Description

20th and 21st Centuries Unit – VA SOL USII.8c-h & USII.9 {PDF & Digital Included}

This Late 20th to Early 21st Centuries Unit is a hands-on unit that combines history and language arts skills! Everything you need for teaching about the important people, events, and legislation between the post-World War II era to the Information Age can be found here. Save time planning, and your students will love completing the hands-on activities found in this unit.

For a closer look at the activities in this unit, see the product preview at the top of the page!

What topics are covered in this Late 20th to Early 21st Centuries Unit?

This Late 20th to Early 21st Centuries Unit includes 10 detailed lesson plans. All lessons are hands-on and incorporate literacy skills. Students will investigate–

• how the U.S. economy and population changed after World War II, including labor unions, credit, and the baby boom
• how the U.S. military changed in the 20th century, including the GI Bill, desegregation, and the end of the draft
• major legislation of the 20th and 21st centuries, including the GI Bill, Federal-Aid Highway Act, the Civil Rights Act, National Defense Education Act, Clean Air Act, and the Clean Water Act
• the history of U.S. space exploration, including the Space Race, the Apollo Space Program, the first moon landing, modern space exploration, and the Space Force
• how political scandals and assassinations impacted American life, including the Watergate scandal, Nixon’s resignation, and John F. Kennedy’s assassination
• the similarities and differences between the Women’s Rights Movements of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and the movements of the mid- to late 20th century, including the 19th Amendment, National Organization for Women (NOW), Title IX, and the Equal Rights Amendment
• the Disability Rights Movement and major legislation that helped Americans with disabilities, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
• the impact of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 on American life, including the War on Terror and the creation of new security departments, agencies, and policies
• the development of new technologies as part of the Information Age and their impact on American life
• how increased trade and technology create more interdependence and globalization

What types of resources are included in the unit?

A variety of no-prep activities are included in these unit plans.

• worksheets
• passages with comprehension questions
• primary source activities
• graphing activities
• quiz
• test
• word wall cards
• timeline of suggested activities: Provides a timeline for using the activities included within this unit and provides links to websites featuring videos about concepts being taught.
• answer keys included throughout

Students will become fully immersed in learning about the people, events, and policies related to the late 20th and early 21st centuries as they complete hands-on activities and research past events!

Are digital resources included?

All of the passages and comprehension questions, most worksheets, the quiz, and the test within this Late 20th to Early 21st Centuries Unit are also included in an interactive Google Slides format and can be shared with students using your Google Drive.

Video tutorials are included to help you share interactive Google Slides with your students.

What standards are covered?

This Late 20th to Early 21st Centuries Unit is specifically aligned with the 2023 Virginia U.S. History SOLs USII.8c-h and USII.9, although it closely matches most U.S. History standards related to important people events, and policies of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Don’t Miss Out!

You don’t need to spend hours creating your Late 20th to Early 21st Centuries Unit! These lessons require minimal prep work and are easy to implement, whether teaching in-person or virtually. Students will also enjoy learning about important people events, and policies related to the modern era as they complete hands-on activities and read passages.

 

This unit is included in my U.S. History 1865 to Present Lesson Plans Bundle for a discounted price!

 

More 20th and 21st Centuries Resources:

• 20th and 21st Centuries Task Cards
• U.S. History 1865 to Present Task Cards Bundle

————————————————–

Other Information:

©Meghan Vestal, Vestal’s 21st Century Classroom LLC. All rights reserved. This product is to be used by the original downloader only. Copying for teachers, classroom, department, school, or school system is prohibited. This product may not be distributed or displayed digitally for public view. Teachers may NOT upload the product to school/district servers, or to any website, or share digital or print copies. Failure to comply is a copyright infringement and a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All sales are final.