We did't Start the Fire - American History and the Cold War

Lesson 1

Title:
What is does the song “We Didn’t Start the Fire” have to do with history?

Author:
John Nabors

Objective:
Introduce the song “We Didn’t Start the Fire” and its relation to US History

Grade Level/Subject:
Eighth Grade US History and Government

Length:
One 90 minute block

Materials:
CD with song “We Didn’t Start the Fire”
CD Player
Bio of Billy Joel
Copy of song lyrics

Overview:
The song “We Didn’t Start the Fire” was written by Billy Joel in 1989 and depicts parts of American History from 1949 to 1989. The song, written chronologically, mentions pivotal events, people and things throughout America’s past. The five verses in the song reflect both major and minor parts of American History.

Anticipatory Set:
1) Provide an overview of the song “We Didn’t Start the Fire”
• Who is Billy Joel?
• When did he write the song?
• Why did he write the song?
2) Play song for the class

Problem(s):
How is each particular verse broken up? Which specific mentions of history in the song pertain to which particular year?

Student Activities:
• Listen to song and break class into 5 separate groups. Each group is assigned a particular verse and assigned the job of categorizing and dating the information within.

• Using the book “The Century” by Peter Jennings or by using the Internet, students will date and define each term within their verse, culminating into the creation of a PowerPoint presentation.

• Each group will print a handout page of their PowerPoint then informally present their definitions to the class. Teacher should duplicate group findings for class for assessment later in unit.

Evaluation and Assessment:
Student enthusiasm toward project
Completeness of assignment

Standards:
Social Studies 8 NCSCOS
7.04 Compare and contrast the various political viewpoints surrounding issues of the post World War II era.
9.01 Describe contemporary political, economic, and social issues at the state and local levels and evaluate their impact on the community.

Lesson 2

Title: History is Important

Author:
John Nabors

Objective:
To understand the importance of American History (1949-1989)

Grade Level/Subject:
Eleventh Grade US History and Government

Length:
45 minutes

Overview:
American history is more than just about important events, people or things, its how those specific citations influenced society and government years after.

Materials:
CD with song “We Didn’t Start the Fire”
Venn Diagram
Student definitions from previous day

Anticipatory Set:
1) Reflect on prior day work
• How far did you get?
• Were there specific historical citations in the song that were difficult to find?
• What specific citations in the song were easy to locate?
2) Play song for class
3) How are current events related your particular verse?

Problem:
For each verse in the song “We Didn’t Start the Fire”, list at least three things that were influenced in later years by one of the historical mentions in the assigned verse. (i.e. H-bomb influencing the arms race, Elvis Presley influencing rock music, Space Monkey influencing the American Space Program, Malcolm X influencing the civil rights movement and Watergate influencing the fall of Richard Nixon) On a Venn diagram, students will answer for each:
• Why were these things important?
• How do they relate?
• Why did you choose this particular comparison?

Student Activities:
• In the same assigned groups, students will choose three of the historical citations within their verse and relate it to an important historical movement, action or event that may have been influenced by, or is similar to, it.

• Students will use the Internet and the book “The Century” by Peter Jennings to research

• Using a Venn diagram for each of the three comparisons, students will compare and contrast these two events outlining their similarities

Evaluation:
Completeness of the three Venn Diagrams within each group
Provide a complete understanding of at least six major events since 1949 (three from song and three that relate)

Standards:
Social Studies
Standard 1 – History of the United States and New York
Standard 2 – World History
ELA
Standard 1 – Students will read, write, listen and speak for information and understanding
Standard 3 – Students will read, write, listen and speak for critical analysis and evaluation
Standard 4 – Students will read, write, listen and speak for social interaction

Lesson 3

Title:
History as a Presentation

Author:
John Nabors

Objective:
Demonstrate knowledge of the groups’ assigned verse through oral presentation.

Grade Level/Subject:
Eleventh Grade US History and Government

Length:
45 minutes

Materials:
Notes packet constructed from turned in from group work
Overhead transparencies
Overhead transparency machine

Overview:
Students will utilize the overhead projector to present the definitions within their verse including the three Venn diagrams that were completed prior. The class will be supplied with a note packet derived from student definition class work complimenting the presentations so students will not have to copy notes. Students will verbally present their material to the class.

Anticipatory Set:
1) Introduce procedure
• Why is verbalizing history important?
2) Pass out note packet for students to reflect on during presentations

Problem(s):
• Where did your information come from?
• Why this particular citation in the song is important?
• If applicable, what or which people or events did this influence?

Student Activities:
• The five groups will present a 5-8 minute presentation outlining their definitions from their assigned verse and Venn diagrams.

