VMorrow

Type in the con A. Print Resources 1) Bryant, P (January 01, 2001) Phyllis Bryant remembers her Christmas doll. Retrieved from [] 10/21/09

Text Summary: This is a short primary source from a woman who grew up during the depression. Phyllis Bryant starts by talking about what she remembers the most about the time period. Bryant talks about when the banks closed she lost all the money her and her siblings saved up. She says it was only a few dollars but back then a few dollars was a lot of money. Bryant then talks about how difficult life was during the depression and how everyone in her family had to work just to get by each of them only making roughly twenty cents a week. Bryant then goes on to talk about Christmas and how it was most memorable because her dad would make them toys. Rationale: I selected this Text because it’s a good story to get the students thinking about the time period and how different it was from today. It also acts as a way for the students to relate to the topic. Most of the students will be around the age to start getting jobs so they should be able to put themselves in her shoes. Also most students love the topic of Christmas because it brings there own memories into account. Overall I chose this text so the students could relate to the subject matter. Use of text: I would read the story out loud so the students can sit there and let there minds work about the topic. Then I would start a discussion getting them to put themselves in Bryant’s shoes Attachment: see attachment #1 for a copy of this text 2) Waskin, R ( January 01, 2001) Richard Waskin an oral history . Retrieved from [] 10/21/09

Text summary: This is another short primary source from a man who grew up during the depression. Waskin starts out by talking about how his family was on welfare and the only reason they were able to get by was because his mother was a seamstress that worked here and there in department stores. Then Waskin talks about how hard his father used to have to fight for a job. When it used to snow the state would hire people to shovel and all they would do is throw the shovel up in the air and who ever caught it got the job. Bryant also talks about how difficult it was for them to buy shoes. He says that he used to ware the shoes till there was no bottom to them. Then his father would have to buy some leather and fix them because they couldn’t afford another pair. Rationale: I selected this text because it’s another great short story for students. It gets its point across and puts the students in the right frame of mind. This story goes a bit deeper into getting the students to understand how hard it was getting a job during the great depression. Use of text: I would read the story out loud so the students can sit there and let there minds work about the topic. Then I would start a discussion getting them to put themselves in Bryant’s shoes Attachment: see attachment #2 for a copy of this text 3) Sckenk, R., Moore, H. G. (1980) A case of unemployment retrieved 10/21/09 from []

Text summary: This was a great online article that starts out putting the depression in perspective. Sckenk talks about the poverty and need of resources during this time. He goes on to talk about how the unemployment rate was 10% and how back then we had none to few programs to help those out of work. In this article Sckenk goes on to talk about Black Tuesday and the stock market crash and how all the banks had to close because everyone was rushing to get there money out. One big key concept I liked about this article is that Sckenk tells you the difference between the depression and a recession. This is good because many people don’t know the difference. Rationale: I selected this text because it touches on some key concepts that are needed to understand the depression. This text gives great information that helps you understand better thru graphs and table’s that should help any student. Sckenk goes over vocabulary that’s key to understanding the main concepts during the depression. Use of text: I would give each student a copy and have them work in groups to help each other understand the text better. Then I would bring the students together and ask each group what they understood to be the key points in the article. Attachment: see attachment #4 for a copy of the text 4) Chantrill, C (October 21, 2009) Federal government spending -1929-1939, US unemployment -1929-1939 retrieved 10/21/09 []

Text summary: the first of the two graphs shows the amount of federal spending from 1929 to 1939. The graph shows a pretty steady increase from a little over 3billion to about 9 billion in just three years. The second graph shows the US unemployment from 1929 to 1939. This graph shows huge increase in unemployed from 1929 to were it peaks in 1933 with an unemployment rate of 25%. Rationale: I selected these graphs because it’s a good visual to get across the actual statistics over the time period. They can be used to help the students get the big picture and understand why the depression was so hard on so many people Use of text: I would include these graphs on a handout or a power point added to enhance further understanding. Attachment: see attachment #5 for a copy of the graphs 5) Justice, D. (January 14,2005)   Pantoum of the great depression  Retrieved 10/21/09    []

Text summary: this poem is about the depression and how he struggled thru it. It touches base on the idea that during the time period people never let each other know they were having a hard even thru all the catastrophes. Justice talks about how even the small things scared and made them worry. It says that they only survived the depression was luck because many people weren’t so lucky. Rationale: I selected this poem because it will help the students learn the mind sets of people during the depression. This is important because it will help the student put the whole situation into a different frame of mind. Overall this is a great way for students to put themselves into the situation Use of text: I would have the students get into groups of two to three and give them each a verse to analyze. Then I would have the groups present back what they believe there verse was about. Attachment: see attachment #7 for a copy of the text B. Media resources 6) Harburg, Y (1931) Brother can you spare a dime, retrieved 10/21/09 []

