HISTORY LESSON PREPARATION

Transcription

1 UNIT: Economy of the 1920s HISTORY LESSON PREPARATION CHC2D From the Ministry of Education: The Ontario Curriculum Grades 9 & 10 This course explores the local, national, and global forces that have shaped Canada s national identity from World War 1 to the present. Students will investigate the challenges presented by economics, social, and technological changes and explore the contributions of individuals and groups to Canadian culture and society during this period. Students will use critical-thinking and communication skills to evaluate various interpretations of the issues and events of the period and to present their own points of view. Overall Expectations By the end of this course, students will: Explain how local, national, and global influences have helped shape Canadian identity; Analyze the impact of external forces and events on Canada and its policies since 1914; Analyze the impact of scientific and technological developments on Canadians Portal/Concept to aid in exploring historical events (Seixas and Peck 2004, Seixas 2006) Evidence and Interpretation: These questions invite students to examine primary documents for authenticity and reliability, and secondary sources for accuracy, bias, and plausibility. The goal of examining evidence is to learn how to use both primary and secondary sources to construct and assess credible accounts of the past. (Denos, 2008) In this lesson students will interrogate popular accounts of the 1920s as a period of economic, commercial and technological boom. They will compare accounts found in their textbooks with various primary and secondary sources (posters, newspaper excerpts) from the period to problematize the Roaring moniker historians have attributed to the period. Critical Challenge Students will examine various sources from the 1920s in effort to destabilize the canonical notion of the 1920s as a period of national prosperity. They will weigh their textbooks amid other sources in an effort to critique the pieces. In a culminating designing to spec exercise, students will produce a political cartoon to depict the conditions of specific underprivileged groups in the face of national hegemonic practices. Teaching for the tools Background Knowledge: Students will acquire content knowledge from various sources through a variety of activities. Criteria for Judgment: Students will investigate for evidence to determine if the 1920 s was as nationally prosperous a period, as is often purported. This evidence will be weighed against popular accounts. Students will also work in plenary to determine what criteria determines a successful political cartoon. Critical Thinking Vocabulary: Analysis, Critique, Inference, Interpretation, Perspective, Reasoned Judgment. Thinking Strategies: Asking questions to probe, examine issues from various perspectives, breaking complex challenges into manageable bits. Habits of Mind: Inquiring mind, critically minded, Independent-minded, attentive to detail. Thinking with others: Respectful, constructive, inclusive, accommodating.

2 UNIT: Economy of the 1920s HISTORY CHC2D Learning Targets for the Unit Regardless how rigorously researched or thoroughly investigated an account of history is; all accounts are biased and partial. The Canadian experience is largely influenced by citizenship; one s rights and privileges. To develop a more concise understanding for the shaping of a national identity, it is important to problematize and interrogate popular historical accounts to expose what perspectives are not being represented. Aims: Students will 1) Learn about the popular historical account of the 1920s. 2) Critique the popular account of the 1920 s by interpreting and analyzing primary and secondary sources. 3) Produce a political cartoon depicting what life was like for certain groups in the 1920s. Materials Laptop Power Point LCD projector Projector screen Archive Cards Sets 1 & 2 Archive Task Sheet Textbook Assignment Hand Out STAGE LESSON NOTES Review Deal with any housekeeping issues. Review of previous lesson, e.g. last class we looked at Field any questions or concerns that may have surfaced. Ask content questions at random to reinforce salient points. 5 min. Plenary MENTAL SET PART 1 Global Inferential Task 7 min. Plenary, Pairs or Small Groups Introduce the lesson topic: The economy of the 1920 s Introduce the aims of the lesson (written on side board) Begin PowerPoint Display Toronto circa 2008 [Slide 2] Have students work together to make inferences about the following 3 things: 1) The people in the picture (Who are they? What can you tell me about them?) 2) The economy of the period (What might a busy or not-so-busy place suggest?) 3) Whether the picture is an accurate depiction of Toronto in Reinforce the task if necessary with example questions: e.g. Where are they? What kind of people come here? Is it busy? What might this suggest? Concept check to make sure students understand the task. If necessary, have them repeat the 3 things they will be looking for in the picture. Field answers from volunteers. NOTE: Observe (but don t necessarily make explicit) what things are not being mentioned. This will be re-visited later. Right now students are discovering how they will approach a resource. Laptop PowerPoint (Slide 1 & 2) LCD Projector Screen Assessment for learning

