Curated OER
Social Activism In The United States
Students explore justice issues. In this social activism instructional activity, students watch "Social Activism in the United States," and then locate newspaper articles from the 1960's and 1970's about events during the era.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Soviet Espionage in America
The war against Communism and Joseph McCarthy’s place in it are the focus of a series of three lessons examining postwar America from 1945-1950. This first lesson asks groups to read an introduction that describes the Verona Project and...
Curated OER
Understanding JFK's Presidency through his Speeches
Students reflect and discuss the major events that happened in the United States in the 1950's and 1960's. In this U.S. History lesson, students read and analyze the famous speeches during this time frame, then complete a worksheet...
Curated OER
The Space Race in the '50's
Learners explore the impact of the space race. For this 1950's America lesson, students examine newspapers from the time period as well as Apollo mission episodes. Learners then create journals from the perspectives of Apollo astronauts.
Facing History and Ourselves
Emmett Till: Connecting the History of Lynching to The Murder
Though the murder of Emmett Till shocked 1950's America into turning attention to the racial crimes of the South, it was far from the first time racism had erupted into violence. High schoolers examine the killing in context with the...
Curated OER
Consumer Culture in the 1950s: New Shopping Centers and Advertising trends
Eleventh graders analyze the cultural and social aspects of the 1950s. Using primary source documents, they work together to determine what society was like. They use that information to write an essay about how their information...
Curated OER
The Past Half Century: Achieving Equality
Students analyze reactions to the Brown vs. Education decision of 1954. For this segregation lesson, student look at the actions that were taken in the education world as a result of the Brown decision. They watch a CD, examine political...
Curated OER
Baby Boom and the Culture of the 1950's
Students study the ripple effect of the baby boom generation on history and on their lives today. They discover how the rules and conformity of the 1950's set the stage for the rebellious, anti-establishment sixties. They study the...
Curated OER
Chapter 9: The Cold War Years
Students take a quiz on The Cold War Years of the 1950's and 1960's. This 20-slide presentation covers a variety of world-wide and domestic topics, and includes slides which give hints as to what the correct answers are.
Curated OER
Jazz in America Lesson Plan 6
Students survey bebop, cool jazz, and hard bop. They explore how bebop, cool jazz, and hard bop reflected American culture and society in the 1940s and 1950s.
Curated OER
Witch Hunt or Red Menace? Anticommunism in Postwar America, 1945-1954
Students investigate what constitutes an "un-American" activity and why Soviet espionage was such an important issue in the 1940's and 1950's. Joseph McCarthy's impact on American anticommunism is examined in this lesson plan. There are...
Curated OER
Levittown, Automobiles, and Cultures of the 1950's
Students investigate the impact of the automobile on Americans. In this 1950's America lesson, students listen to audio clips, read about Levittown, and explore the Interstate Highway Act from the decade. Students then discuss their...
Curated OER
The Struggle Against Segregation
Middle schoolers use vocabulary related to the history of segregation in the United States. They study about the history of segregation in America and recognize the challenges and prejudice that many African Americans faced in the 1950s....
Curated OER
The Technological impact on 1950's culture
Eleventh graders examine the 1950's. In this American History lesson, 11th graders explore the key vocabulary for the unit. Students research the new technology that existed in the 1950's.
Curated OER
Jazz In America - Lesson Plan 6
Fifth graders explore cool jazz and how it reflected American culture in the 1940's and 1950's.
Mississippi Whole School Initiative
Dream Big...With Your Eyes Wide Open
For many people, Barack Obama's presidency was the next step in Martin Luther King, Jr's dream of America's future. Explore the dreams of Americans past and present, as well as the young Americans in your class, with a set of activities...
Alabama Learning Exchange
African American Civil Rights Movement
An excellent resource defines the African-American Civil Rights Movement from the early 1900s through the legacy left in modern times. Every major date, event, and key player is described under clear overarching categories. The NAACP,...
Curated OER
Chapter 21 - The Cold War to 1960
In this U.S. history activity, students read assigned textbook pages regarding the Cold War 1950's America and respond to 50 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Witch Hunt or Red Menace? Anticommunism in Postwar America, 1945-1954
High schoolers investigate the goals and methods of the House Un-American Activities Committee and offer an opinion regarding whether their investigation of Hollywood was justifiable.
Curated OER
Dramatizing History in Arthur Miller's The Crucible
High schoolers study the effect of history on fictional or dramatic works of art by reading, Arthur Miller's, The Crucible. They examine the ties between a nation's history and culture with the literature it produces.
Curated OER
The Automobile’s Influence on Post-WWII Suburbia
Eighth graders explore post World War II America. In this American History activity, 8th graders analyze primary and secondary sources to research how the automobile influenced the growth of suburbs, and how the growth of suburbs...
Curated OER
Corner of the Carpet
Learners examine the socioeconomic conditions in Montgomery, Alabama in the late 1950's including the poverty and living condition of the blacks during this time by watching a documentary. They determine how these living conditions lead...
Curated OER
1950’s American Culture: Television, Fashion, and Music
Sixth graders investigate the impact of popular culture on Americans. In this 1950's America lesson, 6th graders view television clips, listen to audio clips, and look over fashion photographs from the decade. Students then discuss...
Curated OER
Vocabulary Multiple Choice. Worksheet 24
In this vocabulary worksheet, students fill in the blank in eight sentences. Each sentence has four similar words for students to select from. The worksheet is intended to be used with advanced English language learners.