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In Between the Wars: The Great Depression

Lesson Author
Required Time Frame
Probably 5 class periods of 50 min.
Lesson Abstract
Students will study the New Deal and The Great Depression.
Description
  • Orally read and discuss from The World, student social studies textbook
  • Watch video, "The Depression"(in my school library)
  • In groups of 4-5, students will have 3-5 minutes to list the things they felt contributed to the onset of the depression, specifically in the United States, but was throughout the world.
  • In groups of 4-5, students will have 3-5 minutes to list what they see as negative results of the Great Depression.
  • Based on the background knowledge that they have at this time, students will be asked to list things that are going on right now, present day, that are comparable (like) it was in the years before the Great Depression.
  • Homework assignment for extra credit points:
    • Bring in news articles that relate to the economic crunch that our country is in presently
    • Report on news (seen on TV) that relates to the economic crunch that our country is in presently

Students will be given news articles that the teacher has acquired, copies will be made so that each group of 4-5 students can go through and highlight key points in the news article to share with the class, each group will receive a different article on which to work.

F.D.R.'s New Deal, specifically the W. P. A. and C. C. C. programs to help families to provide for themselves will be discussed.

DVD of my father discussing how and why he got into the C. C. C. program and the places he worked, the jobs he performed, and the benefits to his family.

Rationale (why are you doing this?)

To help students to see what events led us into the Great Depression and to help them see that history is almost repeating itself by comparing what is going on in the U.S. today with the 1920's. Items 8 & 9 above are to show how the government tried to help our country get out of the depression through work programs, not by handing people money

Lesson Objectives - the student will
  • The students will relate how the events leading up to the Great Depression compare with the economic situation the U. S. is in today.
  • The students will see how the government tried to help struggling families during the Great Depression.
District, state, or national performance and knowledge standards/goals/skills met

Grade Level Equivalent goals for the Missouri Assessment Plan

  • Interpret the past, explain the present and predict future consequences of economic decisions.
  • Identify the consequences of personal and public economic decisions.

Missouri Standards

2. Continuity and change in the history of Missouri, the United States and the world

6. Relationships of the individual and groups to institutions and cultural traditions

7. The use of tools of social science inquiry (such as surveys, statistics, maps, documents)

Kansas Standards

Benchmark 2: The student uses a working knowledge and understanding of individuals, groups, ideas, developments, and turning points in the era of the Great Depression through World War II in United States history (1930-1945).

The student:

1. (A) analyzes the causes and impact of the Great Depression (e.g., overproduction, consumer debt, banking regulation, unequal distribution of wealth).

2. (A) analyzes the costs and benefits of New Deal programs. (e.g., budget deficits vs. creating employment, expanding government: CCC, WPA, Social Security, TVA, community infrastructure improved, dependence on subsides).

3. (A) analyzes the debate over expansion of federal government programs during the Depression (e.g., Herbert Hoover, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Alf Landon, Huey Long, Father Charles Coughlin).

4. (A) analyzes the human cost of the Dust Bowl through art and literature (e.g., Dorothea Lange, Woody Guthrie, John Steinbeck).

Benchmark 5: The student engages in historical thinking skills.

1. (A) analyzes a theme in United States history to explain patterns of continuity and change over time.

2. (A) develops historical questions on a specific topic in United States history and analyzes the evidence in primary source documents to speculate on the answers.

Secondary materials (book, article, video documentary, etc.) needed
  1. World Cultures, Scott Foresman, 1900 E. Lake Ave., Chicago, IL 60025
  2. "The Depression", video
  3. Newspaper articles
Primary sources needed (document, photograph, artifact, diary or letter, audio or visual recording, etc.) needed

DVD of my father relating his service in the Civilian Conservation Corp

Fully describe the activity or assignment in detail. What will both the teacher and the students do?

Orally read and discuss from The World, student social studies textbook

Watch video, "The Depression"(in my school library)

In groups of 4-5, students will have 3-5 minutes to list the things they felt contributed to the onset of the depression, specifically in the United States, but was throughout the world.

In groups of 4-5, students will have 3-5 minutes to list what they see as negative results of the Great Depression.

Based on the background knowledge that they have at this time, students will be asked to list things that are going on right now, present day, that are comparable (like) it was in the years before the Great Depression.

Homework assignment for extra credit points:  

  • Bring in news articles that relate to the economic crunch that our country is in presently
  • Report on news (seen on TV) that relates to the economic crunch that our country is in presently

Students will be given news articles that the teacher has acquired, copies will be made so that each group of 4-5 students can go through and highlight key points in the news article to share with the class, each group will receive a different article on which to work.

F.D.R.’s New Deal, specifically the W. P. A. and C. C. C. programs to help families to provide for themselves will be discussed.

DVD of my father discussing how and why he got into the C. C. C. program and the places he worked, the jobs he performed, and the benefits to his family.

Assessment: fully explain the assessment method in detail or create and attach a scoring guide

Teacher prepared sheet

Directions: Put the letters representing the items discussed that probably led to the Great Depression on the lines provided (Have exact number lines needed)

In preparing the test, paper, teacher has intermixed additional items into the list from which students are to choose their answers.

To give score, I would use E-Z grader, based on number of answers there should be.