We Beat the Street Media Project

Exploring Poverty, Education, and Discrimination

in Narrative Non-Fiction
In order to explore the social concepts we have covered in the novel more fully, you will create a media project
to spotlight the concept of your choice and promote a solution to that issue. The project may be done in
groups of up to 3 people or alone. Each group will receive a project grade as a whole rather than individually.

Read All About It!!

Create a newspaper front page. Refer to the front page of the Houston Chronicle or similar
newspaper for layout ideas. You must have a paper name, date, and publication issue number, a
headlining story about a major event in the novel, at least two articles about minor events in the
story, and three relevant pictures. You might also include a table of contents, letter from the editor,
or other tidbits you think might contribute to the overall look.
Sing Us a Song
Create a song in any genre (rap, country, rock, etc) from the perspective of Sampson Davis, Rameck
Hunt, and/or George Jenkins. The song must be at least two and a half minutes long but no longer
than three and a half minutes. Create a recorded copy to turn in. You may play the recording or
present it live in front of the class. Accompanying music is a bonus! Lyrics required.
Sell Your Concept
Create a 30-60 second persuasive TV commercial from the perspective of Sampson, Rameck, and/or
George. The commercial must include props and visuals, may include costumes, all parties must
participate, and a recorded copy must be provided upon presentation, though you may present the
commercial live in the classroom if you want to. Transcript required.
Take the Spotlight
Pick any significant scene from the book that embodies your concept, and adapt it into a one act
play of 5-10 minutes. Must dress the part with clearly identified character names, ie: Sampson
Davis, George Jenkins, Rameck Hunt. All parties must participate and provide a recorded copy,
though you may present the play live in the classroom as well. Manuscript required. You must
know your lines.
Social Broadcast
Create a 30-60 second persuasive radio advertisement from the perspective of George, Sampson,
and/or Rameck. This is basically the same as the TV commercial, but instead of visuals, it must
incorporate the use of sound along with the dialogue. All group members must have a speaking
part, and a transcript and recorded copy must be provided. You may play the recorded copy or
present it live from behind a screen to the class.

If We Beat the Street Were a Movie

Create a book trailer to advertise the novel with a focus on poverty, education, or discrimination.
Your trailer should include music, visuals (either acted out, spliced from movies, or pictures), and
dialogue. You must have at least 3 transitions, at least two quotes from We Beat the Street, proper
citation of source material, and it should run 2-3 minutes long. It may be acted out in class, but a
recorded copy must be made and uploaded to YouTube. You must also turn in a transcript. You
should look up movie trailers to get ideas.

We Beat the Street Media Project Abstract

Project Type: ____________________________________________________________________________
Persons Involved: ________________________________________________________________________
Social Concept Focus: ___________________________________________________________________________
*1st example from text:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
*2nd example from text:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Summary of how you intend your final product to look:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

When you intend to present:

Friday, May 13

Monday, May 16

Tuesday, May 17

Media Project Rubric

CONTENT

ORGANIZATION

Use of accurate
information; focused on
a specific topic.

CRITERIA

Coherent sequencing of
information

CONTENT

STYLE
Creative use and
arrangement of text,
color, sound, and
graphics.

ORGANIZATION

Inclusion of multiple
formats, such as
graphics, sounds, and
hyperlinks.

STYLE

CONVENTIONS

Consistent use of
accurate details,

defined beginning,

text, color, sound,

variety of

excellent control of

facts, examples,

middle, and end.

and graphics that

multimedia formats.

grammar,

material.

Meets
Standard

enhance the

mechanics, spelling,
usage, and sentence

sequential, causal,

creative and

formation

related to topic,

other) appropriate

appropriate for the

purpose, and

to mode

presentation.

audience.
Generally uses

(chronological,

(persuasive).
Demonstrates a

presentation.

Multimedia

Demonstrates

elements are

Selects details

Level 3

Uses pattern

Includes a wide

Grammar, mechanics,
spelling, usage, and
sentence structure.

Exceeds

and other relevant

Uses and arranges

MULTIMEDIA

CONVENTIONS

Level 4
Standard

Demonstrates

MULTIMEDIA

Uses and arranges

Includes sufficient

Demonstrates clear

accurate facts,

beginning, middle,

text, color, sound,

variety of

control of grammar,

examples,

and end

and graphics that

multimedia formats

mechanics, spelling,

anecdotes, details,
opinions, statistics,
reasons, and/or
explanations

Uses pattern
appropriate to

support the
presentation.

mode (persuasive)

Multimedia
elements are

usage, and sentence

formation

appropriate for the

presentation.

Selects most
details related to
the topic, purpose
Level 2
Below
Standard

and audience
Inconsistent or

Arranges content

Uses and arranges

limited use of

in a confused or

text, color, sound,

insufficient variety

limited control of

accurate facts,

inconsistent

and graphics that

of multimedia

grammar,

examples,

manner

somewhat detract

formats

mechanics, spelling,

anecdotes, details,
opinions, statistics,
reasons, and/or
explanations
Presents unrelated

Includes topic
statement, middle,

from the
presentation.

Includes

Multimedia
elements that are

or conclusion, but

included are

not all

inappropriate for

Demonstrates

usage, and sentence

formation, so as not
to interfere with
understanding the

details
Level 1
Little

Presents very little

information

Evidence
of
Standard

________/4

components.

the presentation
Includes little or no

text

Presents random,

Uses and arranges

disconnected, or

text, color, sound,

variety of

Demonstrates
minimal control of

unfocused

and graphics that

multimedia formats

grammar,

information with

detract from the

mechanics, spelling,

little or no evidence

presentation.

usage, and sentence

of a topic

formation, which

statement, defined

interferes with

middle, and/or

understanding the

conclusion.

text

________/4

________/4

________/4

________/4

___________/20
Rubric adapted from: Quakertown Community School District ELECTRONIC MEDIA PROJECT RUBRIC