Federal Reserve Bank
Could It Happen Again?
The final instructional activity in a series of six about the Great Depression focuses on the Federal Reserve's role in stabilizing the economy.
Curated OER
Journal of Time: A Historical Perspective
Analyze the setting behind the Great Depression in California with Pam Munoz Ryan's Esperanza Rising. Middle schoolers assess the protagonist during her coming-of-age moments, while migrant workers manage the hardships of the era. Each...
National Endowment for the Humanities
John Steinbeck’s "The Grapes of Wrath": The Inner Chapters
Here’s a must-have resource for anyone using The Grapes of Wrath. Everything from guiding questions to background information, from photographs to documentary films, from activities to assessments is included in a richly detailed packet...
Curated OER
Jacob Have I Loved
Young scholars examine visual images about the novel, Jacob Have I Loved. They compare pictures from "America from the Great Depression to World War II" that are described in the book and other studies of the Chesapeake Bay. They present...
Curated OER
The Great Depression: Part 1
Students explore the causes and effects of the Great Depression. In this Great Depression activity, students analyze the economic and political causes as well as the economic, foreign affairs and political effects of the depression....
Curated OER
The Grapes of Wrath: Voices from the Great Depression
Students research the Great Depression. In this Great Depression activity, students analyze primary sources to develop an understanding of the plight of migrant farm workers during the Great Depression as they read Steinbeck's The...
Curated OER
Photographs from the Great Depression: Jacob Have I Loved 
Students research the Great Depression and World War II. In this Great Depression lesson, students analyze photographs of the depression era as they begin reading Katherine Paterson's Jacob Have I Loved.
Curated OER
Great Depression and the New Deal
Students create a timeline detailing the events of the Great Depression to identify causes of the Great Depression. Then students organize the programs created by the New Deal using a graphic organizer.
Curated OER
The Great Depression and FDR
Eleventh graders recognize some of the causes and effects of the Great Depression, and thereby explain the motives behind Roosevelt's "New Deal" program for the United States.
Curated OER
The Great Depression
Eighth graders examine the relief, recovery, and reform legislation to combat the Great Depression. In this New Deal lesson plan, 8th graders investigate New Deal programs as well as images from the depression era. Students then present...
Curated OER
Understanding the Great Depression Through Film
Eleventh graders consider the role that government should play in economics. In this Great Depression instructional activity, 11th graders watch the film Cinderella Man and then complete a packet of worksheets to help them analyze the...
Curated OER
Time Traveler Blues: The Great Depression
Students research the Great Depression Era and its effect on the world. They create a multimedia presentation over the Great Depression from many angles.
Curated OER
The Great Depression: An Oral History
Pupils examine the hardships experienced during the Great Depression through an oral history interview with person who lived through the event. Students transcribe their interviews and discover the contributions oral history can make to...
Curated OER
Family Life During the Great Depression
Students practice the skill of photo analysis. In this Great Depression lesson, students analyze photographs from the era and write fictitious diary entries based on the images.
Curated OER
The Great Depression and the New Deal
Students examine New Deal legislation. In this Great Depression lesson, students read the listed materials in order to gain insight into what American citizens thought about New Deal legislation when it was passed.
Curated OER
The Great Depression: A Study Guide Through Song
Students take a closer look at the political and social outlook during the Great Depression. For this Great Depression lesson, students analyze selected songs from the time period. Students use the provided lyric sheets and song analysis...
Curated OER
Daily Life During the Great Depression
Students identify what daily life was like during the Great Depression and why oral histories are valuable tools for preserving memories. They develop a list of questions. They conduct an oral history interview. They write down the...
Curated OER
President Hoover and the Great Depression
Eleventh graders explore how President Hoover's conservative response to the Great Depression drew criticism from the American public. They watch a video clip outlining how hard times were during the Depression and take notes during the...
Curated OER
The Great Depression - FDR and the New Deal
Students consider the role that government should play in economics. In this Great Depression instructional activity, students analyze New Deal legislation to develop an informed opinion about the public programs and then present their...
Curated OER
Great Depression: People Puzzle
Students identify how the Great Depression affected various American social groups. In this Great Depression lesson, students read assigned textbook pages about women, African Americans, Mexican immigrants, and Native Americans during...
Curated OER
The Lives of the People: To Understand the People is to Understand the Times
Students examine the time period of the Great Depression. Using primary source documents, they read excerpts of interviews done by author Studs Terkel for one of his books. They practice interviewing their partner in front of the class...
Curated OER
Important People from the 1930s to 1940s
Young scholars study contributions of important people during the Great Depression. Using the internet, they research and collect information on an assigned individual. Students write an essay on the person researched.
Historical Thinking Matters
Social Security: 3 Day Lesson
What does social security reveal about the political and social culture of the 1930s? After beginning with a brief introductory video on the impact of the Great Depression and how various Americans, such as Huey Long and Francis...
Nemours KidsHealth
Depression: Grades 9-12
Class members learn how to identify common signs of depression, as well as read articles on the origins and effects of this serious condition. The resource includes some great suggested activities for how learners can inform others about...