LIBRARY OF CONGRESS – PATHWAYS
LESSON MODULE
Katelyn Koranda, Natalie Ryther, Ryan Aman
Lauren Their, Rebekah Cooper
University of Northern Iowa
College of Education
Cedar Falls, Iowa
Title: Life in America during 1935­1944; What exactly was happening? Theme: The Great Depression and World War II http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentatio
ns/timeline/depwwii/ Historical Period: American Identiy http://www.uni.edu/icss/pathways/theme2.html Lesson Module Overview: Students will be presented with multiple lessons directed around the theme of American life throughout the years of 1935‐1944. Numerous events occurred throughout this time period and students will experience these events through each lesson provided with photographs sourced from the Library of Congress. Grade Range: Intermediate/Middle Level (3rd‐6th) TABLE OF CONTENTS LESSON MODULE DAY 1 3 Title: The Resettlement Administration1935­1937 LESSON MODULE DAY 2 6 Title: How did the Depression begin? And what was life like for Americans? LESSON MODULE DAY 3 10 Title: Then and Now; a comparison of the cost of living during the Great Depression and today’s world. LESSON MODULE DAY 4 14 Title: How did America get into World War two? LESSON MODULE DAY 5 18 Title: What was life like for Japanese Americans living in internment camps? APPENDIX I: Images from the Library of Congress 22 Categorized by Lessons APPENDIX II: Resettlement Worksheet 34 APPENDIX III: Cost of living worksheet 35 37 APPENDIX IV: Executive Order 9066 APPENDIX V: Bibliography and Resources 31 1 LESSON MODULE—Day 1 Title: The Resettlement Administration 1935‐1937 Learning Goals Knowledge: 
Students will identify the people affected by the relocation plans of the Resettlement Administration 
Students will list the goals and purpose of the Resettlement Administration Skills: 
Students will participate in debate/ discussion over the Resettlement Administration 
Students will collaborate effectively when researching their selected role of the Resettlement Administration Dispositions: 
Students will provide support and defend their position while debating their selected role National Council for the Social Studies Themes http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands Culture: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of culture and cultural diversity Time, Continuity, and Change: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the past and its legacy. People, Places, and Environment: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of people, places, and environments 2 Materials Needed: Research worksheet (see Appendix ‐ II) Copies of photos for each student (see Appendix ‐ I) Computers for research, reserve computer lab Lesson Procedures (lesson could last a couple class periods) Introduction 1. Show students the photos of the Resettlement Administration and discuss what is going on in the photos. (Photos located in Appendix I) 2. After a short discussion on what the photos could represent, introduce the Resettlement Administration to the class and the agenda for the day. 3. Background knowledge on the Resettlement Administration (RA) is displayed to the students. ( See Appendix 1 for information from photos) Review the origin of the RA and the groups that were affected. 4. Explain that roles will be selected by random for each student to research and support during a debate at the end of class. 5. Students will draw for their position in the discussion/ debate. The groups will be the government and the people being affected by the relocation (people being relocated or people losing workforce). *The groups are an outline and groups can decide on the path they take with their research. Also since a debate will be taking place groups should declare a bias either for or against the Resettlement Administration. 3 * The people being affected group may choose to break off into two groups, since that group has two choices Development 1. Students will have time to research their role and develop information to support their thoughts on the Resettlement Administration. A worksheet will be provided as a guideline for the research. 2. Students will collaborate with the same group members to discuss ideas and split up the tasks of researching their position on the RA. Support and reasoning needs to found for the stance your group is taking. 3. Group leaders need to be assigned to track the progress of the group. Although all students will be required participate in the debate. Culmination Conduct the discussion/ debate where students as their groups will state their reasoning against or for the Resettlement Administration. Lead the debate by asking the government group to state their reasoning for this movement. Assessment Have students write a reflection one to two paragraphs in length about what they learned about the Resettlement Administration. Also include a paragraph about how their group worked together and their major contributions to the group research and during the debate. 4 Lesson Module—Day 2 Title: How did the Depression Begin? And Everyday Life in America Learning Goals: Knowledge 
Students will develop an understanding of how the Great Depression began. 
Students will be able to describe what took place during the Great Depression and how families lived during that time. 
Students will use literature and other sources to gain a better understanding of life during this time period. Skills 
Students will collaborate in groups to learn about the given topic and prepare a presentation. 
