For this assignment you are a muckraker, trying to uncover and warn society about alarming problems in American society at the turn of the century (late 1800s/early 1900s). You will investigate and research one particular problem of the time. Once you gather the information, you will expose what you have learned to the American public by writing a newspaper article or creating an investigative video that will push your readers to action. Possible Problems You Could Cover:
· Child labor · Food safety · Urban poverty · Political machines · Race relations
Your article/video must include these elements:
• An appropriate and appealing title. • Expose and describe the problem you uncovered using vivid and descriptive language.
Your article should answer these questions:
1. What is the problem? 2. What are the roots/causes of the problem?
3. How is it affecting people? 4. Answer the six journalistic questions (who, what, when, where, why, and how). • A conclusion on the reasons your readers/viewers should take action to address the problems you uncovered. • A “photograph” from your investigation with a brief caption. It should depict something you wrote about in the article. Make sure to cite the source of your picture. • If you write a newspaper article, it must be in newspaper format. See below. • Any outside sources (other than the textbook) including your photograph, should be cited at the end of the article. Newspaper Format: • Needs a Headline • Needs a Location • Needs a Lead • Needs at least 2 paragraphs