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Description
OVERVIEW
In this lesson, students will analyze a number of sources to determine how each source is related to key topics of the era and provide a summary of the main idea of each source.
LESSON TIME
This lesson will take approximately 45 – 60 minutes.
Exact times may vary based on the specific needs of individual classes.
ESSENTIAL QUESTION
- What are the key topics and major themes of the Great Depression, and how were these topics recorded and discussed in the primary source materials of the era?
Teacher Tools
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Lesson Plan, Teacher Guide, Sources
Downloadable/editable versions of this lesson plan, including a step-by-step guide through the lesson. When applicable, a list of primary sources used in the lesson is also included.
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This ready-to-use classroom slideshow contains the warm-up exercise, the daily objective, the “We will / I will” statements, and the essential question for the lesson.
It guides the class through the assignment providing larger versions of images, visual representations of the directions, and supports for reading and answering questions including sentence stems for in-class responses. It concludes with the exit ticket.
Student Activities
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Warm-up & Exit Ticket
In this printable warm-up / bell-ringer activity, students will read an excerpt from an oral history interview of a man named John Rankin who lived in the Texas Panhandle during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. Students use the excerpt to draw conclusions about life during the Great Depression.
In this exit ticket, students will choose two points of view from a list of given options including someone who lived in the Panhandle during the Dust Bowl, a person in a rural area gaining access to electricity for the first time, a person enrolled in the Civilian Conservation Corps, or students can create their own point of view. Students then create a text message conversation between these 2 points of view about their experiences during the Great Depression.
The Warm-up and Exit Ticket document includes two warm-ups on the front of the page and two exit tickets on the back of the page. This formatting reduces the number of copies needed, as teachers will cut each printed page in half. Each student will receive a half-page with the warm-up on the front and the exit on the back.
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Primary Source Materials
This printable material provides 10 primary source excerpts related to the Great Depression including oral interview transcripts, newspaper articles, a political cartoon, and a photograph. Students will use these materials to complete their work.
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Grade Level Worksheet
In this printable assignment, students will read the introductory passage written at an on-grade Lexile level and write a short constructed response explaining two challenges people faced during the Great Depression using a sentence stem to guide their response; Students then choose 5 of the 10 primary source excerpts and write 3 facts and a brief summary of each excerpt.
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Foundation Worksheet
In this printable assignment, students will read the introductory passage written at an on-grade Lexile level with key information written in bold lettering and identify three challenges people faced during the era by choosing from multiple choice options; Students then choose 4 of the 10 primary source excerpts and identify the topic or topics addressed in each excerpt and write a brief summary of each excerpt using a sentence stem to guide responses.
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Advanced Worksheet
In this printable assignment, students will read the introductory passage written at an above-grade Lexile level and write a short constructed response explaining three challenges people faced during the Great Depression; Students then choose six of the ten available primary sources to identify the primary topic or topics, write quick notes about the excerpt, and provide a short summary of each excerpt.
Sources
Previews and links to sources referenced in this lesson.
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The Caldwell News and the Burleson County Ledger (Caldwell, Tex.) February 14, 1930.
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Oral History Interview with Bill Oakley, February 6, 1991
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Oral History Interview with George Riley, February 3, 1994
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The Lampasas Leader (Lampasas, Tex.), Friday, March 31, 1939.
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The Shamrock Texan (Shamrock, Tex.), Friday, February 14, 1936.
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The Denison Press (Denison, Tex.), Wednesday, May 12, 1937.
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Rural Areas Will Share in REA Plan, The Brady Standford, March 6, 1936
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The Dublin Progress (Dublin, Tex.), November 26, 1937
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Political Cartoon by Clifford Berryman depicting Sam Rayburn and John Nance Garner
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Picturing Texas: The Farm Security Administration
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“Depression” Men on a park bench
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