The Women’s Movement

The Women’s Movement - Experience Summary

Students brainstorm the identities of twelve women listed on the cover of a Ms. Magazine anniversary issue. Then they learn about the second wave of feminist activity in the 1960s and 70s and examine how Title IX protects high school students. Then they examine a series of graphs about women’s earning power and write a narrative about the economic issues facing twenty-first century women. Finally they read the text of the proposed Equal Rights Amendment, summarize arguments for and against, and create a poster in favor or opposed to ratification of the ERA.

Objectives:

Describe the second wave of the feminist movement in the United States.
Explain the impact of Title IX.

Scene 1 — Engage

Student Activity

Students read a brief introduction connecting long-term struggles for women’s rights to the second wave of feminism and the goals of the lesson. They examine the cover of the 35th anniversary issue of Ms. magazine and, using a shared table, work as a class to identify the women named on the cover.

Teacher Moves

Review the lesson objectives and provide brief background on the women listed on the Ms. cover (e.g., Gloria Steinem, Billie Jean King, Dolores Huerta), clarifying who they are and why they are significant to women’s rights and culture.

Scene 2 — Explore

Student Activity

Students read background text on the first and second waves of feminism, including the impact of Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique and the founding purpose of the National Organization for Women (NOW). They then read the “Second Wave” section of History of the Women’s Rights Movement to deepen their understanding of key events and legislation. Using a graphic organizer, they identify and define Title VII, Title IX, NOW, and the Equal Rights Amendment. Next, they read Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Know Your IX FAQ) to learn how the law applies to students, and post a brief summary to a class wall explaining how Title IX protects students.

Teacher Moves

Clarify the distinction between the first and second waves of feminism and highlight the significance of The Feminine Mystique and NOW. Support students as they complete the organizer by checking that their definitions of Title VII, Title IX, NOW, and the ERA are accurate and specific. After students post their Title IX summaries, emphasize that Title IX protects all members of federally funded educational communities from discrimination, harassment, and violence, and note its role in expanding access to athletics and other programs.

Scene 3 — Explain

Student Activity

Students examine multiple graphs and charts based on U.S. Census data showing the female-to-male earnings ratio over time, earnings of full-time workers by sex, family poverty rates by family type, and women’s earnings compared to men’s in the same professions. They then explore the Equal Pay Day Calendar to see how pay inequity varies by race and ethnicity. Drawing on these visual data and resources, students write a narrative on a class wall describing the economic issues facing women in the early twenty-first century.

Teacher Moves

Prompt students to interpret trends and disparities in the graphs and connect them to women’s lived economic experiences. After students submit their narratives, share one or more strong or representative responses with the class and facilitate discussion about women’s economic progress and remaining inequalities, including occupational segregation and underrepresentation in top leadership roles.

Scene 4 — Elaborate

Student Activity

Students read background information on the history and ratification status of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), then examine the text of the proposed amendment. Using a two-column graphic organizer, they list arguments for and against ratification of the ERA. They consider how people’s perceptions of threats to their way of life might shape their positions. Finally, students create a visual poster—either digitally or on paper and uploaded—taking a clear stance either in favor of or opposed to ratification of the ERA.

Teacher Moves

Guide students through the ERA text, ensuring they understand its key provisions and the historical context of its ratification efforts. Use questions about how people react to perceived threats to their way of life to deepen discussion of arguments for and against the ERA. Invite volunteers to present their posters and facilitate a respectful class discussion that surfaces multiple perspectives on ratification and connects them to broader debates about gender equality.

Scene 5 — Evaluate

Student Activity

Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.

Teacher Moves

Facilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.