• Students will utilize overhead transparencies to visualize to the rest of the class research they accomplished

Evaluation:
Group demonstrates understanding for their presentation
Rubric graded presentation (refer to attached rubric)

Standards:
Social Studies
Standard 1 – History of the United States and New York
Standard 2 – World History
ELA
Standard 3 – Students will read, write, listen and speak for critical analysis and evaluation
Standard 4 – Students will read, write, listen and speak for social interaction


Lesson 4

Title:
Chronological Perspective for the song “We Didn’t Start the Fire”

Author:
John Nabors

Objective:
To associate the citations in the song “We Didn’t Start the Fire” with a presidential timeline

Grade Level/Subject:
Eleventh Grade US History and Government

Length:
45 minutes

Overview:
Through the 40-year historical period covered in the song, there were eight US Presidents that served in office. To gain a timeframe perspective of the information covered in the song, students will create a timeline of the song overlapped with a presidential timeline to associate the specific song citation with a well known time period figure.

Materials:
Timeline organizer on paper
Timeline Organizer on transparency
Note packet

Anticipatory Set:
1) Lead into lesson with a quick review of who the past 8 – 10 Presidents were
• Can anyone name them?
• Who were they, how long did they serve?
2) What do past Presidents have to do with leaning the song “We Didn’t Start the Fire”
• Provide an identifiable timeframe with a famous figure
• Was their influence part of why this was mentioned in the song?

Problem(s):
What specific song citations fit into the terms of the past eight Presidents?
Which citations in the song did the President influence at the time?
How do these song citations fit into American History?

Student Activities:
• Students will create a timeline placing the events from their assigned verse onto a timeline organizer

• As a class, students will construct a timeline ranging from 1949-1989 by placing their finished pieces of the organizer together, forming one large timeline

• Teacher will place coordinating transparencies over the finished timeline, forming a dual layer timeline organizer for the students to input into their note packets from the previous class

Evaluation:
Student comprehends direction
Students takes notes and actively participates in group discussion

Standards:
Standard 1 – History of the United States and New York
Standard 2 – World History
ELA
Standard 1 – Students will read, write, listen and speak for information and understanding
Standard 3 – Students will read, write, listen and speak for critical analysis and evaluation
Standard 4 – Students will read, write, listen and speak for social interaction


Lesson 5

Title:
Literary Response to “We Didn’t Start the Fire”, History is a Revolution

Author:
John Nabors

Objective:
Choose two different citations within the song and compare and contrast each using a Compare/Contrast Matrix.

Grade Level/Subject:
Eleventh Grade US History and Government

Length:
45 minutes

Materials:
Notes Packet
Writing utensils
Paper
Compare/Contrast Matrix sheet

Overview:
Students will analyze their completed notes’ packet and choose two citations/definitions that directly influence each other. Through this literary response, students will use a Compare/Contrast Matrix to associate each of the two historical citations from the song and create an essay that reflects on both.

Anticipatory Set:
1) History often finds itself repeating
• How can we as a society understand this?
• Mistakes made?
• Advances in technology?
2) History becomes a revolution, just as outlined in the song. Particular events and people can influence future leaders or organizations into thinking or acting in a certain way.
3) It’s the whole reason that learning about history is important.

Problem:
How do the two events that you chose interact with each other?
• How are they similar?
• How are they different?

Student Activities:
• Students independently choose two citations from the song

• Through using a Compare/Contrast Matrix, students will compare and contrast their desired two song lyrics

• Finding three similar or dissimilar attributes, students will prepare a well-designed essay curtailing how these two events or people are effected by each other.

Evaluation:
Essay Development
• Grammar
• Citations chosen to compare
Student demonstrates knowledge of song lyrics and comprehension for their definitions

Standards:
Standard 1 – History of the United States and New York
Standard 2 – World History
ELA
Standard 1 – Students will read, write, listen and speak for information and understanding
Standard 2 – Students will read, write, listen and speak for literary response
Standard 3 – Students will read, write, listen and speak for critical analysis and evaluation


Rubric

Rubric for “We Didn’t Start the Fire” Presentation



Presentation

Presentation is professional, with no gaps in information. Argument and spoken word is clear and concise.

Some nervous mannerisms. Student appears somewhat prepared and/or a little nervous.

Speaker seems quite nervous. Certain parts of the presentation may be hindered.
Speaker is unprepared for presentation or completely hindered by nervousness. May not be prepared at all for speech.


Outline

Provide a clear typed formal outline for presentation with no errors in format or grammar.

Outline is clear but my have format or grammatical errors.

Outline may be hand written or not clear in purpose. May have some grammatical or format errors.

Handwritten outline or outline is non-existent. Insufficient material in outline may have many errors in format and grammar.


Originality

Idea is original in content and well supported by student.

Idea is supported well by student but may lack some student perception


Idea lacks deep student perception, material may not be well supported by unique sources.

Idea does not have any depth to material, student clearly has not supported his/her argument.



Dedication


Student is passionate about idea. Answers questions quickly, clearly and confidently.

Student has put some effort into presentation and answers questions with some prolonged thought.

Student has difficult time answering questions and has put “just enough” effort into the presentation to pass.

Student clearly has not prepared for presentation, has clearly placed little or no thought into project and cannot answer questions in a direct manner.


Content/
Research

Presentation has multiple sides to the idea with a variety of information so that an audience can walk away with something

Presentation has a variation of research with some depth to the material.

Presentation has little variation of content and has a limited scope of research.

Speaker looks a narrow scope of material to supplement his/her research. Content is single sided and has no depth to it.