INSTRUCTIONAL SCRIPT P.E.O.P.L.E. 9TH GRADE: U.S. HISTORYACTIVITY
3: Debate: The Roaring 20s and Prohibition are to Blame for Today’s Consumer
Society.- FILMING
LOCATION: We’re here on State Street, amidst all of the shops and
restaurants, because this week’s TV News Debate show segment is about
consumerism! You will be taking an
actual topic from your U.S. History class – the Roaring 20s and Prohibition –
and creating a debate to decide whether or not it’s too blame for all the
pressure we feel to buy the latest fashions, newest smart phones, and eat at
the coolest restaurants.
- Review
the semester-long project goal: The goal of this enrichment project is for
you to create your own cable news TV talk show, and in the process, develop
your Media Literacy skills so at least YOU KNOW when the TV is feeding you
objective news reporting vs. misleading and biased information. This week’s activity will be the notes you
will use to create one of your fake cable news segments.
- Today’s
focus is on: the United States during the 1920s – a time of EXTREME
financial success at almost every socio-economic level in the country. The rich became much richer, and the poor –
most of them stayed poor, but they were not “as poor” if you know what I mean. All of this “extra” money allowed working
class and middle class people to have leisure time for jazz shows, the new
“talkie” movies, and – since alcoholic was illegal – normally “good” people visited
illegal bars and speakeasies. Some
people blame this era for the rise of consumerism, which is the belief that
happiness can be achieved by purchasing material goods.
- When you
view the text, be sure to look for: evidence that supports the claim that
consumerism’s hold on 2015 society got its start nearly 100 years ago back in
the 1920s. At the same time, look for
details that support the counter-argument that instead of promoting
consumerism, the 1920s lifestyle supported freedom of expression, new styles of
art and music, and helped inspire the civil rights movement. Both arguments can be made – as long as you
select the appropriate supporting details.
- The goal
is for you to be able to: express an individual belief that is supported by
evidence and facts. This is called
interpretation, and is very different from simply having an opinion because
opinions do NOT have to be supported with facts and evidence.
- Remember, the tutor or PEOPLE staff person
working with you is a student just like you during social studies
enrichment. Work together to complete
the activity and place all work in the submission folder before leaving home
base.
- Tags
-