Download Reflections on the Most Significant Decade of the 20th Century.

THE Decade of the 20th Century 1960-2010
Introduction / Task / Process / Resources / Evaluation / Conclusion / Teacher's Notes
Introduction
The twentieth century. One hundred years of human history which encompassed a century of phenomenal change and technological
marvels. It was a century of dramatic human endeavor and achievement... social change and social upheaval... a century which
dawned with the horse and buggy and closed with space travel viewed as routine; the telegraph giving way to cyber travel at the click
of a "mouse."
You are a member of a team of researchers. Your team's task is to explore the decades of the twentieth century and identify the
decade which, in your team's opinion, is the most significant historically.
Task
You will investigate through the use of the internet the decades of the twentieth century by visiting the websites linked below. Each
link will transport you through a series of links to a wealth of information about the twentieth century. Listed below are areas of
inquiry you may wish to consider in your analytical process.
> What significant events occurred during that decade which had a major impact on history?
> Who were the important people who made significant contributions?
> What were the major scientific and medical breakthroughs?
> What were the important inventions and who were the inventors?
> Who were the social thinkers? Philosophers? Political activists?
> Who were the writers and major works of literature? Major artists and works of art?
> What was the popular culture like? Entertainment? Sports? Leisure activities?
> What music and songs were popular? Who were the artists? Popular cinema or movies?
Process
1. Your team will consist of three or four people to work with.
2. Keep in mind that your team's final goal is to identify the most significant decade of the century.
3. All team members will be researchers. One helpful strategy is to divide the areas of inquiry listed above among the group
members.
4. While exploring the decades, and the events in them, sort the information into a table similar to the example below. A larger form
of this will need to be developed. All decades should be researched. Keep your research notes to be handed in when this project is
completed. After all the decades have been researched, the team members will decide which decade will be identified as the most
significant of the 20th century. That information will be used for presentation purposes.
Events
1900-1909
1910-1919
1920-1929
1930-1939
1940-1949
1950-1959
1960-1969
People
Science
Inventors
Thinkers
Writers
Popular
Culture
Music &
Songs
Cinema &
Movies
1970-1979
1980-1989
1990-1999
5. Your team will finally create a PowerPoint presentation of your findings to explain which decade is the most significant and why
your team selected it.
6. Teams will take turns presenting their group's findings to the rest of the class.
7. Students will be assessed by the teacher using an evaluation rubric.
8. As a final assessment, students will "reflect" upon this webquest assignment by writing a Reflection ... (see teacher's notes below).
Resources
People's Century is a PBS website providing links to turbulent events with insight given through the testimony of people who
lived through them.
20th Century America presents links to many key events and historical texts, primarily through links to several Presidential
libaries.
Yahoo's 20th Century is a directory for history and the humanities with links to the decades.
Encarta Online provides links to in depth social history from the 50's through the 80's including sports, fashion, music, art and
fads. It was created in collaboration with the U.S. Postal Service.
The Sixties is primarily a lighthearted pop culture site with some links to serious subjects such as the Vietnam War.
The 1920's looks at the Jazz Age, includes a timeline and links to people and trends.
American History Sources for Students presents many links to broad historical categories and links to decades.
Twentieth Century History by the Decades is a comprehensive site offering links to diverse subjects and links to the centuries.
This resource was posted by Chico High School, Chico, Calif.
Evaluation/Assessment (Click here to view printable version)
Beginning
Developing
Accomplished
Exemplary
Scoring Rubric
SCORE
1
General Research
Selected Decade
of Focus
Technical Quality
of presentation
2
Research is minimal; less Research is completed on
than four decades are
at least four decades and
researched
most of the categories
At least four categories
are completed for this
chosen decade
Research shows depth of
understanding in at least
six categories of chosen
decade
PowerPoint is not
PowerPoint is minimally
developed; fewer than six
developed; at least 10
slides; minimal effort is
slides of adequate
evident
technical quality
Historical
quality of
Presentation
Poor research is evident;
topic not developed
Team Work
Members wasted time;
minimal effort
3
4
Research is completed on
All decades are
at least eight decades;
researched; all categories
categories are also
are completed for each
complete
_______
All categories are
completed with numerous
detailed entries; a
complete profile of this
decade
_______
PowerPoint is of high
PowerPoint is of superior
quality; at least 15 slides; quality; at least 20 slides;
some images imported;
images; graphics
some transitions and
included; animations and
animations
transitions
_______
Complete and detailed
research in at least eight
categories of chosen
decade
Decade is adequately
explained; but
information is not
complete
Decade is fully explained;
well researched and
creatively presented
Exceptional research
quality; decade is
completely researched
and artfully presented
Members worked well
most of the time;
coordinated their efforts
Members consistently
worked well; coordinated
work and accomplished
goals
Outstanding team effort;
strong work ethic;
accomplished all goals
SCORE Maximum of
20
_______
_______
_______
Conclusion
You have completed an ambitious look back at the 20th century. By selecting one decade on which to focus, you have developed a
better understanding of that space in time as part of American history.
