sentence-level deconstruction - uc berkeley …ucbhssp.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/11.5...

American Democracy in Word and DeedMDUSD/UCB H-SSP

11th Grade Lesson: “I’ll Gladly Pay You Tomorrow For A Higher Standard of Living Today”

Developed by: Brian Corbett, Lorie Johnson, Karen Sundberg, Lauren Weaver.

Teaching American History Grant Focus Question: How have the words and deeds of people and institutions shaped democracy in the U.S.?

Grant Yearly Theme: Economics

History-Social Science Standard/s: 11.5 & 11.5.7

Unit Topic: The 1920’s

Lesson Focus Question: How did new consumer goods, the expansion of credit, and the introduction of mass marketing impact

the standard of living for Americans in the 1920s?

Lesson Teaching Thesis: The expansion of credit. New consumer goods, and introduction of mass marketing combined to

increase many Americans’ expectations for their standard of living, their actual standard of living, and their willingness to go into debt to meet this new higher standard.

Reading and Writing Strategies: READING Strategy:

o Cause and Effecto Primary Source Analysis (Advertisement Analysis)

WRITING Strategy: o “Deconstructing the Writing Prompt” strategy with analytical paragraph

Lesson Assessment:Students will be assessed based on their Cause and Effect worksheet & the analytical paragraph

Suggested Amount of Time: One two-hour block periods or two one-hour periods

Textbook:Danzer, Gerald et al. The Americans: Reconstruction to the 21st Century. Evanston, Illinois: McDougal Littell Inc., 2006, Chapter 12 Section 3 pp.425-427

Primary Source Citation:"Laun-DRY-ette." New York Tribune [New York] 28 Nov. 1920: 8. Print."Enjoy Your Ford Now." The Big Stone Gap Post [Big Stone Gap] 14 Dec. 1921: 12. Print."Frigidaire." New York Tribune [New York] 25 June 1922: 12. Print.

Context of the lesson in the unit: This lesson is to be taught in the middle or end of the 1920’s unit. Students should have an understanding of the changes brought about by industrialization, including the invention of the automobile and availability of electricity. This lesson will fit well as a transitioning lesson from

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teaching the “Roaring Twenties” into the Great Depression. With its focus on the impact of credit and mass advertising, this unit will help give students a grasp of the economic trends of the 1920’s.

Lesson Procedure: 1. Introduction Starter activity: Ask students to describe a current popular commercial. Ask them who this

commercial is targeting and what its message is. Ask them whether they think the product being advertised is a “want” or a “need”.

o Another option would be to bring in a pre-selected advertisement (example: the Apple vs. PC commercial) and ask the same questions.

2. Read pages 425-427 in text (The Americans)4. Reading Strategies Use the “Cause and Effect” worksheet (p3, key p4) to dissect the conversation quoted on page 427 in

the text.o Choose whether to complete as a class, groups, or individually.o After completing and reviewing the causes and effects, have students answer the analysis

question at the bottom of the page. Pass out the 3 advertisements from the 1920s (pp5-7) Use the “Analyzing An Ad” worksheet (pp8-9, key 10-11) to look at multiple advertisements from the

1920s.o After giving instruction on how to complete the worksheet, allow students to analyze the ads

independentlyo After giving sufficient time, discuss each ad as a class.

5. Writing Strategy The students will end by writing an analytical paragraph in response to the focus question. Before

writing the paragraph, give students the “Understanding the Question” worksheet (p12). Go over the worksheet together with class, but allow students time to put things into their own words and eventually have a unique thesis of their own.

History-Social Science Content Standards:11.5 Students analyze the major political, social, economic, technological, and cultural developments of the 1920s.

11.5.7 Discuss the rise of mass production techniques, the growth of cities, the impact of new technologies (e.g., the automobile, electricity), and the resulting prosperity and effect on the American landscape.

Historical and Social Sciences Analysis Skills:1. Students show the connections. Causal and otherwise, between particular historical events and

larger social, economic, and political trends and developments.

Common Core State Standards:Reading: Informational Text

RI.11-12.7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem

Writing:W.11-12.2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

Language:2

L.11-12.4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 11–12 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies

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NAME____________________________Cause and Effect

Overheard Conversation on a Train, 1920sWoman 1: “Have you an automobile yet?”

Woman 2: “No, I talked it over with John [husband] and he felt we could not afford one.”Woman 1: “Mr. Budge who lives in your town has one and they are not as well off as you are.”

Woman 2: “Yes I know. Their second installment came due, and they had no money to pay it.”Woman 1: “What did they do? Lose the car?”

Woman 2: “No, they got the money and paid the installment.”Woman 1: “How did they get the money?”

Woman 2: “They sold the cook-stove.”Woman 1: “How could they get along without a cook-stove?”

