Curated OER
Figuring Somepin 'Bout the Great Depression
Students conduct research from primary and secondary resources in order to help with comprehension of the time period of The Great Depression in American History. The examination of literature is also used in this lesson plan.
Curated OER
James Brown: Life and Times
High schoolers trace James Brown's rise from "Little Junior" in Depression-era Augusta, Georgia, to the "Minister of the New Super Heavy Funk" and create a collage that captures his impact on American music.
Curated OER
The Works Progress Administration and the New Deal
Students research the Depression Era and how it contributed to the formation of the Works Progress Administration. After research, they create a skit to illustrate life during the Depression and the role of the Works Progress...
NPR
This Isn't Right: A History of Women in Industry
Women were in the workplace long before Rosie the Riveter pushed up her sleeve. Learn about the working options available to women during the Industrial Revolution, the Progressive Era, and the Great Depression with a lesson that prompts...
Civil War Trust
Civil War Newspaper
One photograph can represent so much more than the images on the film. Eighth graders select a photograph from the Civil War era and conduct additional research based on the subject matter from the picture. Once they complete the...
Curated OER
Found Poetry with Primary Sources: The Great Depression
Students read a sample found poem and create one together as a class. In this Great Depression lesson, students select a topic, such as miners, and read primary source documents related to the topic. Students select one narrative as the...
Curated OER
I Have a Story to Tell
Students use research information to create a story reflective of an individual of the Great Depression. Students use the RAFT (role, audience, format, topic) learning strategy to identify their role as the author, their audience, the...
Curated OER
Finding Ourselves: The Search for American Identity
Students examine American identity through race, ethnicity, class, gender, regionalism, political values, and beliefs focusing on the Depression era.
Curated OER
Migrant Workers Through the Lens of Dorothea Lange
Students explore the lives of migrant workers during the Great Depression. In this Great Depression lesson, students examine photographs and song lyrics to gain an understanding of the conditions for people living in the era. Students...
Curated OER
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Students read the novel Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry to determine how the Great Depression affected teens. They compare the problems faced during the Great Depression to those teens face today.
Curated OER
Art of Cynicism
Students analyze selected pieces of art and infer how they reflect a sense of disillusionment, and/or cynicism in American society in the aftermath of the Vietnam War and Watergate scandal. Then they identify and place cultural attitudes...
Curated OER
Bud, Not Buddy: List-Group-Label Vocabulary Strategy
Readers of Bud, Not Buddy demonstrate their knowledge of the Great Depression with a list, group, label vocabulary strategy. Included are complete directions for the activity that will also introduce class members to the new vocabulary...
Curated OER
Dust Bowl Story
Students compose narratives describing the difficulties faced by those living in the Dust Bowl. They use resource sheets and photos in this small group activity. Their stories include plots, settings, and characters either taken...
Curated OER
Of Mice and Men
Eighth graders successfully create a newspaper that reflects the Great Depression Era using texts and clues from the literary work Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and Something Permanent by Cynthia Rylant and Walker Evans.
Curated OER
Studying the Great Depression Through Novels
Eighth graders view pictures of life in a small town during the Great Depression in Illinois to gain an understanding of living conditions during the era. They read novels based on life of this era.
Curated OER
The Great Depression
Students examine the time period of the Great Depression. In groups, they discover how the Works Progress Administration helped many workers during this time. Using the internet, they research how the government focused on the arts and...
Southwest Miami Senior High School
US History Summer Instructional Packet
Can you boil the historical, cultural, and political events and movements from the last 150 years into a descriptive study guide? You don't have to—it's right here! A thorough resource includes informative text, discussion questions,...
Curated OER
Jazz in America
Students learn vocabulary associated with the Swing Era. They also listen to music from the time period.
Curated OER
Jazz in America
Students explore the Swing Era and its implications. They answer questions and listen to music from the era.
Curated OER
Reflections of Hunger and Poverty: the Works of Lange, Kollwitz, and Orozco
Young scholars explore the Great Depression depicted in artwork. In this interdisciplinary lesson, students analyze artwork by Dorothea Lange, Kathe Kollwitz, and Jose Clemente Orozco. Young scholars create brochures that feature details...
Curated OER
Letters to Mrs. Roosevelt
Seventh graders write letters to Mrs. Roosevelt from the perspective of children. In this Great Depression lesson, 7th graders examine the era and then write letters that identify how children living during the era must have felt.
Curated OER
Eckstine, Stayhorn, and the Dorseys: Masters of Swing
Students explore the history of swing music. In this music history lesson, students research the Dorsey Brothers, Billy Eckstine, and William Strayhorn to learn about swing music. Students define swing, develop a timeline of events in...
Curated OER
Jackie Steals Home
Students read articles relating to Jackie Robinson's breaking of the racial barrier in professional baseball. This leads to a deeper exploration of racism in the United States. They use a variety of worksheets imbedded in this plan to...
Curated OER
Westward Expansion and the Frontier
Students explore U.S. history by researching a historic map. In this westward expansion lesson, students discuss the mystery of the western U.S. in the early 1800's and the impact expansion had on Native Americans and agriculture....