The Untold Story of Women on the Mother Road

Many thanks to the Preserve Route 66 Grant Fund of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for their funding support for these free lesson plans. Additional thanks to Cinefemme, the National Park Service’s Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program and the Road Ahead Partnership.

  • Early Days on the Mother Road

    Using the first episode of the documentary, along with primary and secondary sources, students will learn about the early history of Route 66 with a particular emphasis on the women who migrated to and set up businesses in the cities and towns along the historic highway. The lesson also includes two assessment options; a creative project and a creative writing assignment.

  • The Legacy of Segregation on Route 66

    Through oral histories and primary source readings, students will explore how people were affected by racism and segregation along Route 66. This lesson includes an overview of the history, video clips from the documentary, primary sources, a research activity, and suggestions for extension activities to dive deeper into the history.

  • World War II & Post-War Era on Route 66

    In this lesson plan, students will learn about the history of Route 66 during World War II and the post-war era through oral histories, primary source analysis, and place-based activities. The lesson also includes two research-based assessments; one for analytical writing and the other for creative writing.

  • Route 66: Women on the Move

    In this lesson, students will use video clips from the documentary, primary sources, and secondary sources to explore the histories of women who were impacted by the advent of Route 66 and the automobile. The lesson also includes two assessment options: a creative writing assignment and a pop-up museum.

  • Indigenous Histories on Route 66

    In this lesson, students will use video clips from the documentary, primary sources, and secondary sources to explore indigenous histories on Route 66. The lesson also includes two assessment options: a journalism assignment and a creative business project. The lesson and video clips will be available in Navajo and Keresan.

  • Rebirth of Route 66

    Using the third episode of the three-part documentary series, Route 66: The Untold Story of the Mother Road, students will learn the history of the decline of Route 66 in the 1960s and 70s and its rebirth as a historic road and international travel destination in the 21st Century. Through oral histories, primary source analysis, and place-based activities, students will consider how communities in the West evolved.

  • Harvey Girls: Opportunity Bound

    The Harvey Girls were one of the first all-female workforces in the United States during a time when women themselves were considered property. From the 1880s until the 1970s, Harvey Girls worked in restaurants along the AT&SF railroad and proved that women could support themselves and lead independent lives.