1. Urbanization in the US: America’s dirty little secret
A WebQuest for
8th grade US History
Created by: Tim Linehan
Introduction
Task
Process
Evaluation
Conclusion
Credits/References
Lesson Plan

2. INTRODUCTION
America at the turn of the century was an exciting and fast-paced place. Incredible advancements in technology had led to the growth of America’s major cities. Industry was booming, business owners were making millions and the modern America that we have come to know was being born.
There was however, an ugly side to industrialization and urbanization that cannot go ignored. Horrible working conditions and pay, awful living conditions and mistreatment of women and children made America’s cities incredibly dangerous places to live.
It will be up to you and your team to help solve the problems of America’s cities in the early 1900s. You and your fellow Progressive movement members must assess the negatives of industrialization and urbanization and then create a plan to help rid the cities of the evils which have presented themselves.
Essential Question:
What role does the media play in social reform?

3. TASK
Imagine you are a muckraking journalist working for Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World in You and your team have been assigned the task of investigating the daily life of the working class at the turn of the century.
Your team will create an expose article and presentation, outlining the negative affects of industrialization.
Additionally, your article will propose numerous initiatives to be voted on during a referendum to help improve the lives of the working class city-dwellers. You must have a proposed initiative in the following FOUR areas: working conditions, living conditions, women’s rights, and children’s rights.
You need to be the voice for the underprivileged. Their story needs to be told and changes need to be made. Get to work to help your fellow Americans!

4. PROCESS
1. Assign each member of your group a topic which they will investigate:
Working conditions
Living conditions
Women’s rights
Children’s rights

5. PROCESS
2. Research
Each member of the team will research the negative aspects of urbanization as they pertain to their topic using the preselected websites on the following slides

6. PROCESS
3. Use the following resources to examine the negative impact of urbanization on:
Working conditions
on.html
Living conditions
america.htm
how-other-half-lives-america /?no-ist
Women’s rights
Children’s rights

7. PROCESS
4. Compile your research into a muckraking newspaper article exposing the ugly side of America urbanization. Each group member must complete a one page paper on their assigned topic

8. PROCESS
5. Create a presentation using images, audio, and videos which includes FOUR proposed initiatives that would improve the working and living conditions of America, as well of the life of women and children during American urbanization

9. EVALUATION Below Basic (1) Basic (2) Proficient (3) Advanced (4)
Below Basic (1)
Basic (2)
Proficient (3)
Advanced (4)
Working conditions
Students article misses the main idea and does not cover the correct subject
Students article generally discusses the topic without a thesis or supporting findings
Students article addresses the main idea and is somewhat supported with details from the text
Students article has a strong thesis and is supported with numerous essential investigative facts
Women’s rights
Living conditions
Children’s rights
Initiatives
The groups initiatives do not address the subject matter and/or only 2/4 subjects
The groups initiatives generally address the subject matter and/or address ¾ subjects
The groups initiatives are practical and address all four subject areas
The groups initiatives are creative and address all 4 subjects
Group presentation
The groups presentation lack an interactive component and is simply a lecture to the audience
The groups presentation is somewhat interactive but lacks full engagement of the audience
The groups presentation leads to interaction with the audience through videos, images, and/or audio
The groups presentation engages the audience with video clips, images, and audio

10. CONCLUSION
Great job! You have investigated the ugly side of American urbanization and played a role in making changes that will help the lives of average Americans. I want you to reflect upon the importance of journalism and its power to influence the minds of Americans, which in turn can impact politics and lawmaking in our country. Think back to the Essential Question for this WebQuest: What role does the media play in social reform?
This task should have opened you eyes to investigative journalism, as well as the power of the written word and the photograph.
The muckrakers of the Progressive movement were not the only journalists who changed America. I encourage you to research the historical writings of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein as they attempted to expose Richard Nixon and the Watergate Scandal. Learn more here:

11. CREDITS AND REFERENCES
I would first like to thank Professor Smith and Fresno Pacific University
PBS-American Experience
Virginia Department of Education
Eastern Illinois University
Smithsonian.com
Harry Ransom Center – University of Texas at Austin
Google Images

12. LESSON PLAN
Title: Urbanization in the United States: America’s dirty little secret
Grade Level: 8th grade United States History
Standards Addressed:
8.3.8.A: Examine the role groups and individuals played in the social, political, cultural, and economic development of the United States.
8.3.8.D: Examine how conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations have impacted the growth and development of the U.S.
 Ethnicity and race
 Working conditions
Immigration

13. LESSON PLAN (cont’d) ISTE Student Standards
Creativity and Innovation
Communication and Collaboration
Research and Information Fluency
Critical Thinking, problem solving, and decision making
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
Identify and explain the negative effects of industrialization and urbanization
Student will be able to investigate and expose the social and economic problems faced by the working class
Students will be able to create their own solutions/initiatives to these problems and compare those to the actual historical solutions
Materials
iPads with internet browser
Presentation software

14. LESSON PLAN (cont’d) Procedures
Students will be divided into groups of four
Students will be assigned topics which they will research as muckraking journalists from the Progressive movement
Students will each write a one page article exposing the problems of urbanization pertaining to their topics,
Groups will present overall findings in through a multimedia presentation using audio, visuals, and video clips
Each group member will create an initiative that will be voted on by the class to improve the daily life of the working class during urbanization
Assessment
Using the provided rubric, the students will be assessed on their muckraking article, their proposed initiative and overall presentation. This will reflect the importance of their research, teamwork, collaboration and effort.
Extension
Watch “All the Presidents Men” and tie together progressive muckrakers to Woodward and Bernstein’s expose on President Nixon in order to gain a greater sense of the power of the media in US history.