This is a challenging 20-question internet research project/scavenger hunt for a 20th Century American History class, specifically for the decade 1930-1939.
This zip file contains the assignment in TWO formats: (1) PDF file and (2) Microsoft Word document.
The questions are organized chronologically, and there are two questions per year in most cases. Here is what is GREAT about this assignment: it's fully customizable! For instance, you might use only 10 of these questions instead of the 20 in the packet. You might choose 5 of the questions and ask students to conduct in-depth research for a full-length report. The possibilities are endless!
I decided to make a research assignment that went beyond basic questions like "When did Amelia Earhart make her famous flight?" and "Who was president during World War II?"
Instead, I opted for questions that required strong critical thinking skills and better research skills and - above all - taught an appreciation for 20th Century American history.
Here then is a sample question from this assignment: "Kristallnacht, the 'Night of Broken Glass,' launched a horrific series of pogroms - or attacks - on Jews in Nazi Germany. They were called Kristallnacht because of the broken glass from store windows and other businesses that littered the streets in the aftermath. What atrocities did the Nazis commit during the first pogrom beginning on November 9, 1938?"
Additional topics include the opening of the Empire State Building, the official adoption of the national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner," the discovery of Pluto, Amelia Earhart's transatlantic flight, the Lindbergh Kidnapping, FDR's first election, the New Deal, Bonnie and Clyde, Wiley Post's "around the world" flight, the Dust Bowl, the debut of the board game "Monopoly," the Social Security Act, the first Neutrality Act, the Hoover Dam, the 1936 Berlin Olympics, the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Hindenburg disaster, "The War of the Worlds" radio broadcast, and the beginnings of World War II.
This is only the fourth in a series of research/scavenger hunts I have created and will post to TpT. Included, please find the assignment and an answer key with links to reputable websites where I found these answers.
You may use all 20 questions - or any combination you need - depending of course on your goals.
If you like this assignment, I should mention that I have recently bundled all ten assignments in this series into a listing here: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/20th-Century-American-History-210-Daily-Research-Questions-Bundle
You will save money by downloading the bundle. Thank you!
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