Students first create a chart of what they know about the Progressive Era and predict what the mood was during the Roaring Twenties. Then they read articles about Social Darwinism and Nativism and create a chart about these ideologies. Next they examine the Scopes Trial and compare and contrast it to a current issue. Finally, students research and prepare a presentation about how the shifting mood affected four minorities: women, American Indians, African Americans, and immigrants.
Students read an introduction explaining how World War I shifted the United States onto the world stage and how, after the war, many Americans turned toward isolationism and anti-immigration policies while some minority groups gained new rights. They review the lesson objectives, examine an image of a suffragette protesting President Wilson’s opposition to the Nineteenth Amendment, and recall prior knowledge about the Progressive Era by contributing to a shared chart. Then they predict what the “shifting national mood” was during the Roaring Twenties by posting their ideas to a class wall.
Teacher MovesIntroduce the overall flow of the experience and highlight that students will work in small groups in upcoming scenes. Emphasize key facts about the Progressive Era, including its focus on social reform at multiple levels of government and the active role of women in reform movements. Accept any reasonable predictions about the national mood and consider revisiting these predictions before the quiz. Divide students into small groups for the next three scenes before unlocking the next scene.
Students read background text describing post–World War I economic recession, returning soldiers and working women competing for jobs, renewed immigration from war-torn Europe, and the rise of anti-immigrant sentiment. They learn how Social Darwinism applied “survival of the fittest” to social groups and justified inequality. Working in small groups, students read Social Darwinism in the Gilded Age and Nativism and fundamentalism in the 1920s, discuss the concepts, and complete a shared graphic organizer by defining Social Darwinism, nativism, and eugenics and providing historical examples of each.
Teacher MovesPoint out that the Student Pack includes two optional videos offering biologist and historian perspectives on Social Darwinism for students who need or want additional context. Circulate as groups read and complete the organizer, take questions, and then summarize the ideologies of Social Darwinism, nativism, and eugenics for the class. Prompt students to compare these ideas with Progressive Era thought by asking, “How did Social Darwinism and nativism differ from progressive thought?” before unlocking the next scene.
Students view an image of Clarence Darrow at the Scopes Trial and read a narrative explaining the 1925 case, Tennessee’s law against teaching evolution, the roles of William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow, and how the trial highlighted conflict between religious fundamentalism and modern scientific views. They then examine a timeline and photographs in Timeline: Remembering the Scopes Monkey Trial. In small groups, students choose a current issue involving cultural conflict, conduct brief web research if needed, and post a short comparison explaining similarities and differences between their chosen issue and the Scopes Trial.
Teacher MovesClarify the historical context and significance of the Scopes Trial as a symbol of cultural conflict in the 1920s. Review group posts and select interesting or exemplary comparisons to share with the class for discussion. To avoid highly controversial topics, suggest relevant but manageable issues such as censorship of classroom materials or limits on car emissions. When discussion is complete, unlock the next scene.
Students consider the question, “How did the shifting mood of the United States affect women and minorities?” Within their small groups, members divide four topics—women, American Indians, African Americans, and immigrants—so that each student researches one group’s key developments and events during the 1920s. Each student prepares and delivers a brief presentation to their group while a rotating note taker summarizes the main points. Groups post their summaries to separate walls for American women, American Indians, African Americans, and immigrants in the 1920s.
Teacher MovesSet clear expectations for how much time students should spend researching and presenting. Monitor group work as students research, present, and record notes on each group’s experience in the 1920s. Conclude by summarizing key takeaways with the class about women’s changing roles and continued traditional expectations, the granting of U.S. citizenship to American Indians in 1924, the persistence of racism and the use of Social Darwinism to justify white supremacy, and the experiences of immigrants, including overcrowded cities, cheap labor, and the quota system established by the Immigration Act of 1924. Then direct students to complete the Evaluate scene individually.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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