Investigative Journalism – Native American Peoples in Your Community: A Podcast

History Challenge

Submission Due Date: April 5, 2024

Designed for Middle School and High School Students

Adapted from work by Harry Robison and Chris Patten, Colby College students, 2023

Table of Contents
• The Challenge
• Assumptions and Logistics
• Process
• Meridian Support Resources
• Presentation of Learning
• Evaluation Rubric
• Essential Questions
• Student Proficiencies
• Curricular Correlations Range of Activities
• Historical Research and Analysis of Native American presence in your community.
• Primary and Secondary Source Research
• Community Interviewing
• Investigative, Journalistic Storytelling
• Digital Literacy Skills: Podcast Pre-Production, Production, and Post-Production
• Human Skills – Collaboration, Creativity, Critical Thinking and Presentation Skills.

The Challenge
Where are you really from…Who originally inhabited your hometown…
United States history is shaped by the stories of the victor. The white European narrative generally dominates the histories told by the media, by our communities, and by education systems. We therefore fundamentally lack a coherent thread of information that can present a full truth and insight into Native American life, although this has begun to change. This Challenge is part of that change: to use pieces of evidence from the historical archive to try to recover truth and reclaim history. We are all part of one team, and we need all of your investigative powers to help the cause and celebrate the history of your local Native American community.

In this challenge, your team is to investigate the Native American history within your hometown (or region, if that is a more practical approach). Then create a short podcast that discusses the tribes that existed on that land and to what extent your hometown recognizes its Native American history. Use your investigational skills to look through databases that may contain valuable cultural information. Use your analytical skills to unpack the significance of cultural elements of tribal songs, or stories. Finally, be a detective. Look for things like road signs, names of parks, names of lakes, or the names of residential areas for any sign of Native American presence.

Specifically:
Your podcast should be split up into three distinct sections:
• One section must discuss the history of the tribe. This includes what year the tribe was established (if available); where the tribe have laid grounds throughout history and if they have moved around (ex. A nomadic tribe) or stayed put; any wars or rebellions that have taken place; anything known about trade and other interactions between tribes and other tribes or Europeans; and anything else notable to the history of the tribe that your group choses.
• One section must discuss the presence of that tribe in your hometown today. This section should include whether or not they have a presence and how large that presence is; any events that your tribe hosts; local business or economies based around this tribe; and anything else relevant to the tribe’s current history. However, it could be that there is no real presence of a Native tribe in your hometown, which is something that you should mention. Why do you think that there is no presence? In cases like this, feel free to focus on tribes that are or were nearby. This does not have to be based in your hometown if you find that that is not where the story is.
• The last section is something that you find fun or interesting. Is there an image, story, fact, or song that connects to the tribe in which you studied. This part is more open ended; however, make sure that the object you choose has cultural significance pertaining to the tribe upon which your team is focused. Make sure to cite your sources from which you derive your information.

Personal anecdotes are also welcome and could definitely serve to strengthen your podcast. Your work as investigative journalists is important as you all are working together to restore a forgotten history. Best of luck! We are excited to see what you find.

Deliverables include:
• The Podcast (this is the only Meridian Stories deliverable)
• Outline of Key Findings (at teacher’s discretion)
• Script Draft (at teacher’s discretion)

