20th c. Social Reform Movement Project

300 points

Time Frame: 2 weeks

The 20th Century (1900s) was full of different groups of people striving to make America a better place by correcting many of the injustices that had existed since the founding of our country. These reform movements can be broken up into seven different individual movements.

Individual Part

Reform Movements (choose 1):

  • Women's Liberation Movement
  • African-American Civil Rights
  • Gay Civil Rights
  • The Student Movement & Counterculture of the 1960's
  • Chicano Movement
  • American Indian Movement
  • Save the Earth Movement

Criteria for Topic:

  • What problems caused the movement to emerge?
  • Which groups of people started the reforms?
  • Who were the main people involved in the movement?
  • What are their beliefs?
  • What were the goals of the movement and what did they want to change?
  • What were the methods used by the movement to achieve their goals?
  • What were the accomplishments of the movement?
  • How successful was the movement?
  • Were there any new laws passed?
  • Did any new ideas become popular as a result of the movement?
  • Was anything changed unintentionally?

You will need to collect information on your topic and fill up at least five note cards or 2 pages with your info.

  • You must use at least one physical or digital book (there are many in the LAUSD digital library, as well as at the JFK library). Remember to ask the librarian for help finding a book with the information you are looking for.
  • You should use your textbook as well as the internet for information.
  • You need to cite your sources for each piece of information to get.
  • You need to make sure your note cards are legible since they will be graded for content

Group Part

You will team up with the other people who share your reform movement and teach the class what you have learned about your movement.

You will need to make a presentation that is no longer than 10 minutes.

Criteria for Group Presentation:

  • You will need to find a way to teach the class about the goals, main people, methods, and accomplishments of your reform movement in a serious but entertaining way.
  • Your presentation must include at least one primary source other than a picture.
  • Your presentation needs to have an introduction and conclusion.
  • You need to make a connection to the present time.
  • How would America be different had your reform movement never existed?

Methods of Presentation

  • Slide Show (PowerPoint)
  • Newspaper or new magazine report (on poster board)
  • video documentary (iMovie)
  • website or multimedia project