Twentieth & Twenty-First Century Decades Project
Duration: 4 weeks- to be implemented in conjunction with the U.S. History 11th grade pacing guide as
a culminating project.
Introduction
“Back in my day, things were different.” We’ve all heard that familiar refrain from some of our older
family members or acquaintances, but what do they mean? How different were the days of that
person’s youth? How has life changed since then? Now, imagine you met someone from the distant
future, what would you share to help that person understand what life is like today? Or, if you were to
travel back in time, what clues or evidence would you look for to discover what it was like to live then?
Overview
This Project asks students to investigate the unique character of each decade of the 20th and 21st
Centuries. Students will be divided into groups of three. Groups will be afforded various mediums by
which to present their respective decade to the class; however, all presentations must incorporate three
areas of focus: The United States in the World, Americans Down Home, and Americana.
The United States in the World
This section focuses on interactions between the United States and peoples abroad. Here, students may
discuss U.S. foreign aid; foreign wars involving the United States; diplomacy; U.S. participation at
international summits, conferences, and organizations (i.e. the United Nations, G8, the Washington
Naval Conference, etc.); as well as international events with repercussions to the United States
regardless of direct U.S. involvement (the establishment of the People’s Republic of China).
Americans Down Home
For the purposes of this section, students will concentrate on the important events that took place in
the United States during their given decade. Appropriate topics for this section include, but are not
limited to: domestic politics (including political scandals), natural disasters, economic performance,
technological advancements, as well as details about everyday life.
Americana
Now this section may be the most fun. For the “Americana” section, presentations may include
information on celebrities, film, television, books, language/slang, music and dance, sports, fashion,
toys, trends and fads.
List of Decades:
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1900-1909
1910-1919
1920-1929
1930-1939
1940-1949
1950-1959
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1960-1969
1970-1979
1980-1989
1990-1999
2000-2009
Bibliography
A bibliography of sources used by students must be submitted to the teacher no more than a week after
the project has been assigned. During the first week of the project, students will work toward
identifying appropriate sources for academic research. Bibliographies must be properly formatted and
must include one source per group member, and an indication as to which group member a respective
source is being used by.
Bibliographies will include 20% of the final project grade and are paramount to ensuring proper time
management and research methods by the students.
Presentation Options
PowerPoint/Prezi: Students may create a Prezi or PowerPoint presentation consisting of a title page,
introduction page, at least two pages of information for each of the three areas of focus, and a
bibliography (a printed copy must also be submitted to the teacher). Presentations must include
pictures/graphics and incorporation of audio/visual content is strongly encouraged.
Role Playing/Oral Presentation: For this option, students may dress in costumes representing, use props
from, or incorporate the vocabulary and mannerisms of the appropriate period. Dramatic performances
and oral presentations should utilize various visual aids (poster boards, props, clothing, pictures, film,
etc.) and accurately represent the sights, sounds, ideas, and events of the decade. Music may also be
used to illustrate the culture of the period. Events mentioned in skits or presentations must explain the
various events mentioned.
Film: Students can create and show a film covering the many themes and areas of focus covered by the
project. Actors and presenters in the film should dress in period dress, use appropriate props, and
incorporate the vocabulary and social norms of the time. Films should also make use of the music of the
given decade.
Website: If students feel technically savvy, they may choose this option. Like the PowerPoint option, the
website should include a home/introduction page, at least two pages of information for each of the
three areas of focus, and a bibliography (a printed copy must also be submitted to the teacher).
Websites must include pictures/graphics and incorporation of audio/visual content is strongly
encouraged. (Teachers can arrange for temporary web-space with the school district via the portal)
Participation:
Each group will also be responsible for producing a ten question quiz based on their project. Students in
the audience will be required to submit a completed packet of peer grades quizzes to earn participation
points.
Project Timeline
Week One: Initial Research/Identifying Sources
Due at conclusion of Week One: Bibliography
Weeks Two & Three: Continued Research/Project Planning
Due at conclusion of Week Two: Planning Sheet
-Planning Sheets should include what medium of presentation the group plans to use,
and a simple explanation of the general flow and focus of the presentation.
Due at conclusion of Week Three: Outline
-Outlines should finalize the scope and details of the presentations, students should
include a list of each year in their decade, and the events they wish to discuss
If pressed for time, weeks one, two, and three may be condensed to half weeks.
Week Four: Presentations
Students will present the final week of the project’s duration and be assessed using the rubric
provided.
Resources
Library of Congress: www.loc.gov
National Archives: www.archives.gov
History Channel: www.history.com
AMC Film History: http://www.filmsite.org/filmh.html
Inventor’s HOF: http://www.invent.org/hall_of_fame/1_0_0_hall_of_fame.asp
PBS American Exp. Tech: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/telephone/timeline/timeline_text.html
Bibliographic Resources
Easy Bib: www.easybib.com
Purdue’s Online Writing Lab: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/
Decades Project Scoring Rubric
Focus Areas/Requirements
Focus Area One: The United
States in the World
Did students provide accurate,
appropriate, and substantial
information?
Focus Area Two: Americans At
Home
Did students provide accurate,
appropriate, and substantial
information?
Focus Area Three: Americana
Did students provide accurate,
appropriate, and substantial
information?
Bibliography
Was the required number of
appropriate sources used as
evidence and submitted in the
form of a properly formatted
bibliography?
Time Management
Were all deadlines met and inclass time used to maximum
effect?
Presentation
Did students provide a well
planned, accurate, and resource
rich (with audio/visual material,
graphic ,and images)
presentation following the
project guideline?
Extra Points:
Audio/Video:
Presentation:
Scoring
Score and Comments
20 points
20 points
20 points
20 points
10 points
10 points
Total Points:
/100 Points