Roaring Twenties unit contains 7 learning experiences.
Learning Experiences (Lessons) in Roaring Twenties Each learning experience takes about 45 minutes to teach in the device-enabled classroom.
Roaring Twenties: Vocabulary
Students engage with key vocabulary related to the boom in the United States between World War I and the Great Depression. The experience can be used as an introduction or a review at the end of the unit.
The Great Migration
Students learn why African Americans migrated from the rural South to the urban areas of the Northeast and Midwest beginning in 1910 in what was called The Great Migration. Students examine the “push and pull” reasons for the migration. They also explore the positive and negative outcomes on migrants’ lives and the impact on the population that already existed. Students then learn about the effect of population growth on the physical environment of cities.
The Shifting National Mood
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.
The Harlem Renaissance
Students imagine the source of the term “flapper dress.” Then they watch a video and read about the rise of the Harlem Renaissance. Next they choose an art form—poetry, visual art, dance, or music—and analyze a specific work from the period. Finally they analyze a poem by Langston Hughes and the concept of a “dream deferred.”
The Red Scare and Labor Tensions
Students read the lyrics to a song from 1919 and predict what the Red Scare was. Then they study the historical background of the Soviet Union (optional). Next they watch a video and learn about the Red Scare and identify three causes. They explain the connection between labor unrest and the Red Scare. Finally they analyze a historical source about the Red Scare and infer the political views of the person who created the source.
Prohibition and Repeal of the 18th Amendment
Students define the word prohibition and predict what the Prohibition Era forbid. Then they examine the text of the Eighteenth Amendment and learn about unintended consequences. Next they watch a video about the rise of organized crime and other negative side effects of Prohibition. Finally they learn about the repeal of Prohibition and write slogans for and against the Twenty-first Amendment.
