For this project, you will be writing a historical fiction narrative. This should demonstrate everything you have learned throughout the American History Non­Fiction Unit.

You will conduct thorough research on an event in contemporary American history (from after the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 to present). Then, you will write an informative narrative­style essay through the perspective of a fictional bystander, onlooker, or participant.

• Click on the link in the Red Box to view the Project Rubrics for this project.

Your project will include two parts:

3. An annotated bibliography of your research
4. A fictional narrative.

Part 1:

Your research must include eight separate sources. At least four of these sources must qualify as reliable, meaning that they are published by a university, the government, an objective news source, or are a primary source document. You must submit an annotated bibliography as your Works Cited page. Each of your eight entries must:

• Begin with an MLA citation.
• Include a summary of the information in the source.
• Include a discussion of how the information in this source informed your narrative.
• Be a minimum of 150 words in length.

Part 2:

Your essay will be a fictional historical narrative. In this unit, you read actual historical narratives from individuals who lived through an important historical time and wrote about their experiences. You will create a similar piece; however, you will use thorough research instead of personal experience to create your narrative.

Your narrative essay will be informative in purpose. Your overall goal should be to describe the event in history that you researched. You will do this by creating a narrative essay through the perspective of a fictional person who witnessed the event. (Your fictional narrator may discuss the significance of this event if appropriate.)

Your essay should be written from a first­-person point of view. You may choose to write it in­the­moment as the narrator experienced it or as a journal entry or letter to a friend or relative after the fact.

The writing focus of your essay should be creating effective sensory details. Use sensory details to create the feeling that your narrator was actually there. You must create sensory details that appeal to at least four of the senses(touch, sound, sight, smell, or taste).

This essay should be between 3­-5 pages (750­-1250 words) in length. Your final draft should be saved and submitted as .doc or .pdf file. It should be in 12­-point font in Times New Roman.

10% of your grade will be on grammar and mechanics. Write as clearly and correctly as you can. This means that 90% of your grade is based on your ideas ­ however, you will not earn an A if you do not proofread carefully and check for errors.

Most importantly, remember this is a culminating project for your American Historical Non­Fiction Unit. Your essay should show everything you have learned throughout the class so far.