enough information, you may need to complete additional research.
   • Write at least one fictionalized business story based on details from The Great Gatsby.
   • Include all of the parts found on the business page of a newspaper including headlines, pictures and captions, etc. (Study the modern newspaper provided for examples.) Use images from the American Memory collections.

Documentation

• Wherever you used an item from the American Memory collections, include an internal reference citation.
• Compile a bibliography of all of the sources that your team used to prepare your Literary Newspaper. The American Memory Web site provides information for citing electronic resources.

Assessment

Overview  |  Teacher's Guide