Bill Ulmer

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.

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.

A.   Main Idea

1. The students are to prepare a project about the Stevenson family

2. 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

3. This project may be of any type, but it must be oral or visual, live skit, debate, video, etc.

4. The project must display history in a completely accurate sense

5. Total time limit for this activity is ten minutes

6. The maximum size of the groups is four students

7. You will be given no more than thirty minutes to organize your ideas

8. Make them good, and the rest of the class will learn from and enjoy them!

B.   How Project will be Graded

Area Covered	Possible Points	Points Earned
Event or Idea	10
Reason 1 for Use	10
Reason 2 for Use	10
Reason 3 for Use	10
Reason 4 for Use	10
Accurate History	10
Skill of Presentation	10
Creativity	10
Costumes	10
Props	10
Total Points	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.

	#1	#2	#3	#4
Explanation of Event
(15 Points)
Justification
1.
2.
(5 Points Each)
Total Points = 100

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

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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1. How are nineteenth-century politics and modern-day politics alike and different?

2. Compare Stevenson's selection as vice president to the way present-day vice presidents are chosen.

3. Does the spoils system still exist today? Why or why not?

4. Compare being called a Copperhead to a similar charge in a modern-day election.

5. How was the Pullman Strike alike and different from a modern-day strike?

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