Students use technology to research and learn about the Great Depression. Dispositions 
Students will develop an understanding of how and why the Great Depression effected the people of America and the impact it caused on their lives. National Council for the Social Studies Themes: http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands Time, Continuity, and Change: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the past and its legacy. 5 Power, Authority, and Governance: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people create, interact with, and change structures of power, authority, and governance. Civic Ideals and Practices: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the ideals, principles, and practices of citizenship in a democratic republic. Materials Needed: 
Books 
Poster board 
Makers 
Scissors 
Glue 
Notebook 
Pencil 
Bulletin board materials 
List of websites for research Lesson Procedures: Introduction 1. Grab the student’s attention by introducing the book, Children of the Great Depression, by Russell Freedman. The students will get a taste of what it was like for kids their age during the Great Depression. 6 2. Talk about how the depression began. Discuss with the students what the stock market is, and what caused it to crash. Introduce some vocabulary words that relate to the stock market, such as deflation, unemployment, and percent statistics. 3. Introduce the topic of the Dust Bowl and also what part that tragedy played during the depression. 4. Ask the students how they would be feeling if their family was affected by the depression and the drought. What would it feel like to them to suddenly have both parents at home with no income and many mouths they still have to feed? Development 1. Create a chart that includes these questions: “What was the Great Depression? What caused the Great Depression? How were families affected by this large dilemma? What other event took place during this time that hurt families?” 2. Go more in depth with the definitions for the vocabulary words that were discussed during the introduction. 3. Split the class into small groups. Provide time for the students to do some research on these questions. Allow them time to learn more about this topic and gather pictures while working together. Be available for questions and further hints to help them learn. 4. Once the students have gathered information give them posters to display their information on. Place them in a scenario that this is now their family that is going through the depression. The posters will allow them to explain what kind of situation their family was in. Culmination 7 1. Provide an area in the classroom that has information on this topic. Place important vocabulary and big key points on this board. 2. This will be a space where the students can display their finished work once they have presented. Books will be displayed here that students can use in their research. (A list of books is provided below.) Assessment 1. Students will present together some of the information they have found. Also briefly let each student share one or two details of what their life and family would have been going through during this time. 2. Have students fill out and exit slip that has them write down one thing they learned while doing this project. 8 Lesson Module—Day 3 Title: Then and Now Learning Goals: Knowledge ‐Students will understand the differences between costs of common items during the Great Depression and costs today. ‐Students will learn about the differences between wages of the families during the Great Depression and the present day wages. ‐Students will understand the sacrifices that families made in order to meet their needs. Skills ‐Students will participate in active discussion with small groups and within the large group discussing their thoughts and opinions on the topic. ‐Students will begin exploring the topic using technology to help them complete their assignment. ‐Students will write their reflections over the lesson using their new knowledge and ideas from the lesson. Dispositions ‐Students will be able to think critically about the past and examine the differences between their current lives and the lives of those in the past. National Council for the Social Studies Themes: http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands 9 Time, Continuity, & Change: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the past and its legacy. People, Places, & Environment: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of people, places, and environments. Culture: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of culture and cultural diversity. Materials Needed: 
Worksheets for each student 
Writing utensils 
Access to computers/internet 
Writing paper Lesson Procedures: Introduction 1. Begin the lesson by telling the students a short story: a. “Last night when I went to the store, I brought along $20 thinking that I would be able to buy a new sweater for my birthday party. At the store, I couldn’t find anything that cost less than $20.00! Can you believe it? Sometimes I wish I could go back to around 1935. If I lived during that time, I would have been able to buy 20 brand new sweaters with my money!” b. “Why do you think that I would have been able to buy so many more sweaters with my money in that time period than I can today?” c. “Today we are going to continue talking about the events of the Great Depression.” 10 Development 1. Begin by reviewing the information learned in the previous lessons about everyday life living in during the Great Depression. 2. “As you saw in our previous discussion, the cost of everyday things was very different back during the Great Depression.” 3. “Today, we are going to be examining the differences between prices of items from the Great Depression to today. We will also be looking at the differences between wages and discussing the differences to our world today.” 4. Hand out a worksheet to each of the students. (See Appendix 3) 5. “I want each of you to take a look at this sheet at the items listed under each category. I want you all to become detectives and find out how much each of these items would cost you today.” 6. “You are welcome to use computers to look up prices; I just want a close estimate.” 7. Allow students ample amount of time to look up the prices of the listed items. 8. “Now that everyone is finished, I want you each to discuss in your small groups what you have noticed about the prices when you compared current prices to the prices of the Great Depression.” 9. “Why do you think that things were so much cheaper back then?” 10. Host a large group discussion and help students realize the hardships that families had to go through to spread their money further. 11. “When we look at the weekly wages that a common person would have made, do you think that they would have been able to afford some of these common items?” 12. “How do the prices compare to the wages?” 11 13. Host a large group discussion and look at the attached photographs. Discuss the differences between living during the Great Depression and today. Culmination 1. Each student will write in their journals explaining what it would have been like living during the Great Depression. What are some things they might have had to sacrifice for their families? How would you have been able to afford all of the things you need? What would happen if you didn’t have enough money to buy something? What would you have done? 2. Allow students to discuss their answers with each other or with the large group to wrap up the discussion of the differences between cost of living during the Great Depression and the present. Assessment 1. As a closing assessment, have each student write two things that they learned about living during the Great Depression. Use these responses to determine what they students effectively learned, and what can be improved upon for the next lesson. 12 Lesson Module—Day 4 Title: How did America Become Part of World War II? Learning Goals: 
Knowledge o Students will learn about the events that led up to WWII. o Students will understand perspective of the Japanese as well as the United States for their actions. o Students will learn more in depth about the day of Pearl Harbor. 
