This article describes the ways in which the author guided her third- and fourth-grade students in the use of historical fiction and primary and secondary sources (letters, historical newspapers, census data, photos) to think and write critically about provocative historical events. In creating their own newspaper, students learned to summarize and transform what they were learning into an organized format. They learned to appreciate the writer's perspective in reporting and responding to provocative events. Specialist teachers (of art, music, woodshop, and computer technology) lent their talents to a large-scale project that was used, along with the newspaper, in a memorable culminating presentation. (Contains 11 notes.)