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The Impact of The Great Depression on Families – Recap: What was The Great Depression? – A tough time in the 1930s when money was scarce – How did families struggle during the 1930s? – Many lost jobs, homes, and had little food – Changes in society during the Depression – People helped each other more, and some moved to find work – Learning Goal: Understand the 1930s hardships | Begin with a brief recap of The Great Depression from Part I, focusing on the economic downturn and its causes. Today’s lesson will delve into the personal side of the Depression, examining how it affected American families and society as a whole. Discuss the struggles many faced, such as unemployment, homelessness, and hunger. Highlight how society changed, with people becoming more reliant on community support and some families moving to new areas in search of better opportunities. The learning goal is to help students empathize with the hardships people endured and recognize the resilience of those who lived through the 1930s.

Daily Life During the Great Depression – Families’ life in the 1930s – Families struggled, many lost homes and lived in makeshift shacks. – Soup kitchens and bread lines – Provided free food for the hungry during tough times. – Barter system explained – People traded items or skills instead of using money. – Impact on children and communities | This slide aims to give students a glimpse into the hardships faced by families during the Great Depression. Discuss the economic struggles that led to loss of homes and jobs, forcing families to live in shantytowns. Explain the concept of soup kitchens and bread lines as community efforts to provide for those in need. Introduce the barter system as a means of survival when money was scarce, with people exchanging goods and services to get what they needed. Highlight the resilience of communities and the impact of these conditions on children’s lives. Use stories or historical accounts to make it relatable for fourth graders, and encourage empathy and understanding of this significant historical period.

The Dust Bowl: An Environmental Disaster – What was the Dust Bowl? – A period of severe dust storms damaging the ecology and agriculture of the US and Canadian prairies. – Impact on farmers – Farmers’ lands became useless, and many lost their homes and farms. – Mass migrations – Many families moved west looking for work and a better life. – Who were the ‘Okies’? – ‘Okies’ was a term used for migrants from Oklahoma, but it came to refer to all migrants from the Dust Bowl regardless of their state of origin. | The Dust Bowl was a devastating environmental event during the 1930s that destroyed farms and affected the lives of many people, especially farmers in the Great Plains. This led to a significant number of families leaving their homes in search of new opportunities, often heading to California. The term ‘Okies’ was used to describe these migrants, reflecting the hardships they faced. When discussing this topic, show a map of the affected areas to give students a visual understanding of the scale of the Dust Bowl. Encourage empathy by discussing how the families might have felt during this time.

Children’s Experience During The Great Depression – School life in the 1930s – Schools had fewer resources, but learning continued. – Balancing work and play – Many children worked to help their families, yet they still found time for games. – Education’s value in tough times – Education was a hope for a better future, even when times were hard. – Kids’ resilience and creativity – Stories of children inventing games and helping their families survive. | This slide aims to give students a glimpse into the lives of children during The Great Depression. Emphasize how despite the economic hardships, children still attended school, though the schools often lacked supplies. Discuss how children had to balance helping their families with work and still finding time to play and be kids. Highlight the importance of education as a beacon of hope for many families, believing it could lead to a better future. Share anecdotes of children’s resilience, such as creating toys from found objects, to inspire students and show how creativity thrived even in tough times.

Government Response to the Great Depression – Roosevelt’s New Deal introduction – President Roosevelt created the New Deal to help the country recover. – Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) – CCC: A program that gave jobs to young men to work on environmental projects. – Works Progress Administration (WPA) – WPA: A program that created jobs in public works, arts, and construction. – Impact on families and workers – These programs provided employment, boosting the economy and supporting families. | This slide focuses on the government’s response to the economic challenges of the Great Depression. Introduce President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal, a series of programs and reforms designed to revive the American economy and help those affected by the Depression. Highlight two major programs: the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which provided jobs in environmental conservation, and the Works Progress Administration (WPA), which created a variety of jobs in public works. Emphasize how these programs aimed to reduce unemployment and support American families and workers during tough times. Encourage students to think about how these programs might have helped their own communities or families if they had been around during the Great Depression.

Class Activity: Living in the 1930s – Imagine being a family in the Great Depression – Create a weekly budget with 1930s prices – Use a list of common goods with old prices to plan – Discuss spending priorities – Essentials first: food, shelter, clothing – Reflect on the value of money – How does this compare to today’s money use? | This activity aims to help students empathize with families living through the Great Depression and understand the economic challenges of the time. Provide students with a list of common goods and their prices during the 1930s. Divide the class into small groups and give them a fictional but realistic income to work with. They must decide how to allocate their funds to cover their basic needs. After the activity, lead a discussion on the importance of budgeting and how families might have made tough choices during the Depression. Possible variations of the activity could include comparing budgets between city and rural families, or considering the impact of a job loss on the budget. This exercise will give students a deeper appreciation for the value of money and the economic hardships faced during this historical period.

Wrapping Up: The Great Depression – Recap of today’s key points – We discussed causes and effects of the Great Depression. – Lessons from the Great Depression – Hardship can lead to resilience and innovation. – Homework: 1930s diary entry – Imagine being a child in the 1930s and write a diary. | As we conclude today’s lesson, it’s important to summarize the key points to reinforce the students’ understanding of the Great Depression. Discuss the economic struggles, the impact on families, and the changes in society. Reflect on the resilience of people during hard times and how such events shape history. For homework, students will write a diary entry as if they were a child during the 1930s, which will help them empathize with the experiences of people from that era and apply their knowledge creatively. Provide guidance on how to approach the diary entry, encouraging them to use their imagination and the facts they’ve learned.