Researching and Drafting Your Newscast In this activity, you’ll analyze different parts of Mesopotamian society and culture. Then you’ll use the information you found to create a fair and balanced newscast.

Select one topic from the following list. Make sure that it’s a topic that you’re comfortable presenting to a larger audience. If you’re working in a group, make sure that each member of your group selects one topic from this list.

Mesopotamia Topics

an economic/business report
the unrest of the pastoral tribes
lifestyles of settled and nomadic people
any kind of legal battle (For example, you can create a fictional case and cite how Hammurabi’s Code affected the outcome.)
religious festivals or new temple construction
new construction projects such as canals or ships
a fictitious interview with a king or a priest
a fictitious interview with a nomads, which might cover hunting, grazing rights, or trade
the weather and agriculture
Part A
Now that you’ve selected your topic, you can start researching it. Make sure you select reliable sources. Look at these websites to get started with your research:

Mesopotamia: Warfare
Mesopotamia: Wall Relief
Mesopotamia: Geography
Gilgamesh and the Cedar Forest (Story)
Mesopotamia: Animals
Mesopotamia: Geography and Climate
Ancient Civilization: Mesopotamia
Ancient Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia: Images

Use at least one of these sources to help you write your newscast. Then, conduct some additional Internet research on your own. Read more about researching websites. Find at least two additional sources to support your newscast. Note your topic and the sources you will use in the answer area below.

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Part B
Now that you’ve completed the research on the topic you selected, it’s time to organize your content. Use this outline to organize the information for your newscast:

Headline: An attention-grabbing hook to draw in your audience.

The lead paragraph should include the following pieces of information:

who (individuals discussed in the news report)
what (subject, event, or incident discussed in the news report)
when (timing of the event)
where (place where the event occurred)
why (causes, effects, reasoning behind the event or incident)
how (a brief explanation of the topic and how the event occurred)
Body paragraphs (1–3) should include the following pieces of information:

an explanation of information
different viewpoints on the same issue
quotations from fictitious sources or primary historical sources
The conclusion paragraph should include the following items:

a closing remark that restates the main idea of the news report
a final statement that encourages the audience to find out more about the issue
Remember the following points as you develop your newscast:

Make sure that your lead paragraph clearly states your topic and has an attention-grabbing hook.
Your thesis statement should be included in the lead paragraph. It should clearly state the purpose or message of your news story.
Provide an explanation of how your information is relevant to the topic.
Include fictitious quotes in your report. For instance, you can use quotes from a pretend interview between you and a Mesopotamian farmer that is based on your research. You can also use actual quotes from a real historical figure or primary historical sources.
Include at least three reliable sources and an explanation of how they support your news story.
Make sure your report gives both sides of an issue or multiple viewpoints.
Your news story should stay on topic.
Your closing statement and conclusion should remind the audience about the purpose or message of your newscast.
Your news story should have a conclusion that sparks the audience’s curiosity or interest to learn more.
Type your completed outline into the response box.

Part C
Next, you’ll use the outline you prepared in part B to write your news report. Your news report should be between 300 and 350 words long.

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