1920s Radio Show Project

Introduction
Welcome to the Roaring Twenties. In groups of 3, you are going to be producing your own
radio show. Radio broadcasts really started to become popular in the 1920s. Your task as a group is to
plan, develop, and execute an original, creative, informative, accurate, and entertaining radio show.
Your group has full creative control over your topic. You just have to meet the minimum
requirements (see rubric for more detailed requirements):
1. You must discuss either a historical event (for example, the Stock Market Crash of 1929), a
movement (such as women's suffrage or prohibition), a person (such as F. Scott Fitzgerald
or W. E. B. DuBois), a piece of art or literature (for example, a review of Ernest
Hemmingway's story The Old Man and the Sea or of music by Duke Ellington), or an
invention/innovation (such as the automobile).
2. Your radio show must be historically accurate.
3. Your radio show must be at least 15 minutes in length.

Possible ideas for setting up your show.

You do not need to use these ideas; they are here to help get you started.
1. A talk show where one group member can interview two important figures from the time
period, such as two politicians, musicians, authors, etc...
2. You can do a “live” news show where you update the audience on something that is going
on right now.
3. You can do an informative broadcast on an important subject from the time period.
4. Do a documentary on a particular topic, such as the Harlem Renaissance or the rise of the
Speakeasy.
5. Write a screenplay or story about a historical topic that you act out. Remember, before TV,
families listened to stories and plays on the radio.
6. Bonus: You can write a commercial for a product available in the 1920s to include in the
middle of your radio show.

Steps
Tuesday, December 8th:
1. Meet with your group. Reread the directions out loud and make sure that everyone understands
them. First, have your group decide on who is going to be which role and then write their name
on the lines below. The Recorder/Secretary’s main role is to take notes on all conversations
and research so that there is a record for everyone to stay informed about the project. The
Planner/Editor’s main role is to come up with a feasible outline and plan for both the radio
show itself and how the group will complete it. The Lead Researcher’s main role is to find
good sources of information for the group to use when writing and planning the radio show, and
to put together the Works Cited Page. All members should help in every part, but everyone
has the job that they are most in charge of.
a. Recorder/Secretary:
b. Planner/Editor:
c. Lead Researcher:
d. Assistant Researcher (only if there is a group of 4):
2. After you have your roles and your topic, figure out how you want to setup your radio show
(interview, talk show, news broadcast, etc…) – this is the planner – and get as much of the
research done as possible – this is the lead researcher. The recorder should take notes on the
plan and the research, and act as a liaison keeping the planner and the researcher updated on
 each other’s progress.
Wednesday, December 9th:
1. Finish and organize any research that was not done on Tuesday. The lead researcher should
also create the Works Cited page. http://www.easybib.com can help you with this.
2. Finalize the format for the radio show itself.
3. Together, under the planner’s leadership, using the lead researcher’s research and the
recorder’s notes, figure out who is going to play which parts during the radio show and write
the script.
4. If you finish, ask for a microphone and a laptop. Sit in one of the rooms in the library or far
enough away from everyone that you do not hear other people in your radio show. Open the
program called Audacity. You will use this to record your radio show. When you are done, ask
Mr. Bedell to show you how to save it as an mp3 file (the same kind you use on your iPod).
Then, either turn it into Mr. Bedell’s dropbox or email it to jason.bedell@cmcss.net. He will
turn it into a podcast that people can download and either listen to or put on an mp3
player/iPod. You can listen to your radio show at http://wchsradio.wikispaces.com.
Thursday, December 10th:
1. Finish any work that you did not finish from Tuesday and Wednesday.
2. If you finish, ask for a microphone and a laptop. Sit in one of the rooms in the library or far
enough away from everyone that you do not hear other people in your radio show. Open the
program called Audacity. You will use this to record your radio show. When you are done, ask
Mr. Bedell to show you how to save it as an mp3 file (the same kind you use on your iPod).
Then, either turn it into Mr. Bedell’s dropbox or email it to jason.bedell@cmcss.net. He will
turn it into a podcast that people can download and either listen to or put on an mp3
player/iPod. You can listen to your radio show at http://wchsradio.wikispaces.com.
3. The projects need to be turned into Mr. Bedell no later than the end of the school day on Friday,
December 11th. That way, Mr. Davis can grade them and you can use each other’s radio shows
to help study for your midterm exam.

How to Use Audactity

1. Open Audacity from the Start Menu.

2. Click the red circle to start recording. If you need to pause during the show, press the blue
parallel lines, then press the red circle again to record. Press the yellow square when you are
done. You can press the green triangle to play back your recording.
3. When you finish, click File, Save As. Click ok when the dialog box pops up.

4. Click on My Computer, then double-click on your firstname.lastname.

 5. Save it as Radioshow-LastName-Lastname-Lastname. For example, if I was working with Mrs.
Tabb and Mr. Davis, I would save it as Radioshow-Bedell-Tabb-Davis.aup. This way, the
teacher knows exactly who did the work and what they did. You saved it so you can still edit
and change it. If you are completely finished, proceed to the next step.
6. Call Mr. Bedell over and he will save it as an mp3 file for you.
7. Turn in the Works Cited page and the radio show mp3 file to Mr. Bedell’s dropbox.
8. Mr. Bedell will turn the mp3 file into a podcast that you can listen to on
http://wchsradio.wikispaces.com.

Rubric
1 3 5
Creativity (20 points) The radio show mainly There was definitely a The format was very
consisted of reading creative format, but it original and it also
notes or there was little sometimes distracted helped the listener to
evidence of a creative from understanding the both understand the
format. topic. content and enjoy the
show.
Historical Accuracy There were several There were 1-2 minor There were no errors in
(30 points) errors that directly errors in historical historical accuracy.
interfered with the accuracy that did not
listener’s understanding really detract from
of the content. understanding the main
points about the
content.
Performance (10 The performance was Planning and The performance was
points) poorly planned and forethought were obviously well-
 executed. Performers evident, but there were rehearsed and planned.
spoke too errors in the final Performers rarely
quickly/slowly, were product such as stuttered or had
difficult to understand, unplanned pauses, unplanned pauses. The
and/or did not know miscues, confusion of performers articulated
what to say at times. parts, or difficult to their words well, kept a
understand speech. reasonable pace, and
were easy to
understand.
Role Completion (10 You did not complete You individually You individually
points) – This will be some of the completed all aspects of completed all aspects of
unique for every responsibilities of your your role as explained your role as explained
person. role as explained in the in the directions, but in the directions and
directions and that did not try to help your went above and beyond
negatively influenced other group members to help your group
your fellow group much with their roles. members with their
members and resulted needs.
in a poorer project
Teamwork (10 points) The group worked The group had some The group worked well
- Judged by poorly together and it difficulties working together. Each person
observation, group resulted in not getting together, either in fulfilled his or her role
comments, and final the project done on getting everything on time. The project
product. time or in turning in a prepared (planning, was turned in on time
sub-standard project. research, etc…) or in and reflected the
the execution of the contributions of each
broadcast. However, the member.
group still managed to
turn in a competent
project on time.
Timeliness (5 point) The radio show was The radio show was no The radio show was at
more than 1 minute more than 1 minute least 15 minutes long.
short of the 15 minute short of the 15 minute
deadline. requirement.
Works Cited Page (15 The Works Cited page The Works Cited page The Works Cited page
points) had only 1 source or was correctly formatter was correctly formatted
was not turned it. and listed at least 2 and used at least 3
sources. There may sources.
have been some errors
in formatting.