WAMS Media Center Research

Grade 7 English – Days in the Life: A World War II Journal Research Project

Mr. Amicone   Mr. Karch        Mr. Stanzel      Ms. Hanley 

Assignment and Objectives

Imagine you are a teenager during the Second World War.  No matter where in the world you live, the war and its aftermath touch every aspect of your daily life.  Picture how the war affects your family, friends, school, and neighborhood.  How does mass media (television, radio, movies, and newspapers) react?  What would you, a twelve or thirteen-year-old, feel about the war and its effect on your life?

            For one of the scenarios identified in your assignment, you will write three journal/scrapbook entries about your life during World War II.  Tell of your everyday experiences and those of the people around you.  Write from the point of view of a twelve or thirteen-year-old living in the situation (unless otherwise specified).  To complete this project, you will need to research various print and online resources to learn about the time period, every day life and experiences.

              Information literacy skills to be demonstrated include:

1.      Basic and advanced keyword searching in the online databases and websites to locate relevant information.

2.      Using print materials, the Table of Contents, and index to locate relevant information.

3.      Evaluating information and taking notes from multiple sources (databases, web site and print)

4.      Synthesizing information from multiple sources to create your journal entries.

5.      Properly citing resources used in your research

Selected Databases/E-Books

          Cobblestone - Online historical/social sciences magazine articles

EBSCO:  (Interface to multiple databases)

Try Student Research Center

          Infobase Learning/Facts on File: (Interface to multiple databases) 

Try one of the History databases

          InfoTrac:

Try Student Edition - online magazine/newspaper/ and reference articles

SIRS DISCOVERER - online magazine/newspaper/reference

articles

World Book Online - General online encyclopedia

                    Try Student or Advanced

            Marshall Cavendish - Original articles
                
                    Try WWII database

                
Web Links

The following links take you to websites with information about the time period – events, daily life – as well as personal accounts from people who lived during this war in various parts of the world.  There is a LOT of information on these web sites.  You will need to focus your searching/reading on specific web pages on these web sites that address your scenario.

Worksheets/Additional Resources