Through team work you have created a unique presentation exhibiting your knowledge in a creative format. It is the goal of this
webquest to create historical awareness of our collective past... to appreciate our accomplishments and learn from mistakes in order to
build a better future.
Teacher's Notes
1. This webquest is an ambitious retrospective of the 20th century.
2. It is assumed students have at least limited experience with navigating the internet links.
3. Group students (3 to 4) or allow students to self select groups.
4. Give students ample time to research all the decades. Because the scope of this project is so large, you may wish to
divide this into pieces and assign points for various stages of research completion along the way. One method may also
be to allow this project to be on-going over the course of an academic quarter or semester. Instruct students to keep all
notes. (Perhaps a file or portfolio stored in the classroom would work for this.)
5. This project is appropriate for upper middle or high school level.
6. If available technology does not enable PowerPoint presentation, this project may be modified to the creation of a
series of charts accompanied with visual aids.
7. Some instruction for students may be required for PowerPoint, particularly inserting images, etc. from the internet.
The use of a projection device is recommended for PowerPoint instruction and for the group presentations.
8. After completion and evaluation of your students, you may wish to instruct them to write their feelings, opinions,
suggestions, etc. in a brief in-class assignment... "Reflections on the Most Significant Decade of the 20th Century."
This will give you valuable insight as to how well this project worked; what they learned, etc. Be sure to provide a
short list of questions (or points to consider) to guild their reflective writing.
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS
1960-1969
First televised U.S presidential debate (1960)
Berlin Wall built (1961)
South Korean first 5-year plan for economic reform begins (1962)
Silent Spring published (1962)
Partial Test-Ban Treaty prohibits nuclear explosions (1964)
Berkeley Free Speech Movement gains momentum (1964)
Beatles appear on the Ed Sullivan show: 73 million viewers (1965)
U.S. enters Vietnam War (1965)
“The Feminine Mystique” is published (1965)
Civil Rights Act adopted in U.S.
Chinese Cultural Revolution begins (1966)
March on Pentagon to protest Vietnam War (1967)
Corporation for Public Broadcasting established (1968)
Paris police and protestors clash (1968)
Woodstock music festival (1969)
1970-1979
U.S. Environment protection Agency created (1970)
Taking of Israeli hostages televised around the world (1972)
U.S. withdraws from Vietnam (1973)
North Vietnam and South Vietnam reunited as one country (1975)
Mao Tse Tung dies (1976)
Uprising in Soweto, South Africa (1976)
Shah of Iran declares martial law (1978)
Soviet troops enter Afghanistan (1979)
Islamic militants take hostages at U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran (1979)
1980-1989
Polish strikes inspire Solidarity movement (1980)
Residents’ severe health problems linked to Love Canal, N.Y., chemical dump (1980)
Global Eradication of smallpox declared (1980)
HIV identified (1981)
Equal Rights Amendment bill defeated (1982)
Toxic gas leak from insecticide plant in Bhopal, India (1985)
Chernobyl nuclear accident (1986)
Japan becomes world’s top lender (1986)
Gorbachev introduces glasnost and perestroika (1986)
Berlin Wall torn down (1989)
1990-1999
Pat Robertson runs for U.S. President (1990)
Namibia, Africa’s last colony, gains independence (1990)
Soviet Union dissolved (1991)
Cold War ends (1991)
War begins in former Yugoslavia (1991)
Mandela elected in South Africa’s first free elections (1994)
World Trade Organization ratified (1995)
THE IMPORTANT PEOPLE
1960-1969
Dwight Eisenhower, American President
John F. Kennedy, American President
Fidel Castro, Cuban President
Mao Zedong, leader of Communist Party of China
Ho Chi Minh, Prime Minister and President of North Vietnam
Charles de Gaulle, French President
Nikita Khrushchev, Soviet politician
1970-1979
1980-1989
1990-1999
Neil Armstrong, an astronaut
Richard Nixon, America’s President
Pierre Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
Pol Pot, the leader of the Communist Party of Kampuchea
Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India
Emperor Hirohito, Japanese emperor
Helmut Schmidt, German SPD politician
Anwar Sadat, Egyptian politician and President
Leonid Brezhnev, Soviet politician
Milton Friedman, Professor of Economics
Ronald Reagan,
Pierre Trudeau
Helmut Kohl
Mikhail Gorbachev
Bill Clinton, American President
Boris Yeltsin
Vladimir Putin
Bill Gates