There Was Nothing Great About the Great Depression - Using Literature to Teach History

This lesson can be taught as a prelude to having 7th or 8th grade students read "A Long Way From Chicago" by Richard Peck (Puffin Books, 1998, ISBN: 0-8037-2290-7) as a class novel. "A Long Way From Chicago" is set during the Great Depression. The novel opens in 1929 with two children (Joey, aged 9 and Mary Alice, aged 7) leaving their home in Chicago to spend a week's summer vacation with their Grandma Dowdel in rural southern Illinois. Each chapter of the book tells the story of Joey's and Mary Alice's annual summer vacation to Grandma Dowdel's. The book ends in 1935. There are many rich references to life in the 1930s in this award-winning novel.

Focus of Lesson

Students will learn about life during the Great Depression through primary sources from the American Memory and Colorado Heritage collections, and secondary sources from select Internet sites and published texts . The students will use their knowledge about the Great Depression to help them understand the setting of the novel "A Long Way From Chicago". Reading the novel, however, is optional. The desired outcome is that students will learn about the Great Depression.

Grade Level: 7th or 8th Language Arts (could also be used for Social Studies)

Standards Assessed:
Colorado History 2.2: Students know how to interpret and evaluate primary and secondary sources of historical information.

Standards Addressed:
Colorado Reading 4: Students apply thinking skills to their reading, writing, speaking, listening, and writing.
Colorado Reading 5: Students read to locate, select, and make use of relevant information from a variety of media, reference, and technological sources.
Information Literacy 1: The information literate student accesses information efficiently and effectively.
Information Literacy 2: The information literate student evaluates information critically and completely.
Information Literacy 3: The information literate student uses information accurately and creatively.

Assessment
The students are assessed on two points. The first assessment is based on the completion of a Primary Source Analysis Guide. This is an individual assessment that each student in the group must complete as they analyze the two primary source photographs from the American Memory collection "Depression Era to WWII 1935-1945" (see below).

The second assessment is based on the completion by each group of a PowerPoint presentation that includes, but is not limited to, completeness of information; use of primary sources; an observable understanding of the material presented; and an ability to articulate findings and knowledge to the class as a whole. See attached grading rubric.

Time Frame for Lesson

• One 45-minute period for instructor to model primary source analysis and give students an opportunity to practice analyzing two primary photographs (examples attached)
• Five to Six 45-minute periods for students to conduct research.
• Three to four 45-minute periods for students to complete PowerPoint presentations.
• Two 45-minute periods for students to present research findings via PowerPoint presentation.

Materials/Teacher Preparation

• Internet connected computer lab - minimum of 10 computers.
• Microsoft PowerPoint software (if not available, create alternative assessment).
• Access to one video projector (ex. Infocus projector) at completion of project.
• Copies of primary source photographs to be used to complete Primary Sources Analysis Guide. One copy of each photograph for each student:
  • Possibly something to do with the Bonus Expeditionary <http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00190794+Rh-5794>
  • Corner of kitchen of apartment rented to Negroes. Chicago, Illinois. <http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/fsa/8c00000/8c00800/8c00867r.jpg>
  • or Kodak view of a dust storm Baca Co., Colorado, Easter Sunday 1935 <http://history1900s.about.com/library/photos/blygd25.htm>
• 2 Copies per student of the Primary Source Analysis Guide
• 1 copy per student of assignment and PowerPoint grading rubric (attached or create own from http://rubistar.4teachers.org)
• 1 copy per group of Internet sites about the Great Depression that students will use in their research.

Possible Procedures

There are several prerequisite skills students need to have before they will be successful with this lesson. If students do not have these skills, the instructor must teach these before the lesson can be given. The first prerequisite skill is that students are familiar with the on-line databases of the Library of Congress American Memory and Heritage Colorado and how to search them. They should also be well versed in how to conduct on-line searches. The second prerequisite skill is that students know how to put together a PowerPoint presentation. A short tutorial will be required if they have no experience with this software program. If PowerPoint software is not available, the instructor will need to come up with an alternative assessment.

1. Begin by having students complete the primary source analysis exercise in class using the photographs listed above. Save 10 to 15 minutes of class to conduct a discussion of what students found in the photographs. Discuss what they already know about the Great Depression, perhaps in a KWL format (piece of paper divided into 3 sections, in the K section students write what they know; in the W section students write what they want to know; in the L section students write what they want to learn about the Great Depression).
   
   
2. Assign students to groups of no less than 3 and no more than 5 members. Explain that they will be conducting research on the Great Depression using various websites, encyclopedias, and published texts found in the school library. Hand out the appropriate websites they are to use, remind them how to access encyclopedic articles, and search the library's on-line public access (OPAC) terminal for non-fiction books. Also hand out the assignment and PowerPoint rubric so they will have an idea of what information they need to include in their PowerPoint presentations. Allow a minimum of five 45-minute periods in the library to conduct their research.
   
   
3. Allow another four 45-minute periods in the computer lab to complete their PowerPoint presentations. It is very helpful to students if they begin making their presentations only after they have storyboarded their information and ideas.
   
4. Allow two 45-minute periods for students to give their presentations. Use a video projection system to view the presentations.
   

- Barb Kidder, Fruita Middle School