Journey Through History

An In-Depth Look at the Progressives

The Progressive Era lasted from roughly the 1890s to 1920. The Progressives were not a cohesive group with one strategy or even a single agenda. They simply wanted to improve society. However, their legacy and contributions are much debated. Read more »

The Oral History Project is a semester-long project that I do with an advanced college-prep 20th Century History Class. Students research a major event of the 20th Century, find an interview subject, write questions, conduct an interview, and transcribe the interview.

The project allows students to gain practice in a number of social studies skills and life skills. Students become “experts” in a particular area of history, and they serve a very important function of documenting someone’s history, which might not have been done otherwise. They write for a variety of audiences in a variety of modes including: letters to their subjects, annotated bibliographies, and a reflective journal. Perhaps even more importantly, they work on interpersonal skills and make a connection with an older person in the community.

The project can be used in its entirety, or individual pieces may be useful to different teachers. It can also be modified to suit many grade levels. For example, teachers of younger students might bring interview subjects into the classroom or students might interview family members. Please click to download the complete Word Document.

The 1920s was an exciting time for many in America. Also called the Jazz Age, many exciting changes in American culture were taking place. The purpose of this Webquest is for you to get a flavor for the times. Enjoy! You will spend 50-55 minutes exploring at least one aspect of culture from the 1920s. Then, you will venture back to the classroom to create a magazine cover that focuses on the area you learned about and is representative of the times. Read more »

Introduction: As the map below indicates, the Puritans had an enormous influence on the development of New England, including Connecticut. The purpose of this Webquest is for you to learn about these influential settlers and to practice your research, cooperative, and oral presentation skills.

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