Assumptions and Logistics
• Time Frame – We recommend that this digital storytelling project takes place inside of a three to five-week time frame.
• Length – All Meridian Stories submissions should be under 4 minutes in length, unless otherwise specified.
• Slate – All digital storytelling projects must begin with a slate that provides:
o the title of the piece;
o the name of the school submitting;
o the wording ‘Permission Granted’ which gives Meridian Stories the right to a) publicly display the submission in question on, as linked from, related to or in support of Meridian Stories digital media; and b) use or reference it for educational purposes only, in any and all media; and
o We strongly recommend that students do not put their last names on the piece either at the start or finish, during the credits.
• Submissions – Keep in mind that each school can only submit three submissions per Competition (so while the entire class can participate in any given Challenge, only three can be submitted to Meridian Stories for Mentor review and scoring).
• Teacher Reviews – All reviews by the teacher are at the discretion of the teacher and all suggested paper deliverables are due only to the teacher. The only deliverable to Meridian Stories is the digital storytelling project.
• Teacher’s Role and Technology Integrator – While it is helpful to have a Technology Integrator involved, they are not usually necessary: the students already know how to produce the digital storytelling project. And if they don’t, part of their challenge is to figure it out. They will! The teacher’s primary function in these Challenges is to guide the students as they engage with the content. You don’t need to know editing, sound design, shooting or storyboarding: you just need to know your content area, while assisting them with organization and time management issues. See the Teachers Role section of the website for further ideas about classroom guidance.
• Digital Rules/Literacy – We strongly recommend that all students follow the rules of Digital Citizenry in their proper usage and/or citation of images, music and text taken from other sources. This recommendation includes producing a citations page at the end of your entry, if applicable. See the Digital Rules area in the Meridian Stories Digital Resource Center section of the site for guidance.
• Location – Try not to shoot in a classroom at your school. The classroom, no matter how you dress it up, looks like a classroom and can negatively impact the digital story you are trying to tell.
• Collaboration – We strongly recommend that students work in teams of 3-4: part of the educational value is around building collaborative skill sets. But students may work individually.

The Process

A Note on Investigative Journalistic Podcasting

This is a popular podcast format these days. It usually involves a singular, first-person narrator who is the journalist. But there can be teams. But understand that it may be best if there is one lead voice – a voice we learn to trust – for this format. We suggest a maximum of three voices.

This genre is set up as a mystery, essentially. And while the story that you research may not be a mystery at all to many – especially those who are Native Americans – chances are that it will be a mystery to much of your audience. You are out to uncover a truth that is, perhaps, not generally told. Treat it as a mystery. Use music to create suspense. Design the story – once you have all of your select facts and characters – in a way that is like the unwrapping of an onion: layer by layer to get to the core. Introduce your characters – your interviewees – in a way that builds anticipation.

Most of all, though, this is journalism. This is about getting at the truth, not sensationalizing it. Be respectful, honest, and genuine. That can be a tough balancing act: telling a story that is based in what might be uncomfortable truths, in a way that is engaging and thought-provoking, and not sensationalized or judgmental.

Journalism is …hard.

