Snapshot: The Decades

The Roaring ‘20s: Expert Groups

Students break into groups and research the Roaring ‘20s. Each group chooses one of the topics listed below. Their group specializes on that topic and presents the information that they find to the rest of the class.

Standards

Social Studies
Grade 10

History, Benchmark F
The United States in the 20th Century
9. Analyze the major political, economic and social developments of the 1920s including:

e. The Roaring ‘20s.

Skills and Methods, Benchmark B
Communicating Information
3. Analyze one or more issues and present a persuasive argument to defend a position.

a. National Organization of Women (NOW).
b. American Indian Movement (AIM).
c. United Farm Workers.

Objectives

Student will research topics associated with the Roaring ‘20s.
Students will discuss and write seven facts about each topic.
Students will present what they have learned to the class as a whole.

Time Needed
This lesson should take no more than five classroom periods: two periods to research the topic, one to prepare the presentation and one or two to make group presentations.

Procedure

Divide the students into five groups.
The teacher can put the topics on cards and have a random selection or direct which group gets which topic. Each group will become an expert on the topic selected for it.
Students in each group will research their topic. They will be responsible for finding at least seven of the most important facts about their topic.
The students in each group will present their findings, teaching all seven facts that they have learned. Students should think about how they learn best and model that technique in their presentations.
Presentations could be in formats including posters, video, PowerPoint, skits or songs.
Students in each group may also give a quiz about their topic.

Topics

Movies and radio
Fads and fashion
The lives of women (i.e., Flappers)
“Flaming Youth”
Automobiles

Materials

Student worksheet
Internet
Text reference

Resources

Fads and Fashions

Fads and Fashion, http://www.angelfire.com/co/pscst/fads.html
Flappers in the Roaring ‘20s, http://history1900s.about.com/od/1920s/a/flappers.htm
The 1920s (A hotlist) http://www.aclibrary.org/teenroom/1920s.asp
Through the Decades: A WebQuest From Flappers to Rappers, http://chesterfield.k12.va.us/~mwetzel/decades/decades.html

The Lives of Women

West Virginia History: “Women’s Work Never Done,” http://www.wvculture.org/history/journal_wvh/wvh49-3.html

“Flaming Youth”

The Jazz Age: Flapper Culture and Style, http://www.geocities.com/flapper_culture/
Flap Over Flappers, http://www.assumption.edu/users/McClymer/his394/FlapoverFlappers.html

Automobile

Automobiles of the 1920s, http://www.msad54.k12.me.us/MSAD54Pages/skow/CurrProjects/1920s/1920mgj/dreamweaver.html
Automobiles in the Progressive and New Eras, http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/timeline/progress/autos/autos.html

Evaluation

Quizzes over the material presented
Group Presentation Rubric

Group Presentation Rubric

	Exemplary (4 points)	Accomplished (3 points)	Developing (2 points)	Beginning (1 points)
Organization	Students present information in logical sequence that audience can follow.	Students present information in logical sequence that audience can follow. There are only minor organizational problems.	Audience has difficulty following presentation because presentation jumps around.	Audience cannot understand presentation because there is no sequence of information.
Subject Knowledge	Students demonstrate full knowledge (more than required) by answering all class questions with explanations and elaboration.	Students are at ease with expected answers to all questions, but fail to elaborate.	Students are uncomfortable with information and are able to answer only rudimentary questions.	Students do not have grasp of information and cannot answer questions about subject.
Public Speaking	Students use a clear voice and correct, precise pronunciation of terms so that all audience members can hear presentation.	Students’ voices are clear. Students pronounce most words correctly. Most audience members can hear presentation.	Students’ voices are low. Students incorrectly pronounces terms. Audience members have difficulty hearing presentation.	Students mumble, incorrectly pronounce terms and speak too quietly for entire audience to hear.
Group Participation	Everyone in the group participates in the presentation.	Three people in the group participates in the presentation.	Two people in the group participates in the presentation.	One person in the group did the entire presentation.
Use of Graphics and/or Props	Students’ graphics and/or props explain and support presentation.	Students’ graphics and/or props relate to text and presentation.	Students occasionally use graphics and/or props that rarely support text and presentation.	Students use unnecessary graphics and/or props or no graphics and/or props.