Text summary: This is song lyrics written by Yip Harburg about the great depression. The song talks about him following the mob when looking for a job. It’s about working hard and still not getting anywhere. It gets across the main idea of how hard you had to work even when you think you shouldn’t have to. Harburg talks about how in times like these even people you know couldn’t help you out “Can you spare a dime” because they were also having trouble. Rationale: I selected this text because it was another way to get students to think of the time period. This is a good text for those students who really strive when it comes to music. Also I have always thought music was a great way for students relate to the topic. This text gets across how difficult times were back then even if you took all the right steps towards being fanatically sound you still had trouble making ends meet. Use of text: I would make sure each student gets a copy of the lyrics. Then I would play the song so the students can just sit back and try to understand the meaning. Then I would have them sit in groups and analyze it for the big picture. Then we would talk about it as a class. Attachment: see attachment #3 for a copy of the text 7) [|buencaminos] (  January 27, 2009) retrieved 10/21/2009  []

Text summary: this video goes over the stock market crash. This is a great video that captures the whole ordeal thru fascinating facts and shocking pictures. It talks about how many people invested in stocks had money one day and a day or so later were left for broke. It starts the video talking about how the problem started coming out of world war two. The war was one of the key factors that thru us into depression. They talk about how the many people at this time were into get rich schemes and bonds. Overall the video depicts the stock market crash in a vivid manner. Rationale: I selected this video because it’s a good way for the students to learn about the stock market crash in a way that might actually interest them. When ever you tell a student there going to watch a movie they seem to take to the idea very easily. Not because they don’t have to listen to you talk but because the students understand the audio and visuals better than your lecture. Plus it’s a good change of pace. Use of text: I would make a viewing guide to help the students pick out the main points that they’ll need to know to understand this important topic Attachment: video on youtube.com C. Online interactive resources 8) Pounds, D. (August 15,1999) Welcome to the roaring 20’s retrieved 10/21/2009 []

Text summary: In this web quest activity the teacher has the students pretend there writing a special decade in review an issue for the Pittsburgh press. There to form a group as if they were all reporters and write an article that’s different from the other students to be published in the issue. Their each given a section like Business, entertainment, or sports and sent to do research so there article is as strong as it can be. The students are to write the article and put it together with the others to create the issue. Rationale: I selected this text because it’s a great assignment for the students to get some background knowledge of the 1920’s before the depression strikes. It also gives the students a chance to work in groups to create a common goal. Use of text: I would probably conduct the lesson exactly the way the web quest states but I would give them time in class to do some research. Attachment: see attachment #8 for a copy of the text // 9) // Kerley, P. (February 23,2009) The road to hooverville retrieved 10/21/2009 [] Text summary: this slide show shows great pictures of the time period and has great commentary to go along with the pictures. It goes more in depth about the fanatical issues between people and banks. It talks about how if you were late on your mortgage payment the bank could reposes your house much easier. It shows pictures of dirty children and people begging that instills the great depression in your mind Rationale: I selected this text because it will show the students vivid images so they can more deeply understand the people of the time period. It also includes commentary and facts that will help them understand the period.  Use of text: I would show the slide show to the class to start off a lesson so the students already have there minds working when I go into anything else. Attachment: side show on website D. Instructional resources 10) Dobbs, C. (March 12-14 1998) Brother can you spare a dime? The great depression 1929-1941 retrieved 10/21/2009 []

Text summary: This is a lesson plan that goes more in depth getting the students to understand what the great depression was and how it was started. This lesson gets students to research the lives of people who lived during the time period. The students are able to identify the different recessions on an economic time line. This lesson also gives the students away to be creative thru different activities one including the construction of a mural Rationale: I selected this lesson plan because it give the students the chance to go more in depth in the topic and getting them to actually analyze what a depression is and all the grief it causes. I also chose this lesson plan because it gives the students a chance to be creative thru creating a mural of the time period Use of text: I would use part or the entire lesson by conducting my lesson by getting the students to analyze the great depression more in depth. Then I would let them let loose by creating a mural. Attachment: see #10 for a copy of the lesson tent of your page here.

Comments by Kara Harrington: I like that you had two short primary sources about the depression. It is a nice idea to start the lesson with a "story" that might grap the students interest better that a textbook. I wonder if you could do something diffrent other than read it when presenting the second one. Maybe read the first one outloud, and have the students read the second one in groups, or alone, or with a "think aloud." I also like that you used a poem, it is unexpected but again, is different enough to grap the students attention.

Comments by Kristin Orabone: I really like the text you use first by Phyllis Bryant and how students reading it will be around the same age as her and thus may be able to better relate and understand the material. My suggestion would be to maybe let the students read the sections a loud to the class rather than you, because this may give more meaning/ understanding to what is being read when the students read it themselves. Also it could really put them into the shoes of the writer if they are hearing another adolescent read the work of someone of similar age. Another idea with using that same text could be having the students compare and contrast their own lives and experiences to that of Phyllis Bryant.