WebQuest

Creating a Memory Book 

Of the 20th Century

   INTRODUCTION:  The twentieth century was a time of fascinating people, important events, and great change.  It included many new inventions, several bloody wars, economic growth and collapse, and changes in entertainment and values.

                                              

    Guadalupe and Jorge Zavala are twin sister and brother who were born in 1900 and are still alive in the year 2001.  They have lived in El Paso, Texas their whole lives, but have some relatives in Mexico since both their parents were born there.  To honor them their families want to create a memory book to help them remember the important events they have lived through.  You have been given the job of finding and organizing the information and creating the pages.

                                                                   

 

    To help create the memory book, you will need to find information on the four quarters of the century:

1900-1925

1926-1950

1951-1975

1976-2000

 

    Search the websites and find information that will help the Zavala family celebrate the century that Guadalupe and Jorge have lived through.  Here are some things to include:

new inventions

songs in English and in Spanish

important events in the United States

important events in Mexico

important events in El Paso

popular books and movies

fashion

other items Guadalupe and Jorge would find interesting

                         

    Search the websites given below and decide what will be important to include in the memory book.  In creating the pages, remember that Guadalupe and Jorge don't like to read very small print.  Also they are not interested in long articles, so only summarize what your research uncovers with no more than 100 words on any one subject.

    Also, remember just titles may not be enough of a memory-jogger.  So on songs, you would do better to include lyrics.  Similarly, with books and movies, it would be better to have a summry than just a list.

                                               

websites

Greatest Engineering Achievements of the 20th century:  http://www.greatachievements.org/greatachievements/

The stories behind 100 American songs voted the most important of the century:  http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html

History site on the 20th century featuring 100 years of events and trends, discovery and milestones, people and society:  http://library.thinkquest.org/27629/

Biographies of various leaders:  http://library.thinkquest.org/27629/themes/people/people.html

Shoes from around the world at this museum in Toronto. Includes a history of Western fashion from ancient times to the 20th Century http://www.batashoemuseum.ca/batashort2.html

The major happenings of the 20th century on a student-made site:  http://www.kyrene.k12.az.us/schools/brisas/sunda/decade/decade.htm

From PBS--the people, trends, and events that made the 20th century in the United States  http://www.pbs.org/fmc/

Movie timeline:  http://www.infoplease.com/ipea/A0150210.html

20th century chronology (includes books and movies):  http://www.infoplease.com/millennium1.html

Timelines:  http://www.infoplease.com/spot/timelinearchive.html

20th century America:  http://members.aol.com/Tchrfromoz/20thcent.html

links to information on Mexico:  http://www.quepasa.com/

El Paso information:  http://www.stantonstreet.com/

AskJeeves.com in Spanish:  http://www.pregunta.com/

Amazon.com's list of the best books of the century:  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/subst/features/century/books-best-of-century.html/102-8754805-7816955

Amazon.com's list of the best music of the century:  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/subst/features/c/century/music-best-of-century.html/102-8754805-7816955

Amazon.com's list of the best videos of the century:  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/subst/features/c/century/video-best-of-century.html/102-8754805-7816955

Amazon.com's list of best children's books from 1950-1999:  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/feature/-/11296/102-8754805-7816955

Amazon.com's list of best children's books from 1900-1949:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ts/feature/11295/102-8754805-7816955

photos of abuelitos:   http://delfino.virtualave.net/fotos.html

CONCLUSION:  The memory book you create will be precious to the twins, their families, and many other members of the community.  Be prepared to present it at a large family gathering of the Zavala clan.

                                               

Evaluation

An "A" memory book must include at least the following:

 one item from each category in each quarter

a timeline of the 20th century

at least one picture from each quarter

a letter from either Guadalupe or Jorge telling what s/he considers the three most important events in her/his lifetime (one from youth: ages 0 through 25; one from middle age: ages 26 to 65; and one from old age:  ages 66-100).  The events may be personal or from the news of the time.

Lower grade memory books follow the above guidelines, but are missing the following:

one or two required items - B

three or four required items - C

five required items - D

more - failing

    Each page must be historically accurate, creative, written correctly, attractively presented, and well presented.  Quality and time on task count.

                                                               

This page is a learning tool.
All material is presented for educational purposes.

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