American History
Decade’s Project
Task: In Groups of 1-3 choose one decade to research. Give a 4-8 minute presentation on your decade. The
following is a possible list of topics you may choose to cover. You may choose to research topics that are
not on the list, but please clear them with Miss. Hagberg.
POSSIBLE IDEAS
1970’s
Watergate, stagflation, SALT treaties, Camp David Accords, Iran Hostage Crisis, Pet Rock, Disco dance craze,
Carter elected president, Apollo 13, Elvis dies, Jim Jones mass suicide, gas shortage, invention of PC, Star Wars,
Roe v. Wade, antiwar protests, Son of Sam, New York City blackout, Studio 54, 2nd Wounded Knee, Andy
Warhol, Spiro Agnew resigns, Three Mile Island, Cesar Chavez, All in the Family, SNL, “Battle of the Sexes”
tennis match, Title IX
1980’s
Challenger explosion, rise of AIDS, “Miracle” Olympic Hockey Team, boycott of 1980 Summer Olympics,
Reagan Elected President, Iran Contra affair, Sandra Day O’Connor sworn into Supreme Court, Fall of Berlin
Wall, invasion of Grenada, crack cocaine, Michael Jackson, Reagan shot, Soviets invade Afghanistan, ET, San
Francisco earthquake, rap music, Lakers vs. Celtics, cable television, John Lennon assassinated, NKOTB,
Cabbage Patch dolls,
1990’s
Persian Gulf War, Magic Johnson announces he has HIV, rise of Internet, NAFTA, U.S. withdraws from
Somalia, Clinton Impeachment, Ross Perot, 1992 election, Jordan retires, MLB homerun race, Oklahoma City
Bombing, Chicago Bulls, WTC bombing, standoff at Waco, Titanic, grunge music, Tupac murder, gay rights
movement, Oprah, country music, Dallas Cowboys, Rodney King, South Central LA riots, Catholic Church abuse
scandal, Columbine shooting, cloning, Tickle-me Elmo, OJ Simpson, Napster, Contract with America
2000’s
Bush-Gore election, Afghanistan War, Iraq War, John McCain, Barrack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin,
Boy Bands, Britney Spears, LeBron James, Y2k bug, Virginia Tech shootings, Hurricane Katrina, No Child Left
Behind, Online Social Networking, 2008-09 Recession, Bank Bailouts, steroids in MLB, Wii, “Green” living,
global warming, Tiger Woods, Bernie Madoff same-sex marriage debate, Mars Rover, Nancy Pelosi (we’ll cover
9/11 in class)
Decade Project Assessment—40 points Total



4 points
Work Ethic- students use class time appropriately and stay on task
8points
Presentation Time-

20points
Presentation content -Need at least five important events of the decade including:
a) At least one example of music, movie, poetry, literature, or dance of the decade.
b) At least one politician/political event of the decade who was important.
c) At least one social issue of importance during the decade (ie. AIDS).

8 points
presentation!
Creativity- Pictures, music, books, clothing, movies--anything to liven up your
1 person—minimum 4 minutes (8 minute maximum)
2 people---minimum 6 minutes (10 minute maximum)
3 people---minimum 8 minutes (12 minute maximum)
Students will also be graded upon the quality of the time they use
in their presentation (no time fillers!)
Name(s)__________________________________

4 points
Work Ethic- students use class time appropriately and stay on task

8points
Presentation Time-

20points
Presentation content -Need at least five important events of the decade including:
a) At least one example of music, movie, poetry, literature, or dance of the decade.
b) At least one politician/political event of the decade who was important.
c) At least one social issue of importance during the decade (ie. AIDS).

8 points Creativity- Pictures, music, books, clothing, movies--anything to liven up your presentation!
1 person—minimum 4 minutes (8 minute maximum)
2 people---minimum 6 minutes (10 minute maximum)
3 people---minimum 8 minutes (12 minute maximum)
Students will also be graded upon the quality of the time they use in
their presentation (no time fillers!)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
TOTAL=
Name(s)__________________________________

4 points
Work Ethic- students use class time appropriately and stay on task

8points
Presentation Time-

20points
Presentation content -Need at least five important events of the decade including:
a) At least one example of music, movie, poetry, literature, or dance of the decade.
b) At least one politician/political event of the decade who was important.
c) At least one social issue of importance during the decade (ie. AIDS).

8 points Creativity- Pictures, music, books, clothing, movies--anything to liven up your presentation!
1 person—minimum 4 minutes (8 minute maximum)
2 people---minimum 6 minutes (10 minute maximum)
3 people---minimum 8 minutes (12 minute maximum)
Students will also be graded upon the quality of the time they use in
their presentation (no time fillers!)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
TOTAL=