Bill Ulmer
Overview
Main Ideas
Explore a prominent American political
family and the effect its members had on
the American scene over a period of years.
By studying Adlai E. Stevenson we can gain
an insight into the politics of the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. As we
look at the Stevensons, we can gain an
insight into the similarities and differences of
political life over time.
Connection with the Curriculum
This material may be used to teach
U. S. History, sociology, government,
social studies classes, or language arts.
Teaching Level
Grades 10-12
Materials for Each Student
• A copy of the narrative portion
of the article and pictures, cartoons,
and campaign material
• Activities 1 through 4
• Additional reference material
as needed
Objectives for Each Student
• Explore the political history of the
Stevenson family.
• Show how the experiences of the
Stevensons were alike and different
from those of other American political
families.
• Elicit and develop ideas about politics.
• Express and show how differing political views can be stated.
• Develop an ability to present to others
your ideas about the Stevenson family.
• Investigate how events can determine
how politicians react to the issues.
• Analyze how a person's views can be
formed and presented.
SUGGESTIONS FOR
TEACHING THE LESSON
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Opening the Lesson
Have students read the article.
Discuss various parts of the article with
the students. Assign the activities you
feel would be best for your students.
Developing the Lesson
• Activity 1 will allow the students some
freedom to find and develop ideas
about the Stevenson family. It will
provide them with a less traditional
way to express themselves.
• Activity 2 will help the students
improve their ability to defend
their ideas.
• Activity 3 will give the students
another way to demonstrate their
creative abilities.
• Activity 4 provides a traditional writing
assignment, along with the challenge
of discovering some new concepts that
they may have not been familiar with.
Concluding the Lesson
The teacher and students could discuss
some of the ideas that have been developed in the various activities. This could
lead into a discussion of modern-day politics
and the election process.
During this discussion the teacher
should make every effort to promote and
develop the student's use of critical thinking
and expression.
Extending the Lesson
Have the students compare the
Stevensons to other political families. Do
they have any political families in their own
area? If they do, trace the development
of these political families in an oral history
project.
Some of the activities the students have
developed in this unit could be the start of
Illinois History Fair projects in any of the
categories: papers, media, performance,
exhibits, or miscellaneous.
Assessing the Lesson
Any of the first three activities could be
assessed by the sample rubrics that have
been developed in this article or by rubrics
that better meet the teacher's needs or
goals.
Activity 4 could be expanded into an
essay assignment involving additional
research.
Any one of the issues brought up in this
article could be expanded into a creative-writing activity.
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A. Main Idea
- The students are to prepare a project about the Stevenson family
- They must present to the class an event or idea from the political life
of this famous family, re-create it, and act it out
- This project may be of any type, but it must be oral or visual, live skit,
debate, video, etc.
- The project must display history in a completely accurate sense
- Total time limit for this activity is ten minutes
- The maximum size of the groups is four students
- You will be given no more than thirty minutes to organize your ideas
- Make them good, and the rest of the class will learn from and enjoy them!
B. How Project will be Graded
Area Covered
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Possible Points
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Points Earned
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Event or Idea
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10
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Reason 1 for Use
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10
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Reason 2 for Use
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10
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Reason 3 for Use
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10
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Reason 4 for Use
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10
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Accurate History
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10
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Skill of Presentation
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10
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Creativity
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10
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Costumes
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10
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Props
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10
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Total Points
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100
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Directions: The students will be divided into groups; they need to find and justify events from the lives of Stevenson family members that fit into the following categories.
Event 1 should compare different view points on an issue.
Event 2 should show that where a person comes from can help to determine
that person's beliefs.
Event 3 should show an issue that involves the successful resolution of a conflict.
Event 4 challenges the group to demonstrate one event (not already used) that best
represents the first Adlai E. Stevenson's life.
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#1
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#2
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#3
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#4
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Explanation of Event
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(15 Points)
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Justification
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1.
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2.
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(5 Points Each)
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Total Points = 100
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The students are to form groups and present one of the following projects to their class.
1. Using the political cartoon "Saint and Sinner" as a guide, the students are
to draw their own political cartoon from the life of Adlai E. Stevenson I.
Saint and Sinner cartoon
SAINT AND SINNER
The great face-both-ways ticket.
From Judge, August 6, 1892
Student Cartoon
2. Prepare a political advertisement for Adlai E. Stevenson I that would be appropriate
for his lifetime.
3. Prepare a modern TV commercial that Adlai E. Stevenson IV or V might use
in the future.
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- How are nineteenth-century politics and modern-day politics alike and different?
- Compare Stevenson's selection as vice president to the way present-day
vice presidents are chosen.
- Does the spoils system still exist today? Why or why not?
- Compare being called a Copperhead to a similar charge in a modern-day election.
- How was the Pullman Strike alike and different from a modern-day strike?
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