USA in the 1920s & 1930s Revision Card Game

“My purpose is to engage students in dialogue so they can see other’s points of view – in a world that needs this more than ever. I do this by sharing lessons on this site which connect students with the past and inspire critical thinking. Please read below to find details about this one.” Dan

This resource is titled “USA 1920s Revision Card Game”

Teeming with precise and carefully selected evidence my students love playing this game to boost their subject knowledge. There are 71 cards (which work best when cut out and laminated) and they are colour-coordinated into categories: gangsters & prohibition, arts & culture, immigrants & African Americans, sports & entertainment, industry & economic boom. These cards include all the main figures you would expect such as Babe Ruth, Rudolf Valentino, and Al Capone but also some lesser known figures from the period such as the ‘IT’ girl Clara Bow, the Harlem Renaissance’s Countee Cullen, and Felix the Cat! On each card there is a key date/event for that person, two precise statistics, and a quotation. There is also a ‘bonus’ research question on each card to encourage students to delve into each character further. To play, students simply call out a category and the person with the highest number in that category ‘trumps’ the other, winning their card. The objective is to strip your opponent of their cards to win the game. This is a resource I am very proud of and which has received many accolades from students and staff alike and which will really boost your students’ subject knowledge of 1920s USA. This activity works really well as a stand-alone activity, revision tool, or starter/plenary to any lesson on 1920s USA. I hope you enjoy it as much as my students do!

And before you leave be sure to follow Dan’s History Highway for more info on hundreds of fully-resourced lessons for busy teachers!

Wishing you a terrific day.