Day 1 - Giving Historical Context

Title of Lesson:
Welcome to the Fifties

Course and Grade Level:

English, 7th

Common Core Standard(s) Covered:

Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats (e.g.,
visually, quantitatively, and orally) and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue under
study. (7.SL.2)
Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text, analyzing each
mediums portrayal of the subject (e.g., how the delivery of a speech affects the impact of the
words). (7.RI.7)
Student Learning Outcomes/Objectives:
Students will be able to:
1. Analyze historical informational media in order to infer attributes of the time period
2. Make connections between three different sources that discuss the same era
Materials:
We Loved Lucy short story
Notebook paper and writing utensils
How Americans Saw Themselves in the1950s article
Motivation/Anticipatory Set:
As soon as class begins, begin Duck and Cover: Bert the Turtle video from YouTube
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKqXu-5jw60). Stop at 3:30 and ask the students to briefly
respond on paper to the following questions:
1. What is this video about?
2. What might be the purpose of this video?
3. How does this video make you feel? What is the tone?
After several minutes, spend a couple minutes discussing these responses before passing out the
article How Americans Thought of Themselves in the 1950s.
Activities:
1. Read the article aloud to the class as they follow along. Pause at unfamiliar words and
historical references and probe class to explain them to get a feel of how much the class knows
about this era. Create a list of attributes of the fifties on the whiteboard and add to the list
throughout class.
2. Encourage students to keep these attributes in mind as they closely watch the remainder of
Duck and Cover.
3. Next, pass out the short story, We Loved Lucy by Trudy Krishner. Have students read the
decade introduction pages 110 and 111 quietly together in groups. Students will list out all

connections they see between Duck and Cover, the Post article, and the short story
introduction before sharing with the class. Add additional ideas to the whiteboard list and
emphasize the final paragraph of the introduction to prepare the students for beginning the story
the next day.
Assessment:
Students will be assessed by:
1. Their participation during discussion. All students should participate at least once.
2. Their completion of the bellwork.
3. Their groups list of connections between the three texts.
Troubleshooting:
1. In case the video fails to play, have the script printed out to share with the class, complete with
pictures of the friendly Bert the Turtle and various screenshots of other important images from
the video, such as the animated bombs and shots of children hiding under desks. Read aloud
sections of the video and carry out the activities as planned.