The Great Depression Introductory Unit
The purpose of this unit is to introduce students to The Great Depression with use of primary sources while utilizing Mildred Taylor novels as part of the assessment.
Although this unit was originally created for a 4th grade class, it can be used for all grade levels and for multiple instructional purposes.
The use of photographs is powerful for students when being introduced to dense content. They can use what they know (schema) to analyze what the picture represents without being explicitly told in a lecture format what it is.
Although this unit was originally created for a 4th grade class, it can be used for all grade levels and for multiple instructional purposes.
The use of photographs is powerful for students when being introduced to dense content. They can use what they know (schema) to analyze what the picture represents without being explicitly told in a lecture format what it is.
Common Core State Standards and WI State Standards
Social Studies:
Social Studies, Standard D: Economics
D.4.7 Describe how personal economic decisions, such as deciding what to buy, what to recycle, or how much to contribute to people in need, can affect the lives of people in Wisconsin, the United States, and the world
Social Studies Standard B - History: Time, Continuity, and Change
B.4.1 Identify and examine various sources of information that are used for constructing an understanding of the past, such as artifacts, documents, letters, diaries, maps, textbooks, photos, paintings, architecture, oral presentations, graphs, and charts
B.4.2 Use a timeline to select, organize, and sequence information describing eras in history
Writing:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.B
Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.
Social Studies, Standard D: Economics
D.4.7 Describe how personal economic decisions, such as deciding what to buy, what to recycle, or how much to contribute to people in need, can affect the lives of people in Wisconsin, the United States, and the world
Social Studies Standard B - History: Time, Continuity, and Change
B.4.1 Identify and examine various sources of information that are used for constructing an understanding of the past, such as artifacts, documents, letters, diaries, maps, textbooks, photos, paintings, architecture, oral presentations, graphs, and charts
B.4.2 Use a timeline to select, organize, and sequence information describing eras in history
Writing:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.B
Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.
Engagement or Hook Activity
The teacher will read aloud a few letters that children wrote to Mrs. Roosevelt to ask for help during The Great Depression. After reading three of the letters, have students think about a time when they could not have something that they wanted because their parents could not afford it. Give think time. After students have shared, thank them for doing so because it takes a lot of courage to share hardships with people, especially at a younger age.
http://newdeal.feri.org/eleanor/index.htm
http://newdeal.feri.org/eleanor/index.htm
Instruction
Have students create a timeline from the Snapshots of The Great Depression tab (found above). Remember this is an introductory lesson and is to help front load some content before digging deeper into specific content area of The Great Depression.
Ask students to share what they already know to help build background knowledge and make the lesson more meaningful as they dive into it.
Students will have already read or are in the process of reading two to three novels by Mildred Taylor: The Friendship, Mississippi Bridge, and/or Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.
Don't forget to model how to fill out the timeline for students. Do the first two boxes as examples of how to read the question, search for the question, and then how to write it in the box.
*One suggestion would be to have students look at the website on their own for about 2 minutes before having them start the timeline graphic organizer.
Below is the graphic organizer students will use to help guide them along and serve as a scaffold for learning.
Ask students to share what they already know to help build background knowledge and make the lesson more meaningful as they dive into it.
Students will have already read or are in the process of reading two to three novels by Mildred Taylor: The Friendship, Mississippi Bridge, and/or Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.
Don't forget to model how to fill out the timeline for students. Do the first two boxes as examples of how to read the question, search for the question, and then how to write it in the box.
*One suggestion would be to have students look at the website on their own for about 2 minutes before having them start the timeline graphic organizer.
Below is the graphic organizer students will use to help guide them along and serve as a scaffold for learning.
Writing Activity
After students have finished the timeline, have them work on the Creative Writing Tab. Below is the graphic organizer that can be used for all students and can be custom tailored (differentiated) to meet needs of specific students who struggle with writing skills or meet needs of IEP's. To save paper, you can display this on the document camera and keep up and students can write in their journal or other type of writing paper.
Yes, this is made for Mildred Taylor, but can be custom to any other types of novels being read in class that students can connect to. Think Sylvia & Aki by Winifred Conkling.
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Date created: March 22, 2015
Date created: March 22, 2015
