See the changes, controversy, and innovations that define postwar American art. The onset of the modern art era in American history is well-defined in this slide-show. You'll see how Abstract Expressionism shifted into conceptual, pop,...

Analyze visual texts and describe, in writing, what makes them persuasive. Middle schoolers identify the use of persuasive appeals in formal speech writing, and analyze famous speeches from the 20th century. Use these speeches to focus...

Have your class create their own art exhibit. Learners study the exchange of artwork between the Louvre in Paris and two American art museums, and create an introductory exhibit featuring European and American art from the Renaissance...

Groups collaborate to create historical documentaries. In this American Civil Rights lesson, groups research primary and secondary sources about the events and people pertinent to the movement in the 1950s and 1960s. They then use...

When it comes to quality theater, Americans were tardy to the party. A video on early American theater, number 40 on the Crash Course Drama and Theater playlist, shares information about plays during the early 20th century.  Discussions...

Study the origins of investigative journalism with a lesson on inquiry, audience, and evidence. Class members examine passages from Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, the Reynolds report on the conditions in Chicago stockyards in Chicago, and...

What inspires furniture designers? As learners of all ages view examples of woodworking used in French and American furniture, they discuss woodworkers' techniques and inspirations. They identify techniques such as veneering and...

Students examine pieces of art by African-American artists in the 20th Century. For each piece, they are shown slides of the artwork and others by the artist to identify the techniques used. In groups, they discuss and research the...

Literature and social studies are definitely linked, and this lesson pulls them together to construct a great learning activity. The class will read several selections written at the turn of the 20th Century. They analyze ads from the...

Here is a complex lesson plan that interweaves the history of the Jim Crow South and the Great Migration with the study of poetry, art, and blues music from the Harlem Renaissance. The plan helps young historians develop a deep...

Designed to follow a unit on 20th century authors, high schoolers participate in a discussion trying to persuade a panel of scholars which 20th century American author is most influential and should be taught in the fictitious school...

Engage your class in art and history with projects that span multiple disciplines. For this unit, class members research twentieth century history, conduct an interview with someone 60 years old or older, write a biographical narrative,...

Students examine the contributions of African Americans in New Haven, Connecticut in the 19th and 20th centuries. After being introduced to new vocabulary, they review the elements of autobiographies and read excerpts of African...

Race relations in the early 20th century are the focus of a series of activities that asks high schoolers to examine excerpts from five primary source documents to evaluate arguments for and against African American progress....

Images, images. Young people today are surrounded by images and it is critical that they become aware of how they are impacted by these images. Here's a series of activities that encourage learners to develop their skills in reading...

Students explore several themes relevant to the life of Paul Robeson and the social, artistic, & political realities of the first half of the 20th century, identify and interview heroes in their communities, and publish profiles on...

The beginning of the 20th century began with a shock: the assassination of President McKinley. The man who would take his place—the youngest American to ever become president—led quite a life before stepping foot in the Oval Office. An...

Carl Sandburg composed poetry that conveyed a time and place in American Literature and history. Learners identify the literary techniques he uses to describe the historical and cultural context of living in Chicago. They define the...

The formulaic films that once thrilled audiences in the early part of the 20th century now seemed stale after the stark reality of World War II. Foreign films and American independent cinema answered the call for authenticity, leading to...

Fifth graders summarize a decade in the twentieth century and compare it to another decade. They present facts in a Hyperstudio document that includes text, photos, and audio to describe the decade.

Learners investigate the history of African Americans by researching Harlem.  In this culture instructional activity, students examine a slide-show of images and identify the great African American singers and performers of the 20th...

Eleventh graders research entertainment and recreation in the early 20th century using the American Memory collections and From the Hidewood: Memories of a Dakota Neighborhood, a book by Robert Amerson reflecting life in Deuel County,...

Students identify and document their views on the roles of men and women in society today. They examine photographs and interpret the roles of men and women during the first half of the 20th Century.

As part of their study of the Progressive Era, class groups examine a 20th century version of "The Three Little Pigs" through a New Era lens and identify how ideals such as the value of hard work, creativity, and problem solving, etc.,...