The Shift Worksheet The Shift Worksheet
Sociology & History: Post-Industrial Societies
Student:
Date:
Part 1
Family Occupational History
List 2-3 jobs held by your grandparents and 2-3 jobs held by your parents. Categorize them as Industrial (producing physical goods) or Service (providing expertise, care, or information).
Generation Specific Job / Role Industrial Service Grandparent 1 Grandparent 2 Parent 1 Parent 2
Part 2
Defining Post-Industrial
Core Definition:
What are the three main service sectors emphasized in this society?
The "Bridge" Quote:
The question isn't just "how" to build a bridge, but...
Data Snapshot (1950-1969)
Sweden Manufacturing (1969) 41.1%
Sweden Service Sector (1969) 48.8%
W. Germany Uni Enrollment Rise +250%
Sweden Uni Enrollment Rise +580%
Part 3
A Day in the Life Profile
The 1920s Worker
Typical Education Level
Physical Demand of Labor
Family Size / Structure
Primary Job Skills Needed
The 1980s Worker
Typical Education Level
Physical Demand of Labor
Family Size / Structure
Primary Job Skills Needed
Synthesis & Reflection
Why did the shift to a service economy result in children staying in school for "a decade or more longer" than in the industrial era? How did this impact the financial decisions of families?
The Shift Slides Sociology & History
The Post-Industrial
Shift
Analyzing Economic Transformation & Demographic Change
Learning Goals
1
Define the characteristics of a Post-Industrial Society.
2
Analyze how economic shifts change family structures and educational demands.
3
Compare daily life profiles of industrial vs. service workers.
Warm-up (5 min)
The Family Job Tree
Industrial
Jobs involving making things . Labor in factories, agriculture, or heavy production.
Service
Jobs involving helping people , managing information, research, or education.
"List the jobs of your grandparents vs. your parents. Which category do they fit?"
Video Analysis
Crash Course: The Shift
11:05 - 13:40
Embedded media
Watch for:
Changes in the definition of "Work"
Watch for:
The role of Higher Education
Watch for:
Impact on Family Planning
Measuring the Change
Sweden (1969) Employment
41.1% Factory
48.8% Service
University Enrollment Rise
West Germany +250%
Sweden +580%
"Work became less physically onerous while demanding a different range of technical and emotional skills."
Activity (20 min)
A Day in the Life
In your groups, construct profiles for a 1920s Industrial Worker and a 1980s Service Worker .
Education
How much school did they need to get hired?
Family
How many children? How much work do the parents do?
Labor
Physical effort vs. Technical/Emotional skills.
Exit Ticket
"On your exit ticket, define Post-Industrial in your own words. Include at least one way it changed family life."
The Shift Teacher Guide The Shift
Teacher Guide
Lesson 44 Supplement
Grades 10-12 | Sociology / World History
Objective
Students will analyze the transition from industrial to post-industrial society (c. 1950–1980), identifying the shift from manufacturing to service-based economies and explaining the resulting demographic shifts in education and family structure.
Key Concepts
Post-Industrialism Service Sector Demographic Transition Educational Inflation
Pacing Guide
5M Warm-up (Family History)
10M Viewing (11:05-13:40)
20M Profile Activity
5M Exit Ticket
Facilitation Notes
Warm-up: The "Why"
Many students view history as abstract. By starting with their own families, you anchor the concept of "The Shift" in personal reality. Encourage students whose families moved from agrarian/factory work to office/tech work to share their observations.
Video Deep Dive (11:05 - 13:40)
Focus on John Green's quote: "The question isn't just how to build a bridge, it's where to build a bridge." This distinguishes technical skill (Industrial) from analytical/historical thinking (Post-Industrial/Service).
Activity Exemplars
1920s Industrial Worker
Education: Often 8th grade or early high school. Focus on apprenticeship or vocational skills.
Physicality: High. Manual labor, heavy machinery, repetition.
Family: Large. Children often seen as potential earners; enter workforce earlier. Single-income (male breadwinner) model prevalent.
1980s Service Worker
Education: University degree or technical college increasingly mandatory (+580% rise in Sweden).
Physicality: Low. Focus on "emotional labor" (customer care) and "technical skills" (systems analysis).
Family: Smaller. Long-term dependents (schooling till age 22+). Both parents often work to offset costs of education.
Critical Discussion Prompt
"If a post-industrial society values knowledge and 'complex analysis' above all else, what happens to the status of those who still work in the industrial sector? How does this shift potentially lead to social inequality?"
The Shift Exit Ticket Exit Ticket
Post-Industrial Societies
Name:
1. Define "Post-Industrial" in your own words.
2. Identify one major way this economic shift changed family life or education.
Exit Ticket
Post-Industrial Societies
Name:
1. Define "Post-Industrial" in your own words.
2. Identify one major way this economic shift changed family life or education.