Below is a suggested breakdown for the students’ work.
During Phase I, student teams will:
• Revisit your hometown history. How much time have you really spent thinking about the history of the land on which you live? What is clear and what is not clear about who has access and control over the community land? Who was here before you?
 Here is a database to help you with this: https://www.census.gov/tribal/?st=09
 Here is a second mapping resource that will also help identify what ancestral lands your community lies within: https://native-land.ca
• Investigating these key questions will take time and a considerable amount of research. Be sure to seek out both primary and secondary sources in this research phase. Primary sources, in particular, will be invaluable in this story you are bringing to the fore. Basic research includes finding which tribes were located in the area and general info about the tribe. The information that you are looking for will often revolve around this question: why and when did the tribe leave your town? What were those circumstances? And unearthing that story could be a very uncomfortable and challenging process. Be prepared and keep this in mind: you are investigative journalists excavating a story that will benefit everyone, …if the story is told.
• Once these grounds have been established, begin to do a deeper dive into their presence within your hometown. Ask questions like: do they have a website online? How active or motivated are their members? Look at monuments and maps…How did certain parks, roads, and lakes get their name? Based on what you find, determine how present the tribe really is.
• Most investigative journalism podcasts rely on interviews with key figures. Who will you interview? Town historians? Nearby members of the tribe, if they are available? University Professors who specialize in Native American peoples? Or will you want to reach out beyond the borders of your town and talk to people from, for example, the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington DC. Research your sources and then seek them out. And be sure to record, with their permission, the interviews.
o Teacher’s Option: Outline of Key Findings – Teachers may require that teams hand in an outline of their key findings as regards a) the tribe itself; and b) the tribe’s historic and current presence in your home town/region.
• Then, using your previous research, find the item (song, story, image, etc.) that interests you. Spend a lot of time with it and think about how the certain piece that you chose can connect back into the main theme of this project. How does the source you chose serve as a celebration and a mechanism to reclaim Native history for the listener?
• Finally, include a very brief conclusion that summarizes what you have learned and how this project has changed or not changed your understanding of your hometown’s history.
During Phase II, student teams will:
• Outline your story. How are you going to order all of your information into a story that is designed as an investigation: a problem that needs to be solved? In this case, the problem of the Native American heritage of your community: what was it then and what is it today?
• Think about your podcast. What makes this podcast contribute to people’s knowledge of this subject matter? What makes this podcast distinguishable from others? Think sound effects, interesting facts, and a standout opening line to serve as a good hook.
• One way to approach this is listening to other historical podcasts and lectures online. See what works for the listeners and what made those podcasts so successful. More importantly, see what doesn’t work. What makes you retain attention? Is it an interesting story or the tone of the presenter? See what works for you and how you want your audience to best retain the information that you are presenting.
• Decide who is going to be the lead voice in each section, and in the entire podcast. How exactly is this going to be structured? Titled chapters or more like a fluid conversation, interspersed with the occasional interview, from start to finish?
• Write out a script for each of the sections of the podcast.
• When telling the story of the tribe, does it make sense to spend more time on large events or on specific details? Should you focus more on government relations with the tribe or events that happen within the tribe and your hometown? Could you find enough information to show a valid current presence of a tribe in your hometown? Deciding what is relevant or not to include will be the bulk of the collaboration during the script writing process.
• Consider the language you use when writing this script. This is a sensitive topic for many people, so be careful when using words like “Indian” versus Native American or Indigenous, which is more appropriate for this project and in general when talking about the native people of the United States.
• Once the script is finished, read it to each other and check for fluency and repetitiveness. This will help the script sound more conversational. Then move on to your second draft and then final draft.
• Teacher’s Option: Script Draft – Teachers may require that teams hand in a first or second draft of their script for review and feedback.
• Pre-produce the scene.
• Make multiple recording attempts and use multiple takes to create the most expressive narrative.
• Try recording in different environments to see what background noises work for you.
• Set aside plenty of time to make multiple attempts.
• Consider your use of music. What is the emotional high point of the podcast and can you use music – with all appropriate rights in place – to enhance that moment, or series of moments?
During Phase III, student teams will:
• Record the podcast.
• Edit the podcast and be picky about the takes you use. If you don’t like a loud noise in the background or a stutter, re-record it to eliminate the imperfections.
• Post-produce. Add any sound effects, music, or computer-generated items that you want in your final copy.
Meridian Support Resources
Meridian Stories provides two forms of support for the student teams.
1. Media Innovators and Artists – This is a series of three to four minute videos featuring artists and innovative professionals who offer important advice, specifically for Meridian Stories, in the areas of creativity and production.
2. Meridian Resources – These are short documents that offer student teams key tips in the areas of creativity and production.
Recommended review, as a team, for this Challenge include:
Meridian Innovators and Artists Media Resource Collection
Sound Design – Chris Watkinson

Radio Plays – Margaret Heffernan

On Non-Fiction Writing – Margaret Heffernan

The Importance of Characters in Storytelling – Scott Nash Sound Editing Basics

Sound Recording Basics

Digital Rules – The Starting Line

Guide to Royalty-Free Music and Sound Effects

Presentation of Learning
Meridian Stories is a proud partner of the non-profit Share Your Learning, which is spearheading the movement of over five million students to publicly share their work as a meaningful part of their educational experience.

The workforce considers Presentational Skills to be a key asset and we encourage you to allow students to practice this skill set as often as possible. These digital storytelling projects provide a great opportunity for kids to practice their public presentational skills. This can be achieved in a remote learning environment by inviting parents to a Zoom/Google/Skype screening of the student’s digital stories.