3 STAGE MENTAL SET PART 2 Global Inferential Task 8 min. Pairs or Small Groups, Plenary PICTURE POSTER HEADLINE SPEC 1 15 min. Plenary, Pairs or Small Group Continue PowerPoint Display Toronto circa 1928 [Slide 3] Have students work together to make inferences about the same 3 things: 4) The people in the picture 5) The economy of the period 6) Whether the picture is an accurate depiction of Toronto in NOTE: Again, observe (but don t necessarily make explicit) what things are not being mentioned. This will be re-visited later. This picture is a transition point to set up the thinking and theme of the next activity. Continue PowerPoint Display Archaeological Dig [Slide 4] Explain that you were performing an archaeological dig with the history department in the school archives and found a time capsule labelled Economy 1920s. Inside there were artefacts from the 1920s: - newspaper pictures - newspaper headlines - posters from the 1920 s. LESSON Stop PowerPoint on [Slide 4] where it reads Let s take a look at the artefacts we found inside and What are your impressions of the 1920 s Explain that you will be distributing these artefacts with an Archive Task Sheet. Tell students they will work together to record their impressions of the period on the task sheet based on the artefact they get Distribute Archive Cards (Set 1), 1 per every 2-3 students Distribute Archive Task Sheet, 1 to every student Make sure that all 10 cards have been distributed to the class. Set 8-10 minutes for the task Follow up some of the observations AND encourage students to record them. Establish that the popular account of the 1920s was a time of: - Commerce, lucrative markets, consumer activity (e.g. banks reaching gold standard, increase in sales) - Technological innovation, growing industries (e.g. cars, planes, batteryless radios, etc.) - Employment opportunities (e.g. farm work, factory work, social service sector) - Luxurious and exciting pastimes (e.g. jazz clubs, rise in tourism, women in sports). NOTES Laptop Power Point (Slide 3) LCD Projector Screen LapTop Power Point [Slide 4] LCD Projector Screen Archive Cards Set 1 Archive Task Sheet

4 STAGE TRANSITION Plenary PICTURE POSTER HEADLINE SPEC 2 25 min. Whole Group Mingle 15 min. Plenary Groups POLITICAL CARTOON ASSIGNMENT (HAND OUT) WRAP UP LESSON Begin this segment by asking students what their impressions were of life in the 1920s and if they think that it was better or worse than in the 2000 s. Allow students to work with a partner and determine a name that would accurately depict the period. Allow only a few minutes for this task. Field answers and tell them that the common name used to refer to the period is The Roaring Twenties. Return to the PowerPoint [Slide 4] Now inform students that during your archaeological dig you also found another time capsule deep in the vaults of the school s archive. Divulge that you found more artefacts. Explain to students that these items (Archive Card Set 2) will be distributed around the class. For this activity encourage students to walk around the classroom to collect more info for their task sheet. Allow 15 minutes for this activity and follow-up Establish: which groups did not benefit in the Roaring 20 s : - Aboriginals - Factory Workers - Immigrants (especially in urban centres) - Maritime Residents (especially fishermen) - Miners - Women Students have been working primarily with visual sources. Maintain the theme with the following culminating activity. Display [Slide 5] In history there are always other perspectives Ask students why it is important to know these perspectives. Possible answers: To better understand circumstances today, To inform our actions towards equity & social justice Display [Slide 6] and leave projected political cartoon on screen. Examine what criteria makes for a good political cartoon. Allow students to work as a group to choose one of the under represented groups of the 1920 s. Ask students to use their textbooks to find out more about why their chosen underrepresented group did not benefit during this period. Have them complete their task sheets as well. Encourage students to infer upon other reasons why their underrepresented group did not experience the same levels of success as other Canadians. Instruct students to produce a political cartoon illustrating this. Set this assignment to be presented and submitted in a week by groups with a 2-page written report justifying the illustration and caption. Students must cite 2 sources other than the textbook. Today we learned about the popular account of the 1920 s and why it is also important to challenge popular accounts of history. NOTES LapTop Power Point [Slide 5 & 6] LCD Projector Screen Archive Cards Set 2 LapTop Power Point [Slide 5 & 6] LCD Projector Screen [Slide 6] Elicit: Good Political Cartoons: have a sense of humour have a clear topic/focus are critical in nature are clever with or without a caption

5 Archive Cards (Set 1) The Popular Account of the 1920 s (cut out before class)

6 Archive Cards (Set 1) The Popular Account of the 1920 s (cut out before class)

7 Archive Cards (Set 2) The Underrepresented Groups of the 1920 s (cut out before class)

8 Archive Cards (Set 2) The Underrepresented Groups of the 1920 s (cut out before class)

9 Archive Task Sheet 1920s Who/What When Significance Highlights Highlights Concerns Concerns People

10 CHC2D 1920 s Assignment In groups, produce a political cartoon commenting on what life was like for someone (or group of people) who did not benefit during the The Roaring Twenties. Accompanying this illustration should be a 2-page report (500 words) that: 1. Informs why this person or group did not benefit during this period 2. Explains your picture in detail 3. Cites two additional sources outside your textbook Also,remember our criteria for a good political cartoon: 1. It should have a sense of humour (but not necessarily funny) 2. It should have a clear topic/focus 3. It should be critical in nature 4. It should try to be clever (with or without a caption) Groups will present their political cartoons next week for 10 minutes. Please provide copies for your peers and be prepared to answer questions from the class.