Woman 2: “They didn’t. They bought another on the installment plan.” -conversation cited in a letter written by a business owner to President Coolidge, In the Time of Silent Cal (27 in The Americans)

Cause EffectBecause owning an automobile was becoming a common expectation,

Because She feels that they cannot afford an automobile.

Because Mr. Budge has a car and is not as well off as she and her husband,

Because Mr. Budge sold the cook stove to pay the car installment.

Because Mr. Budge needed a cook stove after selling his old one,

Because Mr. Budge was willing to go deep into debt to achieve this new standard of living.

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Analysis Question: How does this conversation shed light on the ways that Americans were affected by the expansion of credit and the introduction of mass advertising?

TEACHER KEY Cause and Effect

1920s conversation overheard while riding a trainWoman 1: “Have you an automobile yet?”

Woman 2: “No, I talked it over with John [my husband] and he felt we could not afford one.”Woman 1: “Mr. Budge who lives in your town has one and they are not as well off as you are.”

Woman 2: “Yes I know. Their second installment came due, and they had no money to pay it.”Woman 1: “What did they do? Lose the car?”

Woman 2: “No, they got the money and paid the installment.”Woman 1: “How did they get the money?”

Woman 2: “They sold the cook-stove.”Woman 1: “How could they get along without a cook-stove?”

Woman 2: “They didn’t. They bought another on the installment plan.” -From a letter written by a business owner to President Coolidge, In the Time of Silent Cal (Page 427 in The Americans)

Cause Effect

Because owning an automobile was becoming a common expectation

She is asked whether she has an automobile yet

Because automobiles are expensive She feels that they cannot afford an automobile

Because Mr. Budge has a car and is not as well off as she and her husband

The person she is talking to assumes that they should be able to afford a car too

Because Mr. Budge didn’t have enough money to pay the second payment on the car

Mr. Budge sold the cook stove to pay the car installment

Because Mr. Budge needed a cook stove after selling his old one

He bought another cook stove on an installment plan

Because Mr. Budge believed that an automobile was an essential item to own

He was willing to go deep into debt to achieve this new standard of living

Analysis Question: How does this conversation shed light on the ways that Americans were affected by the expansion of credit and the introduction of mass advertising?

-Answers will hopefully mention that Americans had new expectations of what they needed and that they were willing to go into debt (and businesses were willing to extend credit) even when the new “needs” were unaffordable.

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6New York Tribune, June 25, 1922, Page

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Ad #1

The Luxury of Electric RefrigerationFRIGIDAIRE will bring to your home a new sense of luxury. It satisfies a fine instinct in living – the love for nicety and cleanliness in kitchen habits.Without care or attention, Frigidaire preserves your food in a cold, dry, circulating air of unvarying temperature, 10 degrees colder than is usual with ice.

Fruit comes to your table perfectly chilled, vegetables have the delightful freshness that is customarily associated with only the finest hotel service.

Dainty ice cream and frozen puddings are easily made. There is a special compartment to freeze them and also to make sparkling, crystal clear cubes of ice from your favorite drinking water, just the right size for a glass.

Frigidaire eliminates the uncertainty of ice delivery. It is entirely automatic, is easily installed and is operated from any electric light current.

Frigidaire was developed and perfected by the engineers of the General Motors Corporation. It is a single, self-contained unit and is safe and dependable in operation.

And with all its advantages, Frigidaire will cost you no more to operate than you now pay for ice.

Frigidaire is a year-round utility, serving every day in the year. It is the most used and most appreciated of all modern conveniences.

The Big Stone Gap Post., December 14, 1921, Page 12

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Ad #2

.

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New York Tribune., November 28, 1920,

Convenient TermsThe Laund-dry-ette may be purchased for cash, or, if preferred, on the following convenient terms. A first payment of $50 and following payments of $15 monthly until the balance is paid. Figure your present cost of having the weekly wash done. You can see how quickly the Laun-dry-

Ad #3

New York Tribune, November 28, 1920, Page 8

NAME________________________________Advertisement Analysis Chart

Ad #1 Name of Company? Name of Product? When & where is the document from?

DESCRIPTION OF SOURCE: What images and key words do you see?

MESSAGE: What is the advertiser trying to get the reader to believe about the product?

PAYMENT INFORMATION:How does this ad promote the affordability of this product?

WANT or NEED: Do you see this type of product as a want or a need today? Why?






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Background Context: In the 1920s, the number of homes with electricity increased alongside the introduction of new consumer goods that ran on electricity. To increase sales, companies launched wide-scale advertising campaigns designed to reach massive amounts of Americans. Today, this is known as mass marketing. These ad campaigns were persuasive so the new products appeared to be a “need” instead of a “want.”






