Grade 4
Jill Moorman
Life in the 1920’s and 30’s
Overview: This lesson is intended to initiate the “Engage” or “Aware” phase of the Learning Cycle. This
AWARENESS activity is meant to set the stage for the exploration and inquiry of the individual
development and identity of people living during the Great Depression by introducing students to the
main historical events of the 1920’s and 30’s. Students will form general impressions about life during
this time period and learn that after a period of relatively good times in the 1920’s, created by the
general economic prosperity, many people encountered tough times during the 1930’s as a result of
natural and economic disasters.
Timeframe: Two 50 minute class periods (documentary one day, timeline the next)
Rationale: This is a lesson that will help students to know, understand, and do the following:
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Good to Know: dates of significant historical events during the 1920’s and 30’s, including “Black
Thursday” and “Black Tuesday;” prosperity is the condition of being successful and comfortable
financially; the stock market is a place in New York City where shares of ownership in many
different companies are offered for sale; the Crash of 1929 occurred due to the unrealistic
buying and selling of shares that lost much of their value when people panicked and almost
everyone tried to sell at the same time
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Need to Know: the “Roaring 20’s was the historic period from 1920-1929 when there was
widespread prosperity; widespread hardship in the 30’s was generated by natural and economic
disasters; similarities and differences within a time period (Iowa Core); similarities and
differences in life today compared to life in the past (Iowa Core); causes and effects of events
within a time period (Iowa Core); key people, events, and places associated with the Depression
Be Able to Do (processes): identify main historical events/concepts from a video documentary;
complete Movie Impressions worksheet to determine main topics; brainstorm these
events/concepts together as a class; construct a timeline for the Depression; compare and contrast
the 1920’s and 30’s in addition to life today; describe examples of cause-effect relationships
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Essential to Understand: how life in the past was similar to and different from life today; how
the ideas and attitudes of people in the past were similar to and different from those of people
today; how important historical events and developments have shaped the modern world
Essential Questions:
 How was life in the 1920’s and 30’s similar to and different from life today? (Theme 2:
Time, Continuity, and Change)
 How was life in the 1920’s similar to and different from life in the 1930’s? (Theme 2:
Time, Continuity, and Change)
 What factors caused life to dramatically change from the 1920’s to the 1930’s? What
were the effects of these dramatic changes? (Theme 2: Time, Continuity, and Change)
NCSS Theme 2: Time, Continuity, and Change
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Questions I can address:
o What happened in the past?
o How was life in the past similar to and different from life today?
o How were the ideas and attitudes of people in the past similar to and different from
those of people today?
o What caused certain events?
Grade 4
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Jill Moorman
Knowledge:
o Key people, events, and places associated with the history of the community, nation,
and world
o That people view and interpret historical events differently because of the times in
which they live, the experiences they have, and the point of view they hold
o That historical events occurred in times that differed from our own, but often have
lasting consequences for the present and future
Processes:
o Ask and find answers to questions related to the past
o Identify examples of both continuity and change
o Describe examples of cause-effect relationships
Products:
o Constructing timelines that indicate an understanding of a sequence of events
o Writing stories and descriptions about life in the past
Action – what I’m going to do:
Students will view a video documentary, The Crash of 1929, and complete the Movie Impressions
worksheet to form general impression about life in the 1920’s and 30’s. The following day, the class will
construct a timeline for the Great Depression, delineating some of the important historical dates from
the documentary. The construction of the timeline is an opportunity for students to add to their
understanding of the continuity and change during this time period and reflect their own learning.
Action – how I’m doing to do it (Task Analysis):
1. As the movie is shown, teacher will pause the video at strategic places to help students identify
key events. During viewing, students will use the Movie Impressions worksheet to write down
words or phrases that describe some of the things they saw.
2. Upon completion of viewing the documentary, the class will compile their words and phrases in
order to brainstorm the important historical events from the video.
3. Students will then get into small groups and categorize the words and phrases by event and
create a web/chart to demonstrate their learning.
4. The following day, the students will construct a timeline using butcher paper and markers in
order to help them understand the chronology of the important historical events during the
Great Depression. Students work together to determine which events should be placed on the
line and how they should be represented. Students may draw or print off pictures to illustrate
the timeline entries.
5. Upon completion of the timelines, ask student groups to each describe how the timeline can be
used as a visual aid for identifying cause and effect relationships between events.
6. Teacher will pose the following questions for a class discussion:
 How was life in the 1920’s similar to and different from life in the 1930’s?
 What factors caused life to dramatically change from the 1920’s to the 1930’s? What
were the effects of these dramatic changes?
 How was life in the 1920’s and 30’s similar to and different from life today?
Differentiation: I will differentiate this lesson for my struggling reader/writer by having him
illustrate some of the things he saw from the movie and label or add a few words or phrases to
support his illustration impressions. For the journal entry, I will provide him with a simple
template (below) to guide his writing process.
Grade 4
Jill Moorman
I would rather be a child during the __________ because
____________________________________________ ,
____________________________________________ ,
and _________________________________________ .
Assessment:
In order to assess if the students know, do, and understand the concepts stated in my rationale, I will use
the Movie Impression worksheets, group webs/charts, and a journal entry to formatively assess the
students’ abilities.
Movie Impressions worksheet: The criteria will include at least 6 words or phrases that describe some of
the things they saw in the movie.
Group Webs/Charts: The criteria will include at least 4 important historical events with at least 3
supporting words or phrases each.
Journal entry – “Would you rather have been a child during the 1920’s or during the 1930’s? Why?”
The criteria will include at least 3 supporting details for why he/she would like to live in their chosen time
period. This journal entry will help students begin to identify with the experience of children living during
this time period and serve as prior knowledge for the following lesson.
Materials Needed:
 Video documentary – American Experience: The Crash of 1929
 Movie Impressions worksheet (sample attached)
 Butcher paper
 Markers