Submitted by: Tayne Frye and Terrence Ingram
School: Holman Middle School
Summary
Students will research muckrakers of the Progressive Era and determine their role in Progressive Reforms: Ending/Restricting Child Labor, Improving Working Conditions (Safety), reducing the long hours and increasing pay for Industrial Labor, Ending Political Machines, the Temperance Movement, Women’s Suffrage, Trust Busting (Monopolies), Tenement housing, Food Inspection, and addressing problems of Urbanization (lack of sanitation, need of clean drinking water, and stopping the spread of disease). Students will focus on three muckrakers of this time period and will research the specific role each had in influencing public opinion to bring about reform. The students will also research and find an example of a muckraker today by focusing on a current issue and a public figure who is working to raise public awareness of the issue. The students will also determine if they agree or disagree with the point of view of the modern muckraker and explain the reasons for their opinion.
They will work in groups of 3 to conduct research and create a Promethean Flip Chart Presentation, a presentation with Movie Maker, a Power Point, Digital Story Telling Presentation, or any other media to create an original product. The group will then present their product to the class.
TIPC Ratings
The teacher modeled search strategies and instructed students of the expectation of validating their research and how to accomplish that expectation. Students were structured through their research but they did develop questions to help gather the appropriate information to complete the task. Students used this research to compare issues from the past and present along with the important people who drove those issues to identify trends in history.
The lesson was introduced through teacher and student discussion around the problems during the Industrial Revolution and how society responded to those issues. Students worked in groups of 3 with assigned roles to research and create their presentation on muckrakers.
Students responded to teacher provided higher order thinking questions while researching past and present day muckrakers. Students were applying their understanding of muckrakers and how they impacted society during the Industrial Revolution by choosing a present day figure who embodied those same characteristics.
Student make connections between the subject matter (muckrakers impact on the progressive era) to their impact today. Student summarized their research and applied their understanding by choosing an appropriate modern-day muckraker and explaining their choice.
Student Artifact
