240 minutes of classroom activities

Students will participate in an introduction activity to assess prior knowledge about life after World War II.  The students will research the roles of women before, during, and after World War II.  Upon completion of the research the students will follow the design process to develop ideas and a plan on how to create an equitable workforce among men and women after World War II.  This lesson is designed to allow the students to use critical thinking skills and problem solving skills.  The relevance of this lesson to social studies is that it allows students to learn about WWII and its effects on the USA and its citizens, with the focus on women in the workforce.

Standard 26. Understands the economic boom and social transformation of post-World War II United States Standard 27. Understands how the Cold War and conflicts in Korea and Vietnam influenced domestic and international politics Standard 28. Understands domestic policies in the post-World War II period Standard 29. Understands the struggle for racial and gender equality and for the extension of civil liberties  

Students will understand:

• the economic boom and social transformation of the postwar United States
• the struggle for racial and gender equality and the extension of civil liberties
• how American society changed after World War II

computers with internet access social studies textbook http://www.nps.gov/pwro/collection/website/rosie.htm http://womenshistory.about.com/od/warwwii/a/women_work.htm http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/list/126_rosi.html http://www.tngenweb.org/campbell/hist-bogan/WW2Women.html

World War II Terms can be found on Quizlet: http://quizlet.com/familiarize/214349/  

Lesson 1: 1. Teacher will introduce the lesson. 2. Teacher will conduct a game of musical chairs with the class.  In the game the chairs will represent the jobs in the US during the war.  Teacher will conduct class discussion about WWII.  Students will discuss the causes and the effects of the war on US citizens. (The design process and WWII should be taught prior to this lesson.)  Students will choose group members. Lesson 2: 1. Teacher will give students the design challenge: Develop ideas and a plan on how to create an equitable workforce among men and women after World War II. 2. Students will work in their teams and research the following: a) What were the jobs of men and women before WWII? b) What were the number of jobs women had during WWII? c) What were the number of jobs women had after WWII? Teacher will provide assistance if needed. Lessons 3 and 4: 1. Students will begin to generate possible solutions and begin to develop possible ideas and prototypes for the challenge.  Teacher will provide assistance if needed. Lesson 5: 1. Students will share ideas and prototypes with group members to make their final selection of possible solutions to the challenge. Lesson 6: 1. Students will present their design projects to the class.  

Students will present their design projects to the class.  The students will use a rubric to evaluate the projects.

Students could research the job wages of men and women before, during, and after WWII.  Students can compare and contrast job wages of men and women.  Students could develop ideas and a plan on how to create an equitable job wages among men and women after World War II.