The muckrakers and reformers of the Progressive Era were part of an American tradition: stirring things up and advocating for change. And like most of their predecessors and successors, they met with only partial success. You might want to take this opportunity to explore exactly why. 

Were Progressives limited by barriers within the economic and social system? Or were they inhibited by the limitations of their own vision for reform? And how do these limitations apply to modern movements? It will be interesting for your students to draw parallels (or perpendiculars!) between the movements of the Progressive Era and those of today.