Stage 1: Desired Outcomes
Topic/Unit Title: The Great Depression/New Deal
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How does economic crisis impact society?
NYS Content Standards:
Common Core Standards:
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SWBAT:
 participate in collaborative discussion
 use information/ideas to determine cause and effect
 critically evaluate POV and evidence
 build vocabulary and expand word choice
 write and argument to support claims clearly present
appropriate information and evidence
 demonstrate appropriate grammar usage in writing and
speaking
 demonstrate appropriate usage of the mechanics of
language
 Draw evidence form informational text
 Identify and analyze arguments/ideas presented in
documents
 Use information/ideas to determine cause and effect
 use relevant information and ideas from documents to
support analysis
History of the United States and New York
 analyze the development of American culture,
explaining how ideas, values, beliefs, and traditions
have changed over time and how they unite all
Americans
 compare and contrast experiences of different groups in
the United States
 understand the interrelationships between world events
and developments in New York State and the United
States
 Describe the evolution of American democratic values
and the beliefs as expressed in the Declaration of
Independence
 Civics, Citizenship, and Government
 identify and analyze advantages and disadvantages of
various government systems
 consider the need to respect the rights of others, to
respect others’ points of view
 Value the principles, ideals, and core values of the
American democratic system based upon the premises
of human dignity, liberty, justice, and equality
 Geography
 investigate the characteristics, distribution, and
migration of human populations on the Earth’s surface
 Describe the physical characteristics of the Earth’s
surface and investigate the continual reshaping of the
surface by physical processes and human activities
 Economics
 analyze the effectiveness of varying ways societies,
nations, and regions of the world attempt to satisfy their
basic needs and wants by utilizing scarce resources
Understandings:
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Define: Great Depression, under production, under
consumption, distribution of wealth, Stock market crash
of 1929, buying on margin, Dust Bowl, unemployment,
Black Tuesday and Black Thursday, New Deal Programs,
CCC, AAA, WPA, Social Security, Securities Exchanges
Commission, FDIC, relief, recovery, reform, immediate
relief, Keynesian Economics, laissez faire, hoovervilles,
priming the pump, rugged individualism, Scheter Poultry
v U.S. court packing
 Identify and explain the basic causes of the Great
Depression.
 Explain how the policies of the federal government
contributed to the onset of the Great Depression.
 Assess the impact of the stock market crash of
1929 on the economy.
 Evaluate whether the Great Depression had to
occur.
 Identify and explain the basic effects of the Great
Essential Questions:
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What contributed to the Great Depression?
How should leaders respond to economic crisis?
How were various American groups affected by the
Great Depression?
Was the New Deal successful in its attempts to solve
the problems of the Great Depression?
Was FDR a hero or tyrant?
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Depression on different groups in society: African
Americans, elderly, children, middle class, poor,
rural farmers, unemployed.
Describe the actions taken by Hoover to deal with
the growing Depression.
Assess the extent to which Hoover should have
been blamed for the Great Depression.
Identify and explain the basic beliefs FDR and
Hoover had on the Great Depression
Explain the policies FDR and Hoover proposed in
order to aid Americans out of the Depression
Assess whether FDR or Hoover is more suitable to
become President in 1932 and evaluate why
Describe the economic conditions in the United
States when Roosevelt took office.
Analyze F.D.R.’s style of leadership during the first
100 days.
List and explain the relief, recovery, and reform
measures of the New Deal.
Construct a plan to deal with the problems caused
by the Depression.
Evaluate whether or not Roosevelt’s New Deal was
an effective response to the problems of the Great
Depression.
Describe Roosevelt’s “Court-packing” proposals
and the opposition to these proposals.
Assess whether or not the New Deal was
unconstitutional and evaluate whether or not the
New Deal programs undermined the principles of
“Separation of Powers” and “Checks and
Balances.”
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Common Core Literacy Tasks:
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Stage 2: Assessments and Tasks
Performance Task(s)-Other Evidence
Analyze documents and statistical and mathematical
 Discussion on strategies that should be used to solve
data on the causes of Great Depression
the problems of the Great Depression
Create posters describing a cause of the Great
 Comparison of the Great Depression to economic
Depression. Students must use key words.
problems in present day society
Students write questions on things they wanted to
 DBQ Essay: New Deal
know about the Great Depression and traded
 Participate in discussion/debate on if FDR’s New
questions with peers.
Deal programs were good for American society
Media literacy: compare and contrast the life of James
Broderick as depicted in the film Cinderella Man.
Student Reflection:
Exit tickets
Template reflection
DBQ Essay Rubric
Voting Ballot Template—FDR or Hoover
Stage 3: Learning Plan
Day 1: AIM: Was the Great Depression of the 1930s inevitable?
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Identify and explain the basic causes of the Great Depression.
Explain how the policies of the federal government contributed to the onset of the Great Depression.
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Assess the impact of the stock market crash of 1929 on the economy.
Evaluate whether the Great Depression had to occur.
ACTIVITY: Evaluate the different causes of the Great Depression and explain how this caused a Depression.
Students pick one of the causes of the Great Depression and draw about it. Students are required to use key words that
fit the cause chosen.
Day 2: AIM: Who is the best candidate to handle the problems of the Great Depression?
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Identify and explain the basic effects of the Great Depression on different groups in society: African Americans,
elderly, children, middle class, poor, rural farmers, unemployed.
Describe the actions taken by Hoover to deal with the growing Depression.
Assess the extent to which Hoover should have been blamed for the Great Depression.
Identify and explain the basic beliefs FDR and Hoover had on the Great Depression
Explain the policies FDR and Hoover proposed in order to aid Americans out of the Depression
Assess whether FDR or Hoover is more suitable to become President in 1932 and evaluate why
ACTIVITY: Students analyze stations and answers questions. Students then evaluate the presidential campaigns of
Hoover and FDR and use writing template to answer the aim. Students are required appropriate key words in their
argument and explanation.
Day 3: AIM: DAY 1. Was the New Deal an effective response to the Great Depression?
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Describe the economic conditions in the United States when Roosevelt took office.
Analyze FDR’s style of leadership during the first 100 days.
List and explain the relief, recovery, and reform measures of the New Deal.
Construct a plan to deal with the problems caused by the Depression.
ACTIVITY: Students choose a New Deal mural and create it for the modern day using magazines. Students are to
explain the program chosen and use appropriate key words.
Day 5: AIM: Was the New Deal helpful to all Americans?
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Evaluate whether or not Roosevelt’s New Deal was an effective response to the problems of the Great Depression.
Describe Roosevelt’s “Court-packing” proposals and the opposition to these proposals.
Assess whether or not the New Deal was unconstitutional and evaluate whether or not the New Deal programs
undermined the principles of “Separation of Powers” and “Checks and Balances.”
ACTIVITY: Assess report card about FDR’s New Deal programs. Analyze data as well as the constitutionality of
FDR’s presidency and the rulings of the Supreme Court case.
Day 6: AIM: Was FDR’s New Deal Program was positive or negative for America.
 Students use regents documents to asses the pros of cons of the New Deal
 Students are to write argumentative texts based on the documents presented as well as use outside information to
support their answer.
 ACTIVITY: Students answer document-based questions and write essay evaluating if the New Deal was positive or
negative for America. (Students can use essay template for guidance if necessary).
Stage 4: Reflection
Teacher reflection and planning
 Reflection on essay templates
 Reflection on student writing
 Reflection on lessons and assessments
Students write a self-assessment about the feedback they received on their writing and what their goals are for the next unit