Lesson Plan
The lesson is a continuation of the Great Depression focused on the New
Deal. Students have already learned the causes of the Great Depression
and Hoover’s inability to stabilize the economy.
This lesson focuses on the provision of how government intervention
helped the people and is broken into three parts. Relief for the people,
Economic Recovery for business and Financial Reforms. Students will
learn that without the creation of these safety nets our current economic
recession would be more daunting.
Homework and Day Two of the Lesson: To make the depression more
meaningful to today’s students by comparing children’s letters to Eleanor
Roosevelt to letters that they might write to Michelle Obama today.
Objective: Students will understand the impact of the Great Depression on
the country and how it affected middle class America.
A power point presentation overview focusing effects on the people,
business and economy. Students will have opportunities during the
presentation to be in groups to compare the Great Depression with today’s
recession.
Group discussions break after first deal. Have students review the
impact of the needy, economic recovery and financial reforms. Compare to
today.
Group discussion at end. How did the Second Deal adjustments improve
life for the needy, economic recovery and financial reforms? Compare to
today.
Homework: Have students write a letter to Mrs. Obama or the President
describing how they could help you through our recession.
Day Two:
Students will read letters to Mrs. Roosevelt in groups of four. They will
compare the requests children of the 1930’s to today’s students.
Conclude activity: Whole group discussion: Are children the same or
different in their requests?
Resources used from CREC:
Dear Mrs. Roosevelt
Letters from Children of the Great Depression
Technology:
Photographs from Fall Session
Pedagogy:
Students will be in groups to analyze information in the power point
presentation and make connections to current economic conditions.
By Sharon Gorman and Anna Karpiej-Szczepanski
Textbook Addendum
As we have read, the Great Depression focused most on getting men back to
work and the economy back on track to the “Good Old Days”. We have read
that women did gain a minimum wage even though it was lower than a man’s
it was a step in the right direction. African American’s also made some gains
during this time, while Mexicans and Native Americans made little to none.
As we have learned, there was money set aside to ensure that education was
still available. Teacher’s jobs and schools were saved. However, not much
was said about the lives of the children during the Great Depression.
These letters were written by children of various ages from different parts of
the United States. These children wrote to Mrs. Roosevelt asking for various
favors from clothing to money for higher education. Their letters represent
different backgrounds as well as minorities.
Letters Used from “Dear Mrs. Roosevelt: Letters from Children of the Great
Depression” edited by Robert Cohen (The University of North Carolina Press,
Chapel Hill & London, 2002)
1. Letter from Chapter 1 from Clairton, Pennsylvania pgs. 45-46
2. Letter from Chapter 1 from Rogersville, Mo. pgs. 56-57
3. Letter from Chapter 3 from Wallingford, Ct. pgs. 158-159
4. Letter from Chapter 3 from Little Rock, Ark. pg. 172
5. Letter from Chapter 4 from Old Saybrook, Ct. pgs. 206-208
Camp Rules http://newdeal.feri.org/images/lh158.gif
Esco, TN
By Lewis Hine
Nov 17, 1933
Lunchtime at CCC Camp, TVA #22 http://newdeal.feri.org/images/lh156.gif
Esco, TN
By Lewis Hine
Nov 17, 1933
First Inaugural http://newdeal.feri.org/images/w75.gif
Washington, DC
By C. Howcroft
Mar 4, 1933
NYA Exhibit at 1939 World's Fair http://newdeal.feri.org/images/o49.gif
New York, NY
By Corsini
Sep 12, 1940
Interior View - Run on People's Trust and Savings bank
http://newdeal.feri.org/images/ab16.gif
Chicago, IL
June, 1932
Runs on Banks http://newdeal.feri.org/images/ab18.gif
1933
Factories closed or reduced production sharply http://newdeal.feri.org/images/ab24.gif
By Arthur Rothstein, Arthur
Picketers in Front of WPA Building http://newdeal.feri.org/images/n02.gif
Washington, DC
Jun, 1941
School Teachers Demanding Back Pay http://newdeal.feri.org/images/f13b.gif
Chicago, IL
A Foreclosure Sale in Iowa http://newdeal.feri.org/images/w50.gif
Keystone Photo from OWI
Bread Line http://newdeal.feri.org/images/ab19.gif
1932
Hunger Line - 6th Ave & 42nd St. http://newdeal.feri.org/images/ab22.gif
New York, NY
By H.W. Felchner, H.W.
Feb., 1932
Social Security Check http://newdeal.feri.org/images/c11.gif
GA
Jobless Men Keep Going http://newdeal.feri.org/images/ab32.gif
By John E. Allen, Inc.
Orson Welles http://newdeal.feri.org/images/w13.gif
Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt http://newdeal.feri.org/images/w76.gif
Feb 26, 1933
Wendell Willkie During the 1940 Campaign http://newdeal.feri.org/images/s76.gif
1940
Flood Control http://newdeal.feri.org/images/ab99.gif
York, PA
March, 1936
New York Stock Exchange Floor
1929
Bonus Army March
1932
Bud Fields and family
Alabama
By Walker Evans
1935
GM Plant Strike
Flint, M I
1936-37
Fleeing a dust storm
Cimarron County, OK
By Arthur Rosenstein
April 1936
By Dorothea Lange
1936
GM Strike
1936
1936
By Walker Evans
Mississippi
1936
Unemployment Line
Tennessee
1938
Pennsylvania Strike
1938
Tennessee
1939
Connecticut Tobacco Farmers
1940
Hartford, CT
By Marion Wolcott
1941
Job Bureau
Los Angeles
Spanish Civil War Rally
Turntable, Educational Radio Project http://newdeal.feri.org/images/ae43.gif
Washington, DC
May, 1937
Learning About Puppets
Duluth, MN
Chicago Subway System: Reinforcing the Tunnel Arch http://newdeal.feri.org/images/f10b.gif
Chicago, IL
Jun, 1940
LaGuardia Airport, Dedication http://newdeal.feri.org/images/ac18.gif
New York, NY
By Levin and Saltzberg
Oct., 1939
Making Stuffed Animals http://newdeal.feri.org/images/j28.gif
New York, NY
Restoring and Repairing Murals at Twon hall, Danvers, Mass.
http://newdeal.feri.org/images/y36.gif
Danvers, MA
President Roosevelt on Tourhttp://newdeal.feri.org/images/k21.gif
Washington, DC
Nov 8, 1936
Picking Cotton
Arizona
By Dorothea Lange
FDR Fireside Chat
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