Lesson Title
Grade Level
Lesson Topic
The Great Depression
5th
The Great Depression
SC Standards and
Indicators
Standard 5-4 The students will demonstrate an understanding of American
economic challenges in the 1920s and the 1930s and world conflict in the
19402.
5-4.2 Summarize the causes of the Great Depression, including
overproductions and declining purchasing power, the bursting of the stock
market bubble in 1929, and the resulting unemployment, failed economic
institutions; and the effects of the Dust Bowl.
Key Ideas and Details 5th Grade
#2 Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are
supported by key details; summarize the text.
Common Core
Strategy(ies)
addressed
Academic
Vocabulary
Lesson Materials
Needed (attached at
end of lesson)
Content Narrative
(What is the background
information that needs to
be taught to understand
the context of the lesson?
Be sure to include
necessary citations)
Teacher
Duration of Lesson
Erin Tarpley
2-3 class periods
stock market crash
stocks
credit
lay off
depression
Homerville’s
hoboes
Dust Bowl
 Teacher created PowerPoint
 Student Social Studies Notebooks
 Great Depression Causes and Effects graphic organizer(attached)
 Social Studies The Growth of a Nation, Chapter 7 lesson 3, pg. 322,
Person Education Inc, 2005
 Who Needs the Textbook? South Carolina, 5th Grade Social Studies ,
Homecourt Publishers, 2008: The Great Depression Readers Theater
 South Carolina PACT Coach, Social Studies, Grade 5, Chapter 6
Depression and WWII, pgs. 116-119, Educational Design, 2003,
 Teacher Created Quiz
Along with the rest of the world, the United States experienced a boom-andbust period during the 1920s and the 1930s. In the United States, the
situation led to significant government intervention to stimulate the
economy. Other countries did not follow the same course of action, however,
and the resulting political instability and subsequent worldwide response
consumed the world in the 1940s.
Lesson Set
Content Objective(s)
Summarize the causes of the Great Depression, including overproductions
and declining purchasing power, the bursting of the stock market bubble in
1929, and the resulting unemployment, failed economic institutions; and the
effects of the Dust Bowl.
Literacy Objective(s)
Explain how political, social, and economic institutions have influenced the
state and the nation throughout history.
Lesson Importance
To inform the students about the role of the United Stated in the world during
the Great Depression.
Connections to prior
and future learning
In 3rd grade, students learned the effects of the Great Depression, including
unemployment, widespread poverty, and migration from rural areas to the
cities.
Students are additionally aware of the daily life post World War I known as
the Roaring 1920sand 1930s where improvements in the standard of living,
transportation, and entertainment occurred. They are also conscious of the
impact of the Ninetieth Amendment, The Great Migration, the Harlem
Renaissance, Prohibition, and racial and ethnic conflict occurring at this time.
Anticipatory Set/
Hook (Engage)
TTW begin by asking the students to recall how life was during the Roaring
1920s and 1930s. Then, show the quick clip on Discovery Streaming from the
sixth volume in the award-winning "America in the 20th Century" series, "The
Great Depression" to explore the “bust times” that came to be called the
Great Depression.
Skill Development
Initial “explain” portion of the lesson. Introduce vocabulary, explain/demonstrate/model the skill required for the
literacy objective, introduce content components.
The content portion is only a brief introduction; the bulk of the student learning will take place during the guided
practice activity.
TTW Introduce Vocabulary – write the words on the board prior to going
Introduce content
through the PowerPoint. Ask the students to determine through context
components
clues what they think the words mean. Discuss their answers and correct
“I do”
Skill from objective
introduce/explain/model
those that are not correct.
TTWS Today we will be looking at the causes of the Great Depression,
including overproductions and declining purchasing power, the bursting of the
stock market bubble in 1929, and the resulting unemployment, failed
economic institutions; and the effects of the Dust Bowl. TTW hand out a copy
of The Great Depression graphic organizer to the students.
TTW then begin reviewing the PowerPoint. TSW paste a copy of The Great
Depression Graphic Organizer inside their social studies notebook. TTW
instruct the students to fill out the graphic organizer, take any additional
notes, and discuss each slide while each slide is being reviewed.
Slides 1-7 The Stock Market Crash
• The stock market crash of 1929 marked the end of the economic
boom of the 1920s and the start of the Great Depression in the 1930s.
• It exposed the economic weaknesses of the United States.
• Not everyone could buy the products that came from American
factories because wages were low and farm prices were depressed.
Although some American consumers had been able to continue to
buy using credit, such borrowing could not be sustained.
• When investors recognized this slowing of the economy, they
suddenly began selling off their stocks. This sale was made worse
because some investors had borrowed in order to buy stocks and
could not pay off their loans as they value of stocks declined. The
stock market crash resulted.
• Similar to what happened to farmers following WWI a decade earlier,
factories suffered from overproduction and many industries began to
lay off workers as the decade came to an end.
• Once the stock market crashed, a domino effect of economic struggle
began to occur.
▫ Unemployment continued to rise.
▫ Consumers were unable or unwilling to buy, so businesses
failed.
▫ Failed businesses laid off more workers.
▫ Unemployed borrowers were unable to pay off their bank
loans.
▫ Loss of confidence in the baking system lead many people to
try to withdraw whatever savings they had.
▫ With limited income from loan payments, the banks could not
pay their depositors.
• Such runs on the banks caused bank failures. People lost what little
money they had been able to save.