According to Share Your Learning, Presentations of Learning (POL) promote…
● Student Ownership, Responsibility & Engagement. POLs can serve as a powerful rite of passage at the end of [a project]. By reflecting on their growth over time in relation to academic and character goals, grounded in evidence from their work, students are encouraged to take ownership of their learning. Just as an artist wants their portfolio to represent their best work, POLs encourage students to care deeply about the work they will share.
● Community Pride & Involvement. When peers, teachers and community members come together to engage with student work and provide authentic feedback, they become invested in students’ growth and serve as active contributors to the school community.
● Equity. POLs ensure that all students are seen and provide insight into what learning experiences students find most meaningful and relevant to their lives.
Meridian Stories’ own research indicates this to be a really useful exercise for one additional reason: Students actually learn from their peers’ presentations – it is useful to hear a perspective that is not just the teacher’s.

It is with this in mind that we you encourage you to plan an event – it could be just an end-of-the-week class or an event where parents, teachers and student peers are invited – to allow the students to showcase their Meridian Stories’ digital storytelling projects. For more free resources that will support this planning, visit Share Your Learning.

Evaluation Rubric – Investigative Journalism
CONTENT COMMAND
Criteria 1-10
Three Main
Sections The podcast demonstrates a thorough understanding of the content, and clearly shows that the research expectations were met
Organization The three main sections: cultural background, presence, and primary source analysis are clearly presented
Whole Podcast The podcast is engaging, simple to follow, and effective in articulating its main points and uncovering a historical story not often told.
STORYTELLING COMMAND
Criteria 1-10
Genre The investigative tone of the podcast is engaging and structured in a way that leads with mystery and anticipation, but also delivers on the seriousness of the subject matter.
Structure, Elements and
Transitions The podcast is clearly structured, utilizing creative narrative elements such as interviews and culturally engaging and incisive audio, to guide the listener from start to finish
Connection with the listener The storyteller(s) establishes a direct and comfortable relationship with the listener that forms a trusting relationship. The listener respects and wants to learn from the storyteller(s).
MEDIA COMMAND
Criteria 1 – 10
Acting The sound and pacing of the voices match the story perfectly, which contributes to the success of the podcast.
Audio Quality The overall audio quality – sound levels, clarity, and mix – exceeds expectation
Ambient Sound The environmental sounds – ambience, live sound effects and/or live music – expanded the listening experience
HUMAN SKILLS COMMAND (for teachers only)
Criteria 1 – 10
Collaborative Thinking The group demonstrated flexibility in making compromises and valued the contributions of each group member
Creativity and Innovation The group brainstormed many inventive ideas and was able to evaluate, refine and implement them effectively
Initiative and Self-Direction The group set attainable goals, worked independently, and managed their time effectively, demonstrating a disciplined commitment to the project

Essential Questions
1. Who are the original inhabitants of your community?
2. What is the relationship between your town/region and its original inhabitants?
3. How has your analysis and consequent re-interpretation of Native American history in your area changed your understanding of your community /region?
4. How has your analysis and consequent re-interpretation of Native American history in your area changed your understanding of the overall history of your area?
5. What is investigative journalism and why is it important for understanding our past and present?
6. In developing this podcast, what have you learned about new ways of communicating meaningful information? Have your thoughts on how you learn and retain information changed over the course of this project?
7. How has working on a team – practicing one’s collaborative skills – changed the learning experience?
Student Proficiencies
1. The student will know which indigenous tribes first inhabited their communities.
2. The student will have a deeper connection to their hometown and know more about its indigenous history and be able to identify steps to take now to honor and respect this history.
3. The students will open a door to a new and potent perspective on the history of their region.
4. The students will open a door to a new and potent perspective on the history of the United States.
5. The student will have participated in an act of investigative journalism and understand the vital role this form of storytelling has in a democracy.
6. The student will take a look at the use of technology as it pertains to their story that they are telling and whether this use of technology enhances the educational experience on this subject matter.
7. The students will use key Human Skills, with a focus on primary source analysis, scriptwriting, simplifying complex ideas, and digital literacy skills in the process of creating this informative and engaging podcast.

