Changing Roles of Women in the 1920’s
Unit: Roaring Twenties
Lesson Women
Materials:
Margaret Sanger’s letters from the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College, Northampton, MA Box 2 Folder 5, Box 2 Folder 7, Box 2 Folder 9, flapper diary entry
Objectives:
The students will be able to:
Compare 1920’s to 2003.
Compare access to birth control in 2004 to 1920’s.
Explain what Sanger’s goals were.
Describe the typical day of a flapper.
Introduction:
What qualities make up a flapper?
Procedure:
1. On the board compare lifestyles of the 1920’s to today.
Include:
|
Dates / Topic |
1900 |
1925 |
2004 |
|
Dating |
Chaperone |
Unchaperone |
Unchaperone |
|
Dress |
Skirts ankle length |
Knee length |
Mini-skirt |
|
Venues of Dating |
Home |
Movies/ Dancing |
Restaurants |
|
Age of marriage |
Late teens / early twenties |
Early twenties |
Mid-twenties |
|
College Education |
Some for boys Few for girls |
Some for boys Few for girls |
Colleges are about 50% female |
|
Work |
Few women worked outside the home |
Some women worked outside the home before marriage |
Many women work outside the home their entire life |
|
Hair |
Very long |
Very short “bob” |
Mid-length |
2. Introduce Margaret Sanger
Include:
Her goals and visions for family limitations
What she accomplished in the development of Planned Parenthood
3. Have the students break into four groups. Each group will be presented with a letter.
As a group decide:
Why did this person write the letter to Margaret Sanger?
What education do we have in health class today that alleviates the problems expressed in the letter?
4. Students will individually read a letter from a diary entry of a typical flapper. (worksheet)
Closure:
What aspects of the 1920’s do you wish were still around today?
Homework:
Read the next section in the chapter.
Social Studies Standard for United States History
English Standard for reading
Resource Guide
Lifestyle of the 1920’s