STEP TWO: Working alone or with a partner, browse through the different galleries again to get a sense of who made the 1920s roar. While browsing, you might link to the African American Odyssey Exhibit at the Library of Congress. When you get to this page, scroll down until you find the name you are looking for!

1920s Galleries

You can give students anywhere from 10 minutes to two class periods to browse these galleries. Students who might need more structure could complete a web or other graphic organizer to record their browsing. When students encounter a link to the exhibition: African American Odyssey at the Library of Congress site, they need to scroll down until they find the name they are looking for!

STEP THREE: Choose the person from the 1920s who most interests you. Complete the Research Request Form, and get it approved by your teacher.

You may need to modify the Research Request Form to give students the chance to request more than their first choice. The above link is a Word document to make this easy.

When assigning students to roles to play, you might want to consider:

• allowing two students to portray the same historical figure to allow for cooperative research and learning.
• the accessibility of the research links. Some historical figures will be easier to do than others.
• assigning historical figures carefully so that you will not have overlaps at your dinner parties.
• students' own interests. This is a great way to involve electives classes, and to let students share their talents.

STEP FIVE: Complete one of the graphic organizers to summarize your research.

Have students summarize what they have learned by completing one of the graphic organizers below. The web is a traditional idea organizer; the figure is an idea organizer that looks like a person!

STEP SIX: Write a one-page descriptive essay about your historical figure. Your essay will need to inform the reader about your historical figure's life, and must describe how he or she contributed to the changes in the 1920s. Your teacher will give you more directions for writing.

Here are some good biography Web sites:

http://www.bham.wednet.edu/bio/biomaker.htm

Use this biography maker to lead your students through the process of writing a biography. Guided process includes these four steps: Questioning, Learning, Synthesis, Story-Telling.

http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/biograph/index.htm

This Web site includes sample biographies and leads students, and you, through the research and writing processes.

http://www.42explore2.com/biographies.htm

This is a great resource page for teachers. Includes biography sites and teaching suggestions.

I began using the 4-square method of writing last year with my students, and found that it really helped them organize their ideas. Attached to this page you will find instructions for students to complete a 4-square "outline." There are two versions: one 3-paragraph and one 5-paragraph version, in case you need to do some differentiation. A rubric for evaluating the biographical essay is also attached.

4-square | Rubric

STEP SEVEN: Prepare to portray your historical figure at a Dinner Party. You will be expected to introduce yourself, answer questions, and participate, in character, in a discussion of the question: "Did the 1920s really roar?"

For the Dinner Party, we will divide students into groups of about 10, making sure not to have more than one of any particular historical figure. The remaining students in the class can either watch and evaluate the performances of those at dinner (like a fishbowl discussion), or they can be having their own parties at the same time if you have enough teachers to evaluate each party.

Students will be expected to at least make an attempt to dress the part and should be thoroughly prepared to participate in the role play.

Agenda for the Dinner Party might include:

1. Two-minute meet and greet. Introduce yourself to the person to your left and to your right.
2. Round Robin introductions. Rotate clockwise around the table, and have each person introduce the person to their left to the guests. Introductions should include character's name and what they are famous for/ what their job was/an interesting fact.
3. Getting to know you Bingo. Create a grid with 9 squares, and put one fact about each of the character's in each square. Each student will circulate with their Bingo card, trying to get the signature of someone who fits the description in the card. Make sure these descriptions are not just physical, but reflect content knowledge.
4. Toilet-paper/M&M Game: Pass a roll of toilet paper or a bowl of M&M's (or other candy), instructing students to take as many as they think they need. Follow up by going around the table and having each student share information about him/herself (in character.) The number of things to be shared should match the number of pieces of toilet paper or candy each person took.
5. Common Ground: You can have the group break into two smaller groups or remain one large group. Each group should choose someone to record their ideas. Students work together to identify things all, or almost all, of their characters have in common. They may have to dig deep to find more than gender, ethnic, and occupational similarities.
6. Dinner Discussion: Students discuss some of these questions in a seminar-type format: Was this decade a good time? Did the 1920s really roar? In what ways did they roar? Was the roaring a good thing?

Students will be evaluated based on the Dinner Party Rubric found on the evaluation page.

STEP EIGHT: During the after-dinner entertainment, you will have the opportunity to showcase your historical figure's talents. For example, if you are portraying Louis Armstrong, you may choose to perform one of his songs on trumpet. If you are portraying Jacob Lawrence, for example, you may display a collection of your favorite paintings of his, or you may choose to create your own paintings in his style.

This step is an extension step. The idea is to bring the whole 7th grade together in the cafeteria to "mingle" in character at a 1920s salon where they will have a chance to do some "show and tell." This is a good way to tap into students' own interests and talents, and to integrate learning with electives teachers. Would you grade this part? Count it as extra credit? Allow some students to be roving reporters with a video camera and randomly interview people? Have Dinner Party groups rotate together to meet with the other groups to show and tell? The possibilities are almost endless! If you try this, please let me know how you do it and how it goes.