Skills o Students will participate in a debate, each team representing either Japan or the United States. o Students will explore different images to understand the events leading up to WWII. 
Dispositions o Students will develop the skills needed to persuade others while evaluating the events leading up to WWII. o Students will engage in a debate to better understand the events leading up to WWII. National Council for the Social Studies Themes: http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands 
Time, Continuity, and Change: Knowing how to read, reconstruct and interpret the past allows us to answer questions. 13 
People, Places, and Environments: Learners develop an understanding of spatial perspectives, and examine changes in the relationship between peoples, places, and environments. 
Culture: Through experience, observation, and reflection, students will identify elements of culture as well as similarities and differences among cultural groups across time and place. Materials needed: 
Photos 
Books, Attack on Pearl Harbor by Shelley Tanaka and My Hiroshima by Jinko Morimoto Lesson Procedures: Introduction: 1. Begin class by activating prior knowledge and asking what students know about WWII 
Show students the pictures from the Library of Congress and ask what these pictures are of. 
Who was involved? 
Why did the United States enter WWII? 2. Read the book Attack on Pearl Harbor by Shelley Tanaka 

14 Before Questions: 
Who knows where Pearl Harbor is? 
What happened there? After Questions: 
What did you learn from this book? 3. Read the book My Hiroshima by Jinko Morimoto Before Questions: 
Who knows what this book may be about? 
Who knows anything about this topic? After Questions: 
What did you learn from this book? Development: 1. Split students up into two groups: America and Japan. Give students time to research each countries reasoning for why they either attacked Pearl Harbor or why Hiroshima was bombed. 2. Before students are dismissed to do research on their topic, tell them they will be participating in a debate when they return. Let them also know the guidelines: 3. Each team will need an opening speech, what was done to their country and their reasoning for destruction to the other, how the events affected their lives. 4. Once students have returned, split each team onto one side of the room. Begin the debate. 5. Afterward, have students gather together and have class discussion over things they learned. Culmination: 15 4. Create space in the classroom for each team to meet and debate the reasoning. 5. Give students access to the computer lab for research. Assessment: 6. Have students write a one paragraph paper over what they learned and how their view changed from researching their event. 7. Students will also be assessed by their debate and discussion. 16 LESSON MODULE—Day 5 Title: What was life like for Japanese Americans living in internment camps?: An Introduction Learning Goals: Knowledge ‐ Students will begin to understand what Japanese American Internment Camps during World War II were. ‐Students will develop an understanding of what it is like children and families living in these internment camps. Skills ‐Students will create a newspaper article based on a photograph from a Japanese American Internment camp. Dispositions ‐Students will begin to develop an opinion on how to evaluate and think critically about the past in relation to historical issues in America during 1935‐1944 National Council for the Social Studies Themes: http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands Time, Continuity, & Change: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the past and its legacy. Power, Authority, & Governance: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people create, interact with, and change structures of power, authority, and governance. Civic Ideals & Practices: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the ideals, principles, and practices of citizenship in a democratic 17 republic. Materials Needed: Access to computers and Internet Paper for newspaper drafts Photos from Appendix 1 Notebooks for journaling Lesson Procedures: Introduction 1. Begin by asking the students the following questions 
What is a labor camp? 
Are all labor camps the same? 
Can anyone tell me what “internment means? 
