Curated OER
Exploring Roosevelt's New Deal Using Oral Histories from the Great Depression
Students examine the process of collecting life stories. They also look at the lives effected by The Great Depression to gain understanding of the controversial economic plan of Roosevelt.
Center for History Education
African Americans and the Democratic Party
Why did African American voters switch from the Republican Party to the Democratic party during the Depression Era? That is the question young historians attempt to answer as they study primary source documents from the period. The focus...
Curated OER
The Great Depression Essay
Students explore the events that led to the stock market crash,the concerns of the Depression, and the effects of the New Deal programs on the American people and the American economy.
Curated OER
Surviving the Depression- 1930-1939 Lesson 3: Solutions to the Depression
Students evaluate the components of the New Deal and role of nonprofit organizations the relief and rebuilding efforts of the Great Depression. They write letters to the organization that they are researching.
Center for History Education
Debating Social Security: Understanding and Evaluating the Social Security Act of 1935
With throngs of Americans out of work and hungry, Franklin D. Roosevelt made the bold move to establish a social safety net with programs such as Social Security. The move was—and still is—controversial. Using documents from the 1930s,...
Curated OER
FDR's Fireside Chats: The Power of Words
High schoolers examine Franklin D. Roosevelt's Fireside Chats. In this presidential history lesson, students listen to the radio broadcasts of select FDR Fireside Chats. High schoolers analyze the effectiveness of his messages to the...
Curated OER
Social Security
Students investigate the inception of Social Security benefits provided by the Government. In this Social Security lesson, students debate whether or not people should be entitled to receive money from the government. Students view...
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
Interpreting Primary Sources: Letters
In this primary source analysis worksheet, students examine letters and respond to 8 short answer questions regarding their content.
Curated OER
The Great Depression: A World Struggle
Students research the impact of the Great Depression on the United States. In groups, they use the internet to describe each of FDR's New Deal Programs and how it helped unemployment. They also discuss how these programs affected the...
Curated OER
The Federal Theatre Project
Students research the Federal Theatre Project and assess its accomplishments. Working in groups, they identify both successes and failure of the project and record their findings on a chart. Students explain the credibility of the...
Curated OER
People in the Depression
Students discover what it was like to live in 1930's America. In this Great Depression lesson, students listen a guest speaker talk about his/her experience during the time period in American history. Students take notes on the...
A&E Television
The World Wars
Contemporaneously known as The Great War, World War I had never seen its match on the global stage—until World War II. An engaging set of resources designed to extend a viewing of the History Channel's The World Wars features discussion...
Curated OER
Public Works in the Great Depression in Arkansas
Students examine different public works that were initiated during the Great Depression and still exist in Arkansas today. Students discover the impact of the Depression period on their community and the effect it still has on people's...
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...
Curated OER
Climate/Dust Bowl
Students read the novel " Out of the Dust" and identify environmental issues. They select one of those issues to research and create a slideshow explaining their research and present it to the class.
Historical Thinking Matters
Social Security: 1 Day Lesson
Should the United States provide relief for those who are unemployed? Trace this question back to the Great Depression with your young historians, who will engage in careful reading of historical documents and classroom discussion to...
Curated OER
Radio Broadcasting Before Television
Students compare the radio to other forms of mass communication. In this Radio Broadcasting Before Television lesson, students learn the different types of radio shows in the 1920s and 30s. Students write and perform radio scripts...
Curated OER
The Wealth Tax of 1935 and the Victory Tax of 1942
Students explain that during the Great Depression and World War II, the Roosevelt administration implemented new, broader, and more progressive taxes in order to cover the costs of the New Deal programs and the war.
Curated OER
FDR's Fireside Chat on the Purposes and Foundations of the Recovery Program
Young scholars discuss how they get information on important events or activities that occur in the national government today. They evaluate the New Deal, utilizing document analysis worksheets imbedded in this plan.
Curated OER
FDR Tries to Pack the Supreme Court
Young scholars analyze the Court Reform Bill of 1937. In this Supreme Court lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the details Frankin Roosevelt and his attempt to pack the Supreme Court. Young scholars...
Curated OER
FDR Fireside Chat
Eleventh graders examine the purpose of Franklin D. Roosevelt's chats. In this American History lesson, 11th graders collaborate with their group members on becoming an expert on a specific chat.
Curated OER
African Americans and the Democratic Party
Students identify factors that caused African Americans to shift party loyalty from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party. They review ways in which African Americans benefited from New Deal programs. Students analyze primary...
Curated OER
The Great Depression and the Arts
High schoolers engage in a dialogue about the Depression, the impact of the New
Deal, the role of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the survival of Democracy, and the
resiliency of the American spirit.