Summary
Students will compare facts about the Great Depression, a primary source document, and era photos to gain a deeper understanding of the social and economic impact of the Great Depression.
Essential Question(s)
How did the Great Depression affect Americans? What was the social and economic impact of the Great Depression?
Snapshot
Engage
Students identify facts about the Great Depression that they already know and how they know it in a structured activity.
Explore
Students analyze a reading and a photograph about the Great Depression in pairs.
Explain
Students compose a summary statement about the Great Depression in pairs.
Extend
Students reflect on how Roosevelt tried to ease the social and economic impact of the Great Depression for families by listening to a fireside chat.
Evaluate
Students write about the Great Depression by using a photo from the era as a prompt.
Materials
Great Depression Photos (attached)
Wall Street Crash of 1929 handout (one per pair of students; attached)
H-Chart handout (one per pair of students; attached)
Fireside Chat handout (one per pair of students; attached)
Large poster paper
Markers
Pen/pencil
Engage
10 Minute(s)
Use the attached Lesson Slides to guide the lesson. Begin with slide 3 and review the essential questions with students. Tell students to keep these questions in mind as they complete the lesson.
Have students take out a piece of notebook paper and move to slide 4. Introduce students to the How I Know It strategy by having them draw a large circle in the middle of their paper. Tell students to write down all the facts they know about the Great Depression in the circle. On the outside of the circle, have students write down how they know the facts.
After providing time for students to respond, ask for several volunteers to share one fact and how they know it. Have a brief class discussion about the Great Depression, correcting any misconceptions students might have.
Explore
30 Minute(s)
Place students into partners and provide each group with the attached H-Chart handout, the attached The Wall Street Crash of 1929 handout, and one photo from the Great Depression Photos document. The Great Depression Photos document includes five photos; print as many of these photos as necessary to provide each set of partners with one.
Display slide 5 and tell students to begin by reading the handout individually. As they read, they should highlight key points from the reading that provide details about the economic impact of the Great Depression.
Next move to slide 6 and tell students to summarize their key takeaways from the reading on the left side of the H-Chart. Then students should summarize the photo on the right side of the H-Chart.
Explain
15 Minute(s)
Tell students to write a “third text” of their own in the middle of the H-Chart. Have students summarize the Great Depression’s impact on America based on what they have learned from the reading and the photo. Ask for a few volunteers to share what they have written. Because some students have different photos, students' responses will vary.
Extend
25 Minute(s)
Display slide 7 and pass out the attached Roosevelt’s Fireside Chat handout to each pair of students. Have the pairs write their names on the handout. Tell students to designate a role for each partner. Partner one should underline all statements President Roosevelt made about the condition of the country during the Great Depression. Partner two should circle the solutions Roosevelt and Congress are planning to help the economy and the American people. If students have difficulty reading, you may read the handout aloud as the class follows along.
After providing time for students to complete this task, move to slide 8. Have students create groups of four, with only either partner one or partner two students in each group. Provide each group with a piece of large chart paper. Tell students to collectively write a summary of what they underlined and circled from the Fireside Chat on large chart paper. Have each group hang up their paper and share one thing they have written down.
Evaluate
20 Minute(s)
Display slide 9 and have students take out a piece of notebook paper. Tell students to use the photo they were given earlier to write a one paragraph newspaper article about the Great Depression. Students should include the social and economic impact the Great Depression had on Americans. If a quicker assessment is needed, have students write a caption for the photo they were given instead of writing an article. Alternatively, the H-Chart can serve as the assessment.
Collect student’s responses to assess understanding of the lesson content.
Resources
K20 Center. (n.d.). How I Know It. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/144
K20 Center. (n.d.). Paired Texts H-Chart. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/132
Miller Center. (n.d.). May 7, 1933: Fireside Chat 2: On progress during the first two months. The University of Virginia. http://millercenter.org/president/fdroosevelt/speeches/speech-3299