The Space Race and the Impact on Society

 

Fashion 2 Fiber logo

by Allison Haerr

 

Grade Level:

7th grade
 

Subject Area:

English Language Arts

Paper Dress Rocket Motif
 
 

Length:

2-3 days + Project time
 

Common Core Standard:

Reading Literature 7.9: Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history.
 

Objective:

Using primary sources about the Space Race during the Cold War period, students will be able to discuss how the space race impacted American culture using evidence from the primary sources and the video.
 

 

Courreges Andre white patent leather sheath dress

 

Materials:

Assessments:

  • Venn Diagram- Space Race history vs. Bradbury story
  • Writing Assessment Options- Teacher can pick one or students can have an option
    • Research Paper- Students will research events in history that had a large impact on society like the Space Race. Their research paper will include history of the event and the impact it had on society.
    • Research Paper- Students can research a famous Science Fiction author and write about his/her influences and how he/she altered the history his/her stories may have been based off.
    • Sci-Fi story- Students can use their notes about Science Fiction Elements and write their own science fiction story using those elements. They must use elements of the Space Race in their story.
 

Procedure:

Hook:

 
  • Have the students work in small groups
  • Pass out the What the What?!? Worksheet and Artifacts worksheet
  • Tell the students that they need to look at the 5 listed artifacts and answer the questions on the worksheet to the best of their ability.
  • Give students 10 -15 minutes to complete the worksheet.
  • After the students have finished the worksheet pull up the PowerPoint.
  • Go over the PowerPoint together.
  • Make sure to stop for every artifact and ask students to share their answers for the worksheet.
  • After a few different students have shared their answers for each artifact, show them what it actually was.
  • Discuss briefly the actual item.
  • When you finish all the artifacts, discuss the final question as a class- What do all these things have in common?
 

Main Portion:

  • Discuss briefly the Space Race of the Cold War Era.
  • Show the Ted Ed Talk YouTube video.
  • Discuss how they think the space race impacted the fashions they saw in the artifacts.
  • Read and discuss, When the Space Age Blasted Off, Pop Culture Followed by Randy Kennedy, New York Times
  • Let the students know that the Space Race impacted many aspects of the American culture, including literature.
  • Pass out copies of Ray Bradbury’s Dark They Were and Golden Eyed.
  • Read the story (together or individually is up to the teacher’s discretion).
  • Discuss what the students found interesting about the story.
  • Discuss what made this story different from other stories they may have read.
  • Discuss how the Bradbury story was different from the video and the artifacts from earlier and how they may be related.
  • Ask students what they know about the Science Fiction genre.
  • Pass out the workshee Definition of Science Fiction, readwritethink.org, or have them copy them down as notes
  • Let students know that the space race was a very big influence on the science fiction genre.
  • Discuss why they think this happened.
 

Assessment:

Courreges Andre Orange Vinyl Coat


 

  • Have students make a venn diagram comparing and contrasting the Bradbury short story and the information given about the space race. They may work in groups.
  • Discuss student responses.
  • Present both writing assessment options.
    • Student or Teacher can pick any of the options
      • Research Paper- Students will research events in history that had a large impact on society like the Space Race. Their research paper will include history of the event and the impact it had on society.
      • Research Paper- Students can research a famous Science Fiction author and write about his/her influences and how he/she altered the history his/her stories may have been based off.
      • Sci-Fi story- Students can use their notes about Science Fiction Elements and write their own science fiction story using those elements. They must use elements of the Space Race in their story.
  • Students may need computer access to do their writing assessment.
  • The writing workshop and the writing process would be the recommended models for the writing assessment portion.