Curated OER
What Was the Year Quiz?
In this 20th century events worksheet, students determine the year that each of the important events from the 20th century occurred. Students answer 40 questions.
Curated OER
Sondheim: Voice of Cultural Change
Young scholars explore Stephen Sondheim's contributions to musical theatre in the context of the dramatic cultural shift that occurred in American life in the late 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.
Scholastic
The Flight of Amelia Earhart Teaching Guide
Amelia Earhart's accomplishments and strength of character extend beyond her status as one of the first female aviators in America. Elementary and middle schoolers learn about Earhart's early life and the historical context surrounding...
Curated OER
Immigrants Who Built America
Students research the lives of ten famous immigrant Americans. They conduct research, and match names with the accomplishments of famous immigrants on a worksheet.
Curated OER
Neon Signs
Middle schoolers study a commercial art form and explore its historic and social meaning. They apply linear color to a shape, bending and forming the lines in much the same way a sign artist would form glass tubing. They design their own...
Curated OER
Romare Bearden's The Dove - A Meeting of Vision and Sound
Students explore African american culture of the late 1950's and 60's through various primary sources including literature, music, art and others. They then prepare and conduct a mock interview and present with the class.
Curated OER
Lady Sings the Blues
Students explore women and music in the 20th century. In this music activity, students study the relationship between literature and music through The Color Purple and music by Ethel Waters, MA Rainey, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Ella...
Curated OER
American Folklore
Students develop a class definition of folklore. In groups, they read various folklores and discuss the loss of independence and how to survive. They answer discussion questions and compare the folklore tales to art. To end the...
Curated OER
Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. DuBois: The Problem of Negro Leadership
Students focus on the problem of African American leadership throughout American history. In groups, they research the life and works of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois and how they worked to promote the need for African American...
Curated OER
Art, Inc.
Students are connecting the year that their piece of art was created with the historical events happening in America at that time. They also conduct research to prepare for looking into Art History.
Curated OER
Criticism of Modernity: Gandhi's Association with the American Transcendentalists
Eleventh graders explore Gandhi's philosophy links to the works of American Transcendentalists Emerson and Thoreau. In this transcendentalism activity, 11th graders discuss essential questions about civilization and modernity.
Curated OER
F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great American Dreamer
Students explore how F. Scott Fitzgerald was one of the most important writers of the twentieth century. In novels such as Tender is the Night, This Side of Paradise, and The Great Gatsby, he captured the mood and manners of his time.
Facing History and Ourselves
Emmett Till: Confronting the Murder
The 1955 murder of Emmett Till is often regarded as the catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement of the 20th century. Learn more about the brutal crime—and, as many believe, the miscarriage of justice—that began a national conversation...
Curated OER
Now I See You... The Changing Perception of Women
Students examine the changing view of women during the 20th century. Using art, literature and music, they identify the various perceptions used throughout history. They also predict what women's' perceptions are going to be in the next...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Upton Sinclair, Theodore Roosevelt, and Harvey W. Wiley
Though Upton Sinclair's novel The Jungle shocked the American public into a thorough examination of the meat-packing industry, the author was disappointed that his book's main argument—the exploitation of American immigrants—was not part...
Curated OER
Art and Propaganda
Students examine the types of propaganda used throughout World War II. In groups, they view examples of different posters and artwork used to identify the human emotions the government was trying to appeal through. They develop their...
Curated OER
The Collaborative Works of Rodgers and Hammerstein: Show Business
Pupils study the work of Rodgers and Hammerstein in an historical context of the development of American musical theatre as an art form. Students explore "roots" of the genre as it evolves in last half of the 19th and first two decades...
Curated OER
Western-Genre Films
Students watch westerns and analyze them. They identify the plot, characters and the sounds in the film. They research icons of the American west and prepare a presentation. They share their presentation with the class.
Curated OER
Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas-Duke Ellington
Students read Duke Ellington by Andrea Davis Pinkney. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities surrounding the life of the 20th century composer. Included are reading, art, math, science, writing, social studies, and...
Ballet Austin
The History of Modern Dance
The evolution of modern dance, and the dance history of many of the key figures in the development of this uniquely American form, are the focus of a 13-page packet that includes photos of revolutionaries.
Curated OER
The Myth and the Reality: Pioneering in the Midwest
Students examine the myth and reality of settlement in the Upper Midwest during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Curated OER
Psychedelic 60's
Students examine the Pop Art of the 1960s. Using the internet, they become experts on the subject through research. They compare and contrast the literary work to the art work during this same period and examine how the culture of the...
Curated OER
Breaking Barriers
Students investigate racism in the 20th century by exploring U.S. History. In this Civil Rights lesson, students review the history of slavery, the Civil War and the fight for equality in the mid 1900's. Students complete Civil Rights...
Curated OER
Bryce Canyon National Park: Hoodoos Cast Their Spell (64)
Students explore the natural wonders of this once remote area in Utah and explore how it became a popular tourist destination in the early 20th century. They examine how the region was used by Mormon settlers, scientists and the government.