Globalization & The Internet Age

Active learning helps students grasp the complexity of globalization and the internet age by making abstract economic and technological shifts concrete. These activities move beyond lectures to let students analyze data, argue perspectives, and simulate real-world decisions, which builds deeper understanding.

• 11th Grade
• US History
• 4 activities
• 20 min–40 min

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze the impact of the World Wide Web's commercialization on the growth of new industries in the 1990s.
2. Explain the economic arguments for and against the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
3. Evaluate the effects of increased globalization and internet adoption on American manufacturing jobs during the 1990s.
4. Compare the speed of information dissemination before and after the widespread adoption of the internet in the US.
5. Synthesize arguments to determine whether globalization has been a net positive or negative for American workers.

Socratic Seminar

⏱ 40 min·Whole Class

Socratic Seminar: Was NAFTA Good for America?

Students prepare by reading excerpts from pro-NAFTA arguments (Clinton administration), labor union opposition statements, and economic data on manufacturing employment and consumer prices. The seminar uses inner-outer circle format, with the outer circle tracking argument quality and evidence use.

Prepare & details

Analyze how the internet and digital technology transformed the American economy and social life.

Facilitation Tip: For the Socratic Seminar, assign specific roles like ‘devil’s advocate’ or ‘historian’ to ensure all students participate meaningfully in the debate.

Setup: Chairs arranged in two concentric circles

Materials: Discussion question/prompt (projected), Observation rubric for outer circle

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Hexagonal Thinking

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

Data Analysis: Mapping Globalization's Impact

Provide students with county-level data on manufacturing job losses and gains from 1990 to 2000. In pairs, they map affected regions, identify patterns, and write a brief analytical paragraph connecting economic data to political shifts in those areas.

Prepare & details

Explain the economic and political implications of free trade agreements like NAFTA.

Facilitation Tip: In the Data Analysis activity, have students work in pairs to first identify trends before debating their significance, ensuring everyone engages with the dataset.

Setup: Flat table or floor space for arranging hexagons

Materials: Pre-printed hexagon cards (15-25 per group), Large paper for final arrangement

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Role Play

⏱ 35 min·Small Groups

Role Play: 1990s Tech Startup Pitch

Small groups research a real 1990s internet company (Amazon, eBay, Pets.com, Webvan) and create a 3-minute investor pitch explaining the business model. After pitches, the class discusses which companies survived the dot-com bust and why, connecting to broader economic principles.

Prepare & details

Evaluate whether globalization has been a net positive or negative for American workers and industries.

Facilitation Tip: During the Role Play activity, provide students with a one-page brief of their character’s background to ground their pitches in realistic details.

Setup: Open space or rearranged desks for scenario staging

Materials: Character cards with backstory and goals, Scenario briefing sheet

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 20 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Winners and Losers of Globalization

Present a split-screen scenario: a family benefiting from lower-cost imported goods alongside a factory worker whose plant moved overseas. Students individually identify the trade-offs, then pair up to discuss whether government policy could address both sides before sharing conclusions.

Prepare & details

Analyze how the internet and digital technology transformed the American economy and social life.

Facilitation Tip: For the Think-Pair-Share, give students exactly 2 minutes to pair and 3 minutes to share to keep the discussion focused and equitable.

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Teaching This Topic

Teaching this topic works best when you balance empathy with evidence. Avoid framing globalization as a zero-sum game; instead, use role-play and debates to reveal how individuals experienced these changes differently. Research shows students retain more when they connect past events to present-day issues, so link the 1990s tech boom to today’s gig economy or remote work. Be cautious of nostalgia—many students assume the 1990s were universally prosperous, so use data to challenge that assumption.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students moving beyond simplistic narratives to identify nuanced causes, consequences, and trade-offs in globalization. They should use evidence from multiple sources, respectfully debate differing views, and connect historical events to their own lives or communities.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Socratic Seminar on NAFTA, watch for students claiming NAFTA alone caused the decline of American manufacturing.

What to Teach Instead

Use the data from the Mapping Globalization activity to redirect the conversation. Have students reference the timeline of manufacturing job losses since the 1970s and ask them to identify when NAFTA’s effects became visible in the data.

Common Misconception

During the Data Analysis activity, watch for students assuming the internet’s commercialization began in the late 1990s.

What to Teach Instead

Refer to the timeline activity’s materials, which include ARPANET and TCP/IP milestones. Ask students to trace how military-funded research led to consumer technology, emphasizing the gradual nature of innovation.

Common Misconception

During the Role Play activity, watch for students assuming globalization only impacted factory workers.

What to Teach Instead

Provide character briefs that include white-collar professions such as IT support specialists or customer service representatives. Have students analyze how outsourcing affected these roles during their pitches.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

After the Socratic Seminar on NAFTA, pose the question: 'Imagine you are a factory worker in Ohio in 1995 and a software engineer in Silicon Valley in 1995. How might your daily life, job security, and future prospects differ due to globalization and the internet? Discuss specific examples.' Allow students 5 minutes to jot down ideas before opening the floor.

Quick Check

During the Data Analysis activity, provide students with a short, anonymized news clip or opinion piece from the 1990s discussing either NAFTA or the dot-com boom. Ask them to identify one specific economic claim made and one potential consequence (positive or negative) suggested by the author. Collect responses for review.

Exit Ticket

After the Think-Pair-Share on winners and losers of globalization, have students write on an index card one sentence explaining how the internet changed communication for Americans in the 1990s and one sentence explaining one economic trade-off associated with free trade agreements like NAFTA.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge early finishers to research a 1990s tech company that failed during the dot-com bust and present on why it collapsed using primary sources.
• Scaffolding: Provide sentence stems for the Think-Pair-Share, such as 'Globalization affects _____ workers by _____, which means _____.'
• Deeper exploration: Assign students to interview a family member or community member about how their work or local economy changed from the 1990s to today, then compare findings in a class discussion.

Key Vocabulary

Dot-com bubble	A period of rapid growth in the value of internet-based companies in the late 1990s, followed by a sharp decline in stock prices.
NAFTA	The North American Free Trade Agreement, a pact signed in 1994 that eliminated most tariffs and trade barriers between the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Globalization	The increasing interconnectedness of economies, cultures, and populations around the world, driven by cross-border trade, technology, and investment.
Outsourcing	The practice of contracting out a business process to an external supplier, often to reduce labor costs, which became more prevalent with globalization.
Digital divide	The gap between those who have access to modern information and communication technology, such as the internet, and those who do not.