Has America ever used labor camps? 2. Next place photo 1 from Lesson 5 out of Appendix 1 on display up front, and after about a minute have students begin a class discussion. 
Guide students questioning by their emotions and thoughts based on the photo. Development 1. Pass out copies of and Read aloud Executive Order 9066 From Appendix 5 3. Have students write a newspaper article in response to a photo of their choice from the selection in Appendix 1 for Lesson 5 4. Allow students to draft and peer edit as if it were an actual newspaper article. 18 5. Collect final drafts and place together for students to get the feel of creating an actual newspaper. 6. If time allows, students should share their articles in front of the class or possibly during silent reading time. Culmination 1.
Introduce students to “Clara Breed”‐ A Caucasian female who sent care packages to children of Japanese American Internment Camps. 2.
Bring students in a computer lab to the following website http://www.janm.org/collections/clara‐breed‐collection/ if possible, or print a few of the letters and bring to class. 3.
Have children select a letter and reply to it. This may be a you’re welcome note, thank you, or just a friendly hello. Assessment 1. As students have been presented with a lot of information on the Japanese American Internment it is important to assess them. 2. At the end of the lesson have students journal about their opinions and thoughts on the topic. 3. Be sure that each student knows to include the following in their 1‐2 paragraph journal entry: a. One idea that they found to be interesting b. Something they never knew prior to lesson c. How they believe the families or children felt during this time 4. Last have the students answer the following question in their journals. 19 ‐
Why or how did these internment camps violate laws that we have in the United States? 20 APPENDIX 1 : Images and Graphic Materials From the Library of Congress Image 1 Resettlement project near Eatonton, Georgia. Briar Patch project (March 1936) 21 Image 2 Migrant workers' camp, outskirts of Marysville, California. The new migratory camps now being built by the Resettlement Administration will remove people from unsatisfactory living conditions such as these and substitute at least the minimum of comfort and sanitation (April 1935) 22 Image 3 Family who will be resettled, Transylvania Project, Louisiana (January 1939) 23 Image 4 A Family farm abandoned because of the Dust Bowl and the loss of money to run the farm. 24 Image 5 Multiple families traveling together to find work to be able to support their families. 25 Image 6 This man is out of a job due to the stock market crash and jobs being eliminated. 26 Image 6 Men hard at work to make money to support their families and their needs. 27 Image 7 Family group in interior of house in Mexican section. This man is an agricultural worker. This family of two adults and eight children, with another on the way, live in three small rooms, with no bath for which they pay eleven dollars per month. They use an outside toilet shared with five other families. 28 Image 8 Family living in Mays Avenue camp. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This family had been farmers in Oklahoma until four years ago. Since then they have lived in a community camp, getting some food from the vegetable dumps, doing "trashing" and going on the road occasionally as migrant workers. They have been to Arizona several times to pick cotton. The man went there this fall. In this picture they are picking overripe fruit that they picked up at vegetable packing places. 29 Image 9 Image: A picture of Pearl Harbor during the bombing. 30 Image 10 Image: A picture of Pearl Harbor it was bombed. 31 Image 11 Image: A picture of Hiroshima after it was bombed. 32 Image 12 A young Japanese American female enjoying her free time. 33 Image 13 Public postings informing about executive order 9066. (See appendix 4) 34 Image 14 Everyday life for children living in a Japanese American camp. 35 Image 15 An entrance to Manazanar; a Japanese American Internment camp 36 Image 16 A photograph of a Japanese American Internment camp 37 APPENDIX 2 Resettlement Worksheet Group: ________________________________________ Research Guideline Questions: Are we for or against the actions of the Resettlement Administration? What is our reasoning for being for or against the Resettlement Administration? If people affected by relocation, what group are we picking: people being relocated or people losing workforce? Why? What reasons have we found to support our position? Brainstorm ideas about what the other groups might state. 38 APPENDIX 3 Cost of Living Worksheet Then and Now: Prices WOMEN'S CLOTHES THEN Winter Coat $28.00 Leather or Suede Bag $2.25 Bathrobe $1.00 Sweater $1.00 MEN'S CLOTHES THEN NOW Broadcloth Shirt $1.00 Wool Sweater $1.00 Bathrobe $4.90 Overcoat $18.50 GAMES AND TOYS THEN NOW Sled that Steers $3.95 ‐ $8.95 Ping Pong Table $23.50 to $37.50 Mechanical Toys 3 for$.59 Doll 39 NOW $1.95 ITEMS FOR THE HOME Table Lamp THEN NOW $1.00 Portable Electric Sewing Machine $23.95 Electric Washing Machine $33.50 Gas Stove $19.95 Then and Now: Wages WEEKLY WAGES (general averages) NOW Manufacturing‐‐Production Worker $16.89 $500
Cook $15.00 $236
Doctor $61.11 $1800
