Grace Barker Name: The Great Depression An Intro Lesson Class/Subject: 8th Grade US History Date: April 3, 2012

2 Student Objectives/Student Outcomes: Students will learn and understand the basic causes of the Great Depression as well as the effects on the American population. Content Standards: 15.A.3a Explain how market prices signal producers about what, how and how much to produce. Materials/Resources/Technology: I will be using the Promethean and PowerPoint. Teachers Goals: My goal is to provide students with an overview of the causes and effects of the Great Depression through classroom discussion and writing. Students will walk away from the lesson knowing the economic conditions which caused the Great Depression as well as why these conditions made it difficult for the American economy to get out of the depression. Time 5 Min 10 Min Start of Class: Pull up the PowerPoint on the Promethean. Have the slide show set to the Writing to Learn question. Greet students at the door. Introduction Activity: Writing to Learn If the Great Depression happened today, what do you think would be the first cost cuts you and your family would make? Which cuts would have the strongest impact on your life? We will talk about our answers as a class. Lesson Instruction: I will spend this time talking with the students about the causes of the Great Depression. I will focus on 3 main causes: the stock market crash, overproduction & under consumption, and banking crisis. The theme of cause and effect will also be included into the lesson. I will do this through the use of a PowerPoint as well as class discussion. Assessments: At the end of the PowerPoint will be the following question: You are an immigrant from Romania who moved to the United States in 1928. A new life in America seemed very promising to you and your efforts to support your family of a wife/husband and two children. You took on a job working in a factory. On October 29, 1929, the stock market crashed, and you lost your job shortly after. In the space below, write a letter to your family back in Romania explaining to them your feelings and the situation you are in. What do you do now? How has the depression changed your everyday life?(Challenge: Try to make speeches emotional) Students will be given 10 minutes to complete the question. Closing Activity: With what time remains, the students will share their answers to the third question. In the third question, the students had to write a letter as an immigrant to America who came over to support their family, and now the

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stock market has crashed. Papers will be collected by the teacher as students leave for their next class period.