TEACHER KEY10

Analysis / Prediction Questions:1. How might wide-scale advertising, also known as mass marketing, have influenced peoples’

perceptions of these new products, changing their view from a “want” to a “need?”

2. How did the expansion of credit impact the buying trends for Americans?

3. How might new electrified consumer goods, such as the refrigerator or washing machine, change the lives of Americans?

Advertisement Analysis Chart Ad #1 Name of Company? Name of Product?

Frigidaire (developed by engineers from General Motors Corporation)Electric Refrigerator

When & where is the document from?New York Tribune AdJune 25, 1922



Mom and child standing in front of the refrigerator, which is full of food

6 plated food/drink items--Appetizing deserts, fruits, ice cold drinks, etc

Written information about the electric refrigerator full of appealing descriptors: luxury, nicety, delightful freshness, entirely automatic, easily installed, cleanliness, safe, dependable, cost no more than to operate than you now pay for ice, year-round utility, most appreciated of modern conveniences, etc

It will bring a new sense of luxury to your house

It preserves food Allows ice to be made and frozen deserts to be

stored It’s safe and dependable It runs itself and can be used year-round It’s the “most appreciated of all modern

conveniences”



The ads states: “Frigidaire will cost no more than to operate than you now pay for ice” The ad only mentioned the cost to operate the convenience; it does not mention the cost to BUY the item.

Answers might vary.Most will likely identify it as a NEED

Ad #2 Name of Company? Name of Product?General Motor Company, Ford car

When & where is the document from?Big Stone Gap Post, Dec. 14, 1921 (right before X-mas)



Drawing of a car Text that suggests now is the time to buy the car- new

roads, you can pay for the car as you drive it The ad suggests that



“easy payment plan” Small cash payment up front & then 12 easy

installments Slogan is: “Own-Your-Ford Club and Pay As You

Ride”

Answers will vary.

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Ad #3 Name of Company? Name of Product?Laun-DRY-ette Sales CompanyElectric Washing Machine (but other time-saving electric conveniences are mentioned—Capitol Electric Ironer, Hoover Electric Cleaner, Mermaid Electric Dish Washer)

When & where is the document from?New York TribuneNovember 28, 1920



A smiling woman is doing laundry using the electric washing machine

The words mention how hard wives work and how they should be given shorter hours and more time / play time by using electrified conveniences/appliances to complete the household chores

The product is a time-saver, and easy to use

The ad is appealing to the person making the financial decisions, probably the husband. It promises more “playtime,” and seems to suggest that the playtime is for him.



The Electric Washing Machine can be bought using monthly installments of $15 after an initial payment of $50

The machine will “more than pay for itself” once you factor in the cost of having the weekly wash done

Answers will vary.

Name:_______________________________

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Analysis / Prediction Questions:1. How do you think wide-scale advertising, also known as mass marketing, might have influenced

peoples’ perceptions of these new products, changing their view from a “want” to a “need?”-Answers will vary with each student’s opinion.-Students should demonstrate an understanding that life shifted from the new onslaught of advertising, which made it seem like every house must have whatever product was being sold. -Also, consumers bought new products in response, in part, to the modern, time-saving lifestyle, which was being sold to them in the ads.

2. How did the expansion of credit impact the buying trends for Americans?-Students should explain that people could buy items without paying in full up front. This allowed people to use the new item while paying it off using an installment plan.

3. How did new electrified consumer goods, such as the refrigerator or washing machine, change the lives of Americans?

-Students might comment on the increase of time/ leisure activities since many of the new electrified consumer goods were labor-saving devices. -Students might comment about how the new devices actually changed daily life/ chores (i.e. people no longer have to shop daily if they can easily preserve food in a refrig), etc.

Analytical Paragraph to Answer the Focus Question

I. MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THE FOCUS QUESTION A. Define key words, terms, concepts, or historical information that you need to understand (and include) in your answer:

B. What is the focus question really asking?

II. DRAFT A THESIS:

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

III WRITE THE REMAINDER OF THE PARAGRAPH ANSWER:It must fit the Magic Formula: Evidence (BING) Thesis Evidence (BANG) Analysis Conclusion Evidence (BONGO)_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________[Continue on back]

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1. BING: _________________________________________Explain/define term:

2. BANG: _________________________________________Explain/define term:

3. BONGO: ________________________________________Explain/define term:

4. Other key words, terms, concepts, or historical information:

Focus Question: How did new consumer goods, the expansion of credit, and the introduction of mass marketing impact the standard of living for Americans in the 1920s?

Score/10

□Doesn’t answer question

□Thesis unclear

□Evidence doesn’t support thesis

□Lacking specific details

□Shows strong understanding

□Good details

□Less than minimum # of sentences

□Inspired writing

□Needed to be proofed before turning in

□Messy

□Good Organization

□Strong Analysis

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