Lesson Plans
Music and U.S. Reform History: Stand Up and Sing
Throughout American history, popular music has reflected the mood and opinions of the times. By analyzing sheet music and song sheets, students explore issues related to industrialization and reform to answer the essential question, "How does society respond to change?" After, students work in groups to create song sheets about reform topics from the Progressive era and also from the present.
Investigative Journalists: The Muckrakers
Students analyze primary sources to learn about the muckrakers, a group of journalists at the turn of the twentieth century who were among the first in the press to expose social and economic injustices through investigative reporting and photojournalism. After, students write a short news article on a current issue with a social justice focus.