Lesson Plan: The FDA Approves the First Birth Control Pill for Use in the United States

Lesson Details

Subject: History

Grade Level: High School

Duration: 1 hour

Learning Outcomes

• Know the history of the development of the birth control pill
• Understand the social and political context surrounding the approval of the birth control pill
• Can explain the impact of the birth control pill on women's health and reproductive rights

Methodology

This lesson will be delivered through a combination of lecture, class discussion, and group activities.

Resources/Materials

• Textbook: The Birth of the Pill: How Four Crusaders Reinvented Sex and Launched a Revolution by Jonathan Eig
• Handout: Timeline of the Development of the Birth Control Pill
• Handout: Primary Source Documents on the Approval of the Birth Control Pill
• Whiteboard and Markers
• Laptop and Projector

Activities

Activity 1: Lecture and Class Discussion

The teacher will begin the lesson with a brief lecture on the history of the development of the birth control pill. Students will then engage in a class discussion on the social and political context surrounding the approval of the birth control pill.

Activity 2: Group Activity

Students will be divided into small groups and given a set of primary source documents related to the approval of the birth control pill. They will analyze the documents and prepare a brief presentation on their findings.

Activity 3: Class Discussion

Each group will present their findings to the class, and the class will engage in a discussion on the impact of the birth control pill on women's health and reproductive rights.

Assessment

Assessment will be based on participation in class discussion and group activities, as well as a short written reflection on the impact of the birth control pill on women's health and reproductive rights.