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The Roaring Twenties: A Decade of Change

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Lesson Plan

Decade of Change Lesson

Students will analyze the major cultural, economic, and social shifts of the 1920s to understand their impact on modern American society.

Understanding the Roaring Twenties provides crucial context for developments in American culture, economy, and social justice that continue to resonate today, helping students connect past events to their present world.

Audience

11th Grade

Time

80 minutes

Approach

Through engaging presentations, interactive activities, and reflective prompts.

Materials

Jazz Age & Flappers Presentation (slide-deck), 1920s Innovations Gallery Walk (activity), and One Word Roar Exit Ticket (cool-down)

Prep

Preparation Checklist

30 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: What Comes to Mind?

5 minutes

  • Begin with an open discussion: "When you hear 'The Roaring Twenties,' what immediately comes to mind?" Write student responses on the board.
  • Introduce the lesson objective: Today, we're diving into this fascinating decade to see how it truly 'roared' with change.

Step 2

The Jazz Age & Flappers Presentation

30 minutes

  • Present the Jazz Age & Flappers Presentation slides.
  • Encourage questions and brief discussions throughout the presentation.
  • Focus on key concepts: economic prosperity, new technologies, women's suffrage and changing roles, the Harlem Renaissance, prohibition, and the rise of popular culture (jazz, flappers, movies).

Step 3

1920s Innovations Gallery Walk

30 minutes

  • Divide students into small groups (3-4 students).
  • Explain the 1920s Innovations Gallery Walk activity: Each station will feature a significant innovation or cultural shift of the 1920s.
  • Students will rotate through stations, discussing each innovation's impact on American society and noting their thoughts on a provided graphic organizer or shared document.
  • After the walk, bring the class back together for a brief debrief, allowing groups to share one key takeaway from their gallery walk.

Step 4

Cool-Down: One Word Roar Exit Ticket

10 minutes

  • Distribute the One Word Roar Exit Ticket slips.
  • Instruct students to reflect on the lesson and summarize their understanding of the Roaring Twenties in a single word.
  • Collect the exit tickets as students leave. Optionally, have a few students share their words and reasoning before dismissal.
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Slide Deck

The Roaring Twenties: A Decade of Dazzle and Change

Get ready to explore the Jazz Age, flappers, and how America transformed!

Welcome students and introduce the lesson's main topic: the fascinating and transformative decade of the 1920s.

Post-War Prosperity: The Economic Boom

  • America emerges as a global economic power.
  • Increased industrial production and consumer spending.
  • The rise of the stock market and easy credit.
  • New industries like automobiles and radios flourish.

Briefly review the end of WWI and the desire for normalcy, followed by a surge of economic growth. Explain what 'economic boom' means.

Technological Innovations & Modern Life

  • Automobiles: Ford's assembly line makes cars affordable; impacts travel, dating, suburbs.
  • Radio: Mass communication, entertainment, national culture.
  • Appliances: Refrigerators, washing machines change home life, especially for women.
  • Airplanes: Lindbergh's flight captures imagination; new possibilities for travel.

Discuss how technological advancements made daily life easier and more connected. Ask students to consider which of these they still see today in some form.

The Flapper & Changing Social Norms

  • Women's Suffrage: 19th Amendment (1920) grants women the right to vote.
  • The Flapper: A new image of womanhood – independent, rebellious, short skirts, bobbed hair, jazz music.
  • Social Freedoms: Women entering the workforce, increased social activity, challenging traditional gender roles.

Focus on the dramatic shift in women's roles and fashion. Explain the term 'flapper' and what it symbolized.

The Harlem Renaissance: A Cultural Explosion

  • Harlem, New York: Center of African American culture.
  • Art, Literature, Music: A flourishing of creative expression.
  • Key Figures: Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Louis Armstrong.
  • Impact: Celebrated black identity and challenged racial stereotypes.

Introduce the Harlem Renaissance as a pivotal cultural movement. Emphasize its artistic, literary, and musical contributions.

Prohibition & Organized Crime

  • 18th Amendment (1919): Bans the manufacture, sale, and transport of alcohol.
  • Speakeasies: Illegal bars emerge across the country.
  • Bootlegging: Smuggling and illegal production of alcohol.
  • Al Capone: Famous gangster profiting from illegal alcohol trade.
  • Unintended Consequences: Rise in organized crime and disrespect for the law.

Explain Prohibition and its unintended consequences, such as the rise of organized crime. Discuss the Volstead Act.

Mass Culture & Entertainment

  • Movies: Silent films to talkies; Hollywood becomes a cultural hub.
  • Jazz Music: Popular across all demographics;

Discuss the growth of mass media and new forms of entertainment. Mention sports figures and movie stars.

Wrapping Up the Roar

  • The 1920s was a decade of unprecedented change in America.
  • Economic growth, technological innovation, and social shifts redefined American life.
  • This era laid foundations for many aspects of modern society.

Summarize the key takeaways and transition to the activity.

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Activity

1920s Innovations Gallery Walk

Objective: To explore and understand the impact of key innovations and cultural shifts of the 1920s on American society.

Instructions:

  1. Form Groups: You will be divided into small groups.
  2. Gallery Stations: Around the classroom, you will find several stations. Each station highlights a significant innovation or cultural development from the 1920s.
  3. Rotate and Reflect: Your group will start at a designated station. At each station:
    • Read the information and examine any images or prompts.
    • Discuss within your group: How did this innovation or cultural shift impact American life? Think about economic, social, and cultural effects.
    • Record your group's key insights and observations on the provided graphic organizer or chart paper. Be prepared to share your thoughts with the class.
  4. Time Limits: You will have approximately 5-7 minutes at each station before rotating to the next. Listen for the teacher's signal to move.
  5. Debrief: After visiting all stations, we will reconvene as a class to discuss your findings and insights. Be ready to share one significant impact you discussed.

Possible Gallery Walk Stations (Teacher will provide details at each station):

  • The Automobile (Ford Model T)
  • Radio Broadcasting
  • Mass Production & Consumer Goods
  • Jazz Music & Dance
  • The Flapper Lifestyle
  • Prohibition & Speakeasies
  • Hollywood & Silent Films
  • Harlem Renaissance Literature/Art












Group Reflection & Notes:

Use this space to jot down key impacts and observations for each station.

Station 1: ______________







Station 2: ______________







Station 3: ______________







Station 4: ______________







Station 5: ______________







Station 6: ______________







Station 7: ______________







Station 8: ______________







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Cool Down

One Word Roar Exit Ticket

Instructions:

Reflect on today's lesson about The Roaring Twenties. In one single word, summarize the decade or your biggest takeaway from our discussion and activities. Then, briefly explain why you chose that word.

My word for The Roaring Twenties is:




I chose this word because:







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