Have Cars Really Changed That Much?

1. Students will research various cars from throughout the 20th century.

2. Students will use a graphic organizer to organize the similarities and differences between two cars of their choice from the 20th century.

3. Students will write a comparison of these two cars.

4. Students will find the similarities and differences between these cars and understand how cars have improved throughout the century.

Materials: research materials to find the examples of cars from throughout the 20th century (see bibliography), graphic organizer (provided), writing paper

The car which Mead and Mello are taking their cross country trip in is a top of the line car of our day, the Mercedes S-Class. This is also true of Alice Ramsey, she drove across the country in the top car of her time, a Maxwell. This activity will help students understand the evolution of the automobile. Through researching and gathering information about 2 cars from the 20th century, students will have a greater understanding of the development of technology and its influence upon cars of our time.

1. Students use the reference materials and pictures to determine the 2 cars they wish to research and compare.

2. Once the 2 cars are chosen, the students then are to fill out a graphic organizer to help them determine the similarities and differences between their 2 automobiles.

3. This graphic organizer can be the brainstorming which will lead to a written comparison of these 2 automobiles. Students may also wish to add their own opinions about the evolution of technology and how they believe these cars have changed over time.

After students have become interested in the inventions and technology that have influenced cars throughout the 20th century, students may wish to continue their discovery of automobiles by creating a time line of cars from the and each decade during 20th century. See Through The Years lesson.

Online Correspondence

Tara and Sue created an online journal chronicling their 1999 trip. Click here to read the account.

Automotive Word Search

Materials: the word search provided

Explain that the words in this word search all relate to automotive parts. Students should try to find all the words provided. Remember, words are written left to right, right to left, top to bottom, bottom to top, diagonally left to right, and diagonally right to left. Occasionally a letter is contained in two words. Good luck!

Students will research to find out what the function of each of the car parts in the search.

Solution