Consumerism in the 1920s and Today Concept Continuity and Change Time Period Interwar Period (1919 1939)

) Prepared for British Columbia Social Studies 11 By Krista Marrs with editorial help from the School District #23 Historical Benchmarks Group (Graeme Stacey, Lesley Scowcroft, Lindsay Gibson, Ryan Mansley, Liam Kelliher) Time Allotment 80 minutes Description In this lesson students will identify and analyze new and innovative products in the 1920s, and then identify and analyze products that are considered new and innovative today. Students will compare and contrast todays consumer items, motivation for consumerism and impacts of consumerism with consumer items from the 1920s. After comparing and contrasting consumerism, students will assess whether products and consumerism have remained constant or changed over time. Objectives Prescribed Learning Outcomes for Socials 11 Skills and Processes of Social Studies Apply critical thinking including questioning, comparing, summarizing, drawing conclusions and defending a position to make reasoned judgments about a range of issues, situations and topics Required Knowledge and Skills Background To complete this task students will need to have:

An introduction to social events of the 1920s including the Jazz Age, Flappers, mechanization of household products, stock market (buying on the margin and speculation) and different innovations and inventions. An understanding of the basic characteristics of major historical themes: political, economic, social, environmental and technological. Recommended Resources The main resource is a website created by Library and Archives Canada called Before eCommerce: A History of Canadian Mail Order Catalogues. This website includes easy access to digital copies of a variety of mail-order catalogues from 1880-1975. The web page for searching the different catalogues by year can be found at: HYPERLINK "http:// www.civilization.ca/cpm/catalog/cat4000e.html" http://www.civilization.ca/cpm/catalog/ cat4000e.html Rather than have students navigate the website and online catalogues, I have provided eight advertisements for new/innovative items from the Interwar Period in the resources for the lesson. Current catalogues from Sears, Canadian Tire or other Canadian mail-order catalogues. Optional Resources: Baldwin, Douglas and Patricia. The 1920s. Calgary: Weigl, 2000. Bondy, Robert J. and William C. Mattys. The Condent Years: Canada in the 1920s. Scarborough: Prentice-Hall, 1978. Kiil, Toivo, ed. The Crazy Twenties: 1920/1930. Toronto: Natural Science of Canada, Ltd, 1978. Jones, Edgar, R. Those Were the Good Old Days. New York, Simon and Schuster, 1959. Skeoch, Alan. Years of Hope: 1921-1929. Toronto: Grolier, 1988.

Detailed Instructions Lesson Preparation Review historical themes with students (political, economic, social, environmental and technological) Print resources from historic mail-order catalogues from the 1920s for each pair of students Print Consumerism in 1920s and Today and Consumerism: Continuity and Change worksheets Lesson Sequence Introduce the lesson by telling students that many historians believe that the 1920s gave birth to modern consumerism. Ask students to discuss what they have recently purchased and why they purchased the item. Ask students whether if they believe that their consumer patterns are similar or different from people living in the 1920s. You may need to discuss two concepts: consumer patterns and consumerism (7-10 minutes) Organize students into groups of three and distribute Consumerism in the 1920s and Today worksheet. Use 1920s advertising resource handouts to expose students to new and innovative items that were available for purchase in the 1920s. Have students complete the three categories for each of the seven inventions. Using the resources on 1920s consumer culture students should infer motivation for purchase and impact of purchase. (25 minutes)

Use current catalogues from Sears or Canadian Tire to aid in students completing the chart for contemporary purchases. Students need to look through the chart to nd new/innovative items to compare to the 1920s. Students should ll out the chart once they are nished. (20 minutes) Distribute Consumerism: Continuity and Change worksheet. Students will need to chose three inventions from the 1920s to compare with the modern day. Students must complete three sheets in total, one for each invention. Discuss/clarify the rating scale and have students complete the worksheet (Charts can be completed individually, with partners or in small groups.) (20 minutes) Have students revisit the introductory question about consumer patterns. Have students compare their initial answers with answers from their chart. Thinking could be extended by posing the question, Have consumer patterns progressed or declined? (5 minutes)

Chart for Consumerism in the 1920s and Today Complete the following chart using copies of catalogues from the 1920s
New/Innovative items Consumed in the 1920s: Purpose of the New/ Innovative Invention (Motivation for purchase): Choose the area the consumer item had the greatest impact: Economic, Social, Political and Environmental Impact of the Purchase?

Purchases from Current Times New/innovative items consumed today: Purpose of the New/ What Are the Economic, Innovative Invention Social, Political and (Motivation for purchase): Environmental Impacts of the Purchase?

Consumerism: Continuity and Change Aspect 1920s Now Rate the degree of change
Overall, this aspect reects 4 3 2 1 because Item

Overall, this aspect reects 4 3 2 1 because Motivation for Purchase

Overall, this aspect reects 4 3 2 1 because Impact of Purchase

Consumerism in the 1920s and Today Assignment Assessment Categories Adequately Meets Exceeds Meets Expectations Expectations Expectations 1 2 3 4 Few items listed Some items listed Most items listed All items listed can be can be can be can be considered considered considered considered innovative innovative innovative innovative Does Not Meet Expectations

Student Correctly Identied Innovative Items From the 1920s and Today

Student Description is not Description is Description of supported or supported but Motivation Is motivation is motivation is Supported By unclear or not unclear or not Plausible plausible plausible Motivation

Description is supported with clear and plausible motivation

Description is fully supported with clear and plausible motivation

Student Description is not Description is Description is Description is Description is supported or supported but supported with fully supported Fully Supported impact is unclear impact is unclear clear and with clear and With Clear and or not plausible or not plausible plausible impacts plausible impacts Plausible Impacts Student Explanation of Rate of Degree of Change is Clear and Supported by Clear and Plausible Examples Explanation is Explanation is Explanation is Explanation is unclear and somewhat clear and clear and supporting unclear and supported with at supported with at evidence is not supported with at least two least three plausible least one plausible plausible plausible examples examples example

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Rating scale: 4 = a complete change 3 = a moderate change 2 = a minimal change 1 = continuity (no change)