Slide 8 The Great Migration
• Many people (black and white) migrated to the north to…
▫ Find jobs
▫ Avoid prejudice
▫ Leave miserable farm economy (Dust Bowl)
Slide 9-11 Homerville’s and The Dust Bowl
• No job, no money, no home, no food!
▫ Homeless people made shanties (make-shift homes) made
out of scrap lumber and empty boxes in parks and other
•
public places called “Homerville's” named after President
Herbert Hoover.
No job, no money, no home, no food!
 Many men and women took to the highways or rode
the trains from town to town looking for work or a
handout and became known as hoboes.
Guided Practice
This is the inquiry portion of the lesson, student-centered & often cooperative learning strategies used, teacher acting
as facilitator, also known as Explore.
TTW have the students complete the Readers Theater from a child’s point of
“We do”
view the Great Depression. After the students complete the Readers
Activity Description
Include student “explore” Theater, they will then complete the follow-up questions on a black sheet of
paper to hand in.
components and
opportunities for them to
explain their learning.
Checking for
Understanding“Informal”
Assessment
TTW continually ask the students to think about the information and relate it
to the United today. TTW also, ask the students to use their own words and
explain the given information about The Great Depression.
Closure
Teacher will re-visit content and answer students’ questions developed during the Guided Practice component.
Summarize the lesson, clarify content, and revisit content and literacy objectives.
Students will answer in their social studies journals the following 5-3-1 exit
Content Solidified
slip: Write down 5 words we talked about today. Turn and talk to your
tablemates and select and agree upon 3 of the most important words we
talked about today. On their own choose 1 out of the 3 words that mostly
sums up what we talked about today and why.
Independent Practice
“You Do”
TTW hand out Chapter 6 Depression and World War II pgs. 116-119
worksheets to the students to complete as classwork/homework.
Summative/ “Formal” Assessment
Assessment
Teacher Created quiz (attached)
Differentiation
During Lesson
Small groups will be integrated as needed for differentiation. MAP testing,
common assessments, and teacher observations will be used to guide small
group instruction.
Gifted Students:
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Peer tutoring
Reading challenges
Extra credit (websites)
Extension exercises
Games used for review for test
Graph Organizers
Reading aloud to other students
Directed instruction
Book reports
Projects
Oral presentations by students
Special Needs Students
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Assessment
Copy of notes available
Peer tutoring
Reading challenges
Extra credit (websites)
Extension exercises
Games used for review for test
Graph Organizers
Reading aloud to other students
Directed instruction
Questioning during the “checking for understanding” component will be
geared towards specific students
Reflection
Lesson Reflection
(What went well in the
lesson? What might you
do differently the next
time you teach it?
Evaluate the success of
the lesson)
I was very satisfied with the lesson. I think the students enjoyed the primary
sources included in the PowerPoint. I also think they enjoyed the Readers’
Theater tremendously. The only thing I would change is the pacing. The only
thing I would do differently would be to utilize more primary sources.
Materials Needed for Lesson
Lesson Materials and
Handouts
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Teacher created PowerPoint
Student Social Studies Notebooks
Great Depression Causes and Effects graphic organizer(attached)
Social Studies The Growth of a Nation, Chapter 7 lesson 3, pg. 322,
Person Education Inc, 2005
Who Needs the Textbook? South Carolina, 5th Grade Social Studies ,
Homecourt Publishers, 2008: The Great Depression Readers Theater
South Carolina PACT Coach, Social Studies, Grade 5, Chapter 6
Depression and WWII, pgs. 116-119, Educational Design, 2003,
Teacher Created Quiz
Name:__________________________________Date:_______________________
The Great Depression
Causes
Effects
Name:_________________________________Date:__________________________________
The Stock Market Crash, Great Depression, and Dust Bowl
1. The stock market crash exposed the economic _________________ of the United
States.
2. Which of the following was NOT a cause of the Great Depression?
a. The stock market crash.
b. High tariffs were placed on imported and exported goods.
c. Many people borrowed money from the banks, which they could not pay back.
d. People took all their money out of the banks.
3. When stores could not sell their goods to consumers, factories
a. Laid off their workers
b. Made more goods
c. Needed more workers
d. Borrowed money to buy stores
4. What happened in the USA after the stock market crashed?
a. The economy grew strong.
b. There was a boom in the economy.
c. The economy grew weak.
d. People borrowed money to buy stocks.
5. The _______________effect is a result of the stock market crashing and economic
struggle the United States began to encompass.
6. The stock market crash of 1929 occurred because
a. There were too many people without full-time jobs.
b. More people wanted to sell stocks than to buy stocks.
c. Farmers could not produce enough food for the country.
d. World War I caused the economy to crash.
7. Which is NOT a reason many people (black and white) migrated to the north to?
a. Find jobs
b. Avoid prejudice
c. Move closer to their families
d. Leave miserable farm economy (Dust Bowl)
8. During the Great Depression, many people were unemployed and looking for jobs.
Some people hoped trains from town to town in search of employment. What did they
call those people?
________________________________________________________________________
9. During the Great Depression there was
a. Growth and prosperity
b. Unemployment and hardship
c. Work for everyone
d. A flood in the Great Plains
Write True or False
10.______The stock market crash occurred in 1999.
11.______ Not everyone could buy the products that came from American factories
because wages were low and farm prices were depressed.
12. Please state 2 ways in which life during the Roaring 1920s and 1930s was different from
the Great Depression.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________