Victorian Nightly News Introduction Task Process Society Reporter Science Reporter Human Interest Reporter Evaluation Grading Criteria Rubric Conclusion A Web quest for Junior English by Mrs. Denée Tyler Begin

Introduction This web quest focuses on two essential questions: Why is the face we show the world different from our real face? Why is it important to “keep up appearances”? Beginning The Task

The Task , Part 1 Your group has been approached by a business acquaintance with a startling proposal. Apparently, there has been a new fangled invention (this is the age of the industrial revolution, you know) called television or “the telly.” She has offered to have your group produce a newscast called the Victorian Nightly News. Beginning Introduction Task Part 2

The Task, Part 2 Your targeted audience is particularly interested in these pressing subjects: Darwinism and religion, the rights and roles of women and men, the divide between rich and poor, the industrial revolution, the importance of etiquette, and keeping up appearances. Task Part 1 The Process

The Process Society Science Your group is responsible for creating a newscast, the Victorian Nightly News, that will appear on the telly in every Victorian home. Your newscast will consist of three different three minute reports: Society Science Human Interest Beginning Task Part 2 Evaluation

The Society Newscast The society reporter’s job is to find some juicy stories or tidbits of news information to share as a three minute part of your newscast that reflect on the importance of etiquette and keeping up appearances. Guidelines for the Society Reporter The Process Resources for the Society Reporter Beginning

1. Find your focus—try to explain the importance of the story in one sentence. 2. Find your lead. Find the lead by asking yourself, “What was the most interesting part of what I researched?” With a focus and a good lead, the rest will flow naturally. 3. Write your first draft! Then, look over your notes to see what ideas, info, etc., are missing that you might want to include. You do not have to use everything. 4. Read your finished draft out loud--you will hear the rough parts that hide when you read it. 5. Create a newscast headline. Make sure it is one that will catch everyone’s attention! 6. Envision your newscast as a story with a plot: beginning, middle, end. Make your audience see, hear, and care about the story that you have to share. Society Newscast

Resources Society Newscast Victorian Charm at Camden – Tidbits about all aspects of etiquette in Victorian society, from calling cards to courting etiquette to wedding propriety Victorian Society – Etiquette for those in the upper echelons of society, including rules such as the proper forms of address and even what to wear, including which pieces of jewelry would be appropriate. (For the lower class, there wasn't time for etiquette.) The Gentleman – What a gentleman was, what his essential characteristics were, and how long it took to become one Etiquette for the Ball Room (1880) – A list of the actual “rules” for courting in a public place Sex, Scandal, and the Novel – Victorian Britain is mainly remembered for two things: sexual prudishness and long novels. The Gentlemen’s Page: Victorian Manners and Morals – A brief excerpt from a Victorian etiquette presentation Society Newscast

The Science newscast The science reporter’s job is to give a three minute newscast of updates and information about the effects on the populace of 1) Darwinism and religion and 2) the industrial revolution. Guidelines for the Science Reporter The Process Resources for the Society Reporter Beginning

Resources Science Newscast Child Labor during the British Industrial Revolution – This article examines the historical debate about child labor in Britain. The British Industrial Revolution – Profiles the difficulties Victorian society had in adapting to the changes. Victorian Science & Religion – During the nineteenth century, the entities we refer to as 'science' and 'religion' both underwent dramatic changes. Charles Darwin – With the publication of On the Origin of Species, an age of faith was plunged into profound religious doubt, sparking a fresh battle in the long-running battle between science and religion. The Industrial Revolution: An Overview – This site has some particularly interesting information about the chronology of the Industrial Revolution. Victorian England: An Introduction – This site explains the rapid growth and subsequent fear and distrust that the Industrial Revolution caused in Britain. Science Newscast

1. Find your focus—try to explain the importance of the story in one sentence. 2. Find your lead. Find the lead by asking yourself, “What was the most interesting part of what I researched?” With a focus and a good lead, the rest will flow naturally. 3. Write your first draft! Then, look over your notes to see what ideas, information, etc., are missing that you might want to include. You do not have to use everything. 4. Read your finished draft out loud--you will hear the rough parts that hide when you read it. 5. Create a newscast headline. Make sure it is one that will catch everyone’s attention! 6. Envision your newscast as a story with a plot: beginning, middle, end. Make your audience see, hear, and care about the story that you have to share. Science Newscast

Human interest Newscast The human interest reporter’s job is to focus on a three minute newscast illustrating the situation of women, children, and servants due to 1) the rights and roles of women and men and 2) the divide between rich and poor. Guidelines for the Human Interest Reporter The Process Beginning Resources for the Human Interest Reporter

Human Interest Newscast 1. Find your focus—try to explain the importance of the story in one sentence. 2. Find your lead. Find the lead by asking yourself, “What was the most interesting part of what I researched?” With a focus and a good lead, the rest will flow naturally. 3. Write your first draft! Then, look over your notes to see what ideas, information, etc., are missing that you might want to include. You do not have to use everything. 4. Read your finished draft out loud--you will hear the rough parts that hide when you read it. 5. Create a newscast headline. Make sure it is one that will catch everyone’s attention! 6. Envision your newscast as a story with a plot: beginning, middle, end. Make your audience see, hear, and care about the story that you have to share. Human Interest Newscast

Human Interest Newscast Resources Victorian Society – Daily life of upper, middle, and lower class Victorians Welcome to the Life of the Victorian Woman – What it was like to be a woman in all socioeconomic levels Victorian Era: Social Institutions - Britain had a very rigid social structure consisting of three distinct classes: The Church and aristocracy, the middle class, and the working poorer class. Victorian Era: The Fallen Woman – Information on the differing moral standards for men and women. Victorian Morality – The contradictions between the cultivation of an outward appearance of dignity and restraint and the prevalence of social phenomena that included prostitution, subjugation of women and the poor, and child labor Victorian Servants – Wages, rules, and lifestyles Women’s Status in Mid 19th-Century England – Most women of the mid-19th century lived in a state little better than slavery. Human Interest Newscast

So, don’t be the weak link! Evaluation You will receive a group grade for your newscast. Each newscast (society, science, and human interest) will count as part of your group’s total grade. If one member doesn’t do their part, it will reflect on the group grade. So, don’t be the weak link! Beginning The Process Grading Criteria

Grading Criteria Group Cohesion: you worked well together and supported each other 10 points Overall Flow of Newscast: you planned and practiced so that your newscast went smoothly 20 points Quality of Information: you came up with interesting, important, and insightful information Performance: you used voice, props, visuals, etc., to give your newscast a unique style Analysis and Synthesis: you went beyond mere facts to give your interpretation of their meaning 30 points Total Points Possible: = 100 points Beginning Evaluation Conclusion

Conclusion Let me remind you of the essential questions we’ve been talking about: Why is the face we show the world different from our real face? Why is it important to “keep up appearances”? What are your answers to these questions? How does the idea of “keeping up appearances” apply to us today in our society? Grading Criteria Beginning