Accountant $45.00 $700
40 THEN Appendix 4 Executive Order 9066 Japanese American Internment Order of WWII February 19, 1942 This order from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt enabled the establishment of "internment camps" for 110,000 Japanese Americans and others deemed "enemy aliens". Whereas, the successful prosecution of the war requires every possible protection against espionage and against sabotage to national­defense material, national­defense premises and national defense utilities as defined in Section 4, Act of April 20, 1918, 40 Stat. 533, as amended by the Act of November 30, 1940, 54 Stat. 1220. and the Act of August 21, 1941, 55 Stat. 655 (U.S.C.01 Title 50, Sec. 104): Now therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, and Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, I hereby authorize and direct the Secretary of War, and the Military Commanders whom he may from time to time designate, whenever he or any designated Commander deems such action to be necessary or desirable, to prescribe military areas in such places and of such extent as he or the appropriate Military Commander may determine, from which any or all persons may be excluded, and with respect to which, the right of any persons to enter, remain in, or leave shall be subject to whatever restriction the Secretary of War or the appropriate Military Commander may impose in his discretion. The Secretary of War is hereby authorized to provide for residents of any such area who are excluded therefrom, such transportation, food, shelter, and other accommodations as may be necessary, in the judgment of the Secretary of War or the said Military Commander, and until other arrangements are made, to accomplish the purpose of this order. The designation of military areas in any region or locality shall supersede designations of prohibited and restricted areas by the Attorney General under the Proclamation of December 7 and 8, 1941, and shall supercede the responsibility and authority of the Attorney General under the said Proclamations in respect of such prohibited and restricted areas. I hereby further authorize and direct the Secretary of War and the said Military Commanders to take such other steps as he or the appropriate Military Commander may deem advisable to enforce compliance with the restrictions applicable to each military area herein above authorized to be designated, including the use of Federal troops and other Federal Agencies, with authority to accept assistance of state and local agencies. I hereby further authorize and direct all Executive Departments, independent establishments and other Federal Agencies, to assist the Secretary of War or the said Military Commanders in carrying out this Executive Order, including the furnishing of medical aid, hospitalization, food, clothing, transportation, use of land, shelter, and other supplies, equipment, utilities, facilities and services. 41 This order shall not be construed as modifying or limiting in any way the authority heretofore granted under Executive Order No. 8972, dated December 12, 1941, nor shall it be construed as limiting or modifying the duty and responsibility of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with respect to the investigations of alleged acts of sabotage or the duty and responsibility of the Attorney General and the Department of Justice under the Proclamations of December 7 and 8, 1941, prescribing regulations for the conduct and control of alien enemies, except as such duty and responsibility is superseded by the designation of military areas hereunder. Franklin D. Roosevelt The White House February 19, 1942 42 APPENDIX 5 Bibliography: Resources for Teachers and Students Websites: http://ingrimayne.com/econ/EconomicCatastrophe/GreatDepression.html http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/depression/about.htm http://www.cetel.org/1942_9066.html http://www.janm.org/collections/clara‐breed‐collection/ http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands http://www.worldwariihistory.info/WWII/United­States.html http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=15048#axzz1bM26iVci http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7­153­54463_19268_20778­52530­­,00.html Bibliography of Children’s Letter
Brown, Carrie, and Teri Witkowski.Kit's World, A Girl's-Eye View Of The Great Depression.
American Girl Publishing Inc, 2008.
Burgan,John ichael. The Great Depression. We the People, 2001.
Doak, Anne obin Santos. BlackTuesday, Prelude To The Great Depression.
2008. Booth, David. The Dust Bowl.
Freedman, Information Russell.Children OfThe Great Depression.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2007.
Lied, Kate, and Lisa Campbell Ernst.Potato, A Tale From The Great
Depression. National Geographic Children's Books, 2002.
Mackall,R.R. andi aley. Rudy Rides The Rails, A Depression Era Story.
Sleeping Bear Pr, 2007.
Meltzer, Milton. Tough Times, A Novel. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2007.
Morimoto, Jinko. My Hiroshima.
Stewart, Sarah. The Gardener.
43 Tanaka, Shelley. Attack on pearl harbor.
Educational Resources
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/#
http://www.sandiegohistory.org/online_resources/breed.html
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