The Progressives

Lesson 3: The Progressives
Time Estimated: 1 day
Objectives:

Students will:

  1. Describe Progressivism and its achievements
  2. Evaluate the success of the Progressives
  3. Analyze a political cartoon as a primary source
  4. Create a political cartoon dealing with an issue of the Progressive Era.
Materials:
Strategies:
  1. Display the Lewis Hine photographs that the pairs analyzed at the end of last class and take responses from them as to what each picture tells us about that time period.
  2. Distribute the outline and have students take notes on Progressives. Use the Historical Background for reference. Most of the information is likely to be in a standard textbook chapter that students can read as homework, so this should be more of a discussion and clarification than just note taking. At the end of this present the following question to the students for reflection (and possible essay on the test): Evaluate the Progressive Movement. What were its goals and accomplishments? Was it successful? Be able to justify your response.
  3. Put the political cartoon "Bosses of the Senate" onto the overhead. (either make an overhead transparency or use the computer website to project it. Hand out the chart for analyzing a political cartoon and go through it as an example for the class. (If need be or if time allows, you could then have the students analyze one on their own to make sure they understand the skill. "Looking Backward" is good cartoon on immigration for this.)
  4. Distribute the assignment that asks students to create a political cartoon of their own dealing with an issue of importance during the Progressive Era. See attached Political Cartoon Rubric for detailed directions. They are to work in pairs doing this and will spend the first 30 minutes of next class presenting them to class.
  5. Homework: Finish the political cartoon to turn in at the next class.
Differentiation:

This lesson has direct instruction, review of concepts read the night before, and picture analysis. The culminating activity of the lesson is to create your own political cartoon, which gives more creative students a chance to show their strengths.