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Duration
More than 90 minutes
Topic(s)
  • Current Events
  • Journalism
  • Politics
  • Women's Rights
Grade(s)
  • 7-12

(Note: For more support, see expanded procedure in downloadable lesson plan.)

  1. In advance, review the sample worksheet in the lesson plan packet. You may wish to distribute it to your students, as well.Create a large chart on the board for students to fill in using the Change/Continuity template.
  2. With students, distribute copies of Things Change, Things Stay the Same worksheet.
  3. Divide the class into six groups and assign each a time period to review. Allow 30-50 minutes to complete the worksheet, in class or for homework.
  4. Using their completed worksheets, students collaborate to fill in your Change/Continuity chart.

  • Things Change, Things Stay the Same worksheet (download), one per student
  • Change/Continuity template (in downloadable lesson plan),
  • Researching Cultural Context worksheet (download, optional)
  • Internet access to view the woman suffrage timeline

Review and discuss the class findings. Prompts include:

  • What might explain the changes in key people from one time period to another? In strategies used? In arguments? Urge students to consider both how/why the explanation may vary from category to category and how/ why some forces could cause changes in multiple categories. Example: forces that cause changes in the key people involved in the movement, such as human life span, may not affect argument/strategies the resolution of a conflict may lead to the exit of some key people from the exit of some key people from the movement or the addition of others.
  • What might explain the things that stayed the same from one time period to another?
  • Between which time periods does there appear to be the greatest change? The least change? Why do you think this is?
  • Which changes do you think had the greatest effect on the progress of the movement and why?

The Influence of Culture: Have your students conduct independent research on the cultural context profile of their assigned time period. You may wish to use the Researching Cultural Context woksheet. As a class, students use their findings to revise their Change/Continuity template answers. Discuss:

  • How might the cultural context have shaped the movement? For example, did political issues or popular forms of entertainment shape the arguments the movement used? Did transportation or technological developments affect the movement’s strategies for spreading its message?
  • There are many obvious changes from 1776-1920, but has anything stayed the same?
  • How do you think today’s cultural context shapes our view of women’s rights?

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