A Guide to Primary Resources for U.S. History : Women's Bureau: An Overview U.S. Department of Labor: "Women's Bureau" This text-based resource presents a helpful historical contextualization of gender worker diversity. It explains the history and the mandate of the Department of Labor's Women's Bureau, which has been in operation since 1920. On the website, there is a link to statistics. The statistics show the 20 leading occupations of employed women today (including women's and men's pay in comparable jobs). The students can explore the statistics and discuss the following questions: a) How would you describe a "typical female profession"? b) Why do you think that women are attracted to these particular jobs? c) How can you explain the discrepancy in pay? In which professions is the discrepancy the largest? After students have read the overview of the Women's Bureau and had a chance to explore the site, the teacher can ask students to interview their mothers and other females in their family/neighborhood (it would be best if they could get representatives from a few generations) regarding their experiences in the working world. The students could create their own interview protocol using the information from the website. Possible topics include: changing societal expectations/norms, education and training programs available, pay discrepancy, and services available to working women (such as childcare).

(a) analyzing the effects of increased participation of women in the work force;

Women's Bureau: An Overview
U.S. Department of Labor: Women's Bureau

Description: This text-based resource presents a helpful historical contextualization of gender worker diversity. It explains the history and the mandate of the Department of Labor's Women's Bureau, which has been in operation since 1920.

Teaching Tips:

"Do Now" Suggestion

On the website, there is a link to statistics. The statistics show the 20 leading occupations of employed women today (including women's and men's pay in comparable jobs). The students can explore the statistics and discuss the following questions: a) How would you describe a "typical female profession"? b) Why do you think that women are attracted to these particular jobs? c) How can you explain the discrepancy in pay? In which professions is the discrepancy the largest?

Suggestion for Using this Resource as Part of a Lesson

After students have read the overview of the Women's Bureau and had a chance to explore the site, the teacher can ask students to interview their mothers and other females in their family/neighborhood (it would be best if they could get representatives from a few generations) regarding their experiences in the working world. The students could create their own interview protocol using the information from the website. Possible topics include: changing societal expectations/norms, education and training programs available, pay discrepancy, and services available to working women (such as childcare).