Curricular Correlations
The Investigative Journalism Challenge addresses a range of curricular objectives that have been articulated by two nationally recognized sources:

1. The Common Core Curricular Standards – English Language Arts & History/Social Studies; and
2. The C3 Framework for Social Studies, as outlined by National Council of Social Studies (NCSS).

Below please find the standards that are being addressed, either wholly or in part.

Common Core Curricular Standards
English Language Arts Standards – History/Social Studies

5th Grade 8th Grade 9th – 10th Grade 11th – 12th Grade
RI7 Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.
Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea
Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a person’s life story in both print and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized in each account Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem

RI
9 N/A Analyze the relationship between a primary and secondary source on the same topic.
Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources.
Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources.
W2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
W3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
W4

Produce clear and coherent writing in which
the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Produce clear and coherent writing in which
the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

W7
Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
SL1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
SL5
Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, sound) and visual displays in presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.
Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.
Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest. Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.

C3 Framework

Standard 5th 6th – 8th 9th – 12th
C3

CIVICS D2.Civ.10.3-5. Identify the beliefs, experiences, perspectives, and values that underlie their own and others’ points of view about civic issues.
D2.Civ.10.6-8. Explain
the relevance of personal interests and perspectives, civic virtues, and democratic principles when people ad- dress issues and problems in government and civil society.
D2.Civ.10.9-12. Analyze the impact and the appropriate roles of personal interests and perspectives on the application of civic virtues, democratic principles, constitutional rights, and human rights.

C3

HISTORY D2.His.1.3-5. Create and use a chronological sequence of related events to compare developments that happened at the same time. D2.His.1.6-8. Analyze connections among events and developments in broader historical contexts. D2.His.4.9-12. Analyze complex and interacting factors that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras.
C3

HISTORY D2.His.3.3-5. Generate
questions about ndividuals
and groups who have shaped significant historical changes
and continuities. D2.His.3.6-8. Use questions generated about individuals
and groups to analyze why they, and the developments they shaped, are seen as
historically significant. D2.His.3.9-12. Use questions generated about individuals and groups to assess how the significance of their actions changes over time and is shaped by the historical context.
C3

HISTORY D2.His.6.3-5. Describe how people’s perspectives shaped the historical sources they created. D2.His.6.6-8. Analyze how people’s perspectives influenced what information is available in the historical sources they created. D2.His.6.9-12. Analyze the ways in which the perspectives of those writing history shaped the history that they produced.
C3

HISTORY D2.His.10.3-5. Compare information provided by different historical sources about the past. D2.His.10.6-8. Detect possible limitations in the historical record based on evidence collected from different kinds of historical sources. D2.His.10.9-12. Detect possible limitations in various kinds of historical evidence and differing secondary interpretations.
C3

HISTORY D2.His.12.3-5. Generate questions about multiple historical sources and their relationships to particular historical events and developments. D2.His.12.6-8. Use questions generated about multiple historical sources to identify further areas of inquiry and additional sources. D2.His.12.9-12. Use questions generated about multiple historical sources to pursue further inquiry and investigate additional sources.
C3

HISTORY D2. His.16.3-5. Use evidence to develop a claim about the past. D2.His.16.6-8. Organize applicable evidence into a coherent argument about the past D2. His.16.9-12. Integrate evidence from multiple relevant historical sources and interpretations into a reasoned argument about the past.
C3

GEOGRAPHY D2.Geo.6.3-5. Describe how environmental and cultural characteristics influence population distribution in specific places or regions D2.Geo.6.6-8. Explain
how the physical and human characteristics of places and regions are connected to human identities and cultures. D2.Geo.6.9-12. Evaluate the impact of human settlement activities on the environmental and cultural characteristics of specific places and regions.

 Save as PDF