Carla McSwain

Table of Specifications and Blueprint

US History: 11th Grade: US History

Specific Content:

Prosperity and Depression (1919-1939) - The learner will appraise the economic, social, and
political changes of the decades of "The Twenties" and "The Thirties."

Objectives

9.01 Elaborate on the cycle of economic boom and bust in the 1920's and 1930's.

9.02 Analyze the extent of prosperity for different segments of society during this period.

9.03 Assess the impact of New Deal reforms in enlarging the role of the federal government in
American life.

Content Knowledge Comparative Evaluative Total

1920s 5 3 2 10
1930s 5 3 2 10
/Depression
Hoover 5 3 2 10
FDR / New Deal 5 3 2 10
Totals 20 12 8 40

Write down and describe the standard or benchmark you chose for this assessment.
Prosperity and Depression (1919-1939) - The learner will appraise the economic, social, and
political changes of the decades of "The Twenties" and "The Thirties."

9.01 Elaborate on the cycle of economic boom and bust in the 1920's and 1930's.

9.02 Analyze the extent of prosperity for different segments of society during this period.

9.03 Assess the impact of New Deal reforms in enlarging the role of the federal government in
American life.

What Knowledge do students need to have to meet this standard. Write 5 to 8 proposition statements describing the
knowledge students will need to meet this standard. DO NOT write more than 8 proposition statements - stay
focused on the important knowledge and vocabulary students will need to meet this standard.
 1. The 1920s had the following trends: Economic: Extreme consumerism and seemingly unlimited buying on
credit, misleading prosperity. Social: Social changes for African Americans (migration to North, Harlem
Renaissance), Bold attitudes of women (resulting from voting, working during WWI, etc) Political:
Republican Laisse-faire policies, unregulated stock market and isolationism in foreign affairs

2. The causes of the Great Depression of the 1930s were rooted in behaviors from the 1920s: (greed,
consumerism, buying on credit, over speculation of stock market, overproduction, high tariff policy,
worldwide postwar depression, agriculture slump).

3. Suffering during the Great Depression of the 1930s was widespread, evidenced by farm prices and
foreclosures, unemployment, homelessness (Hoovervilles), and starvation.

4. Hoover’s policy of rugged individualism proved to be too little and too late in dealing with the problems of
the Depression.

5. FDR and the New Deal brought an abundance of experimental programs to address the problems of the
Depression: (Social Security, FDIC, TVA, etc., many of which still survive today)

What is the Big Idea, important concept, principal or set of procedures that students need to understand to meet this
standard? Each standard should be focused on no more than one or two big ideas. Most standards are focused on
just one big idea, concept, theory or principle. Write a proposition statement (or several proposition statements if
you need them) describing the big idea students need to UNDERSTAND.

1. Much of the behavior and trends of the 1920s led to the causes and suffering of the Great Depression.
2. Hoover’s relatively limited attempts to curb the worsening economic state of the country seem too little and
too late compared to FDR’s massive and experimental New Deal programs.
3. Though the New Deal did not end the Great Depression, pride was restored in the country, and a legacy of
government intervention was begun.

What reasoning skills are required by this standard. Read the standard carefully and include in your Blueprint the
specific forms of reasoning that are part of the standard. For example, if the standard requires that students Compare
and Contrast, you must use that type of reasoning in your Blueprint.

1. Compare and Contrast the economic, political, and social characteristics of the 1920s with the 1930s.
2. Compare and Contrast the policies of Herbert Hoover and FDR in dealing with the problems of the
Depression
3. Evaluate the cause and effect relationship between the 1920s and 1930s.
4. Evaluate the New Deal Policies, which programs were more important than others, what are your
criteria for determining the importance of the programs, defend your position.
What other forms of reasoning are required to meet the standard. Your blueprint needs to include 2 forms of
reasoning. Read the standard carefully, identify one other form of reasoning students would have to use to meet the
standard and include this type of reasoning in your blueprint. Then, describe why you chose the type of reasoning
you did - what was it about the standard that made you feel the type of reasoning you chose was important.

Two types of reasoning used in this testing specifications blueprint are comparative reasoning and evaluative. The
decades of the 1920s and 1930s are compared using all range of categories such as economic, social, and political
characteristics. The programs, leadership styles, and effectiveness of Presidents Hoover and Roosevelt are
compared. The causes of the Great Depression as they pertain to the effects of the 1920s behavior and other
conditions are evaluated by students. Finally, the students will evaluate the legacy of the New Deal in terms of the
most important programs and determine criteria for their evaluations and defend them.

Your reflection should explain why you assigned the number of test items you did to each content area on the
blueprint, and to each type of reasoning.

An equitable number of knowledge and reasoning questions were determined necessary for this blueprint to allow
for a broad range of achievement targets. Students must master a good bit of knowledge concerning the 1920s and
1930s in order to make the comparisons and evaluations required. Fewer numbers of comparative reasoning
questions were included because student reasoning will be assessed also in the evaluative portion. Also due to time
constraints of a single block, reasoning questions might require more time and fewer were included. Finally, only a
few evaluative questions were created because these questions will assess only prerequisite knowledge and the
defense of the evaluation will come in the form of an essay assessment.

Finally, please explain your reasons for choosing the total number of test items that you did. As you do this, you
should include a description of your students and any other information you feel is important about the students
you teach. The time you have to give a quiz or test and the students you teach are important factors in choosing the
number of questions in a test.

A total number of 40 questions was considered a reasonable amount for the selected response assessment format
because there would be time remaining in a single 90 minute class block to adequately complete an essay portion of
the evaluative reasoning assessment. These are eleventh grade US history students, perhaps even honors level who
are expected to demonstrate essay writing skills and evaluative reasoning. In the case of exceptional students with
identified learning disabilities, this assessment with modifications also should be reasonable for a single class block.

Selected Response Questions:

Content Knowledge Comparative Evaluative

1920s Question 1 Question 5 Question 9

1930s / Depression Question 2 Question 6 Question 10

Hoover Question 3 Question 7 Question 11

FDR / New Deal Question 4 Question 8 Question 12

1. Which economic condition existed during the decade of the 1920s?

A. Strictly government regulated business

B. Unlimited consumer credit

 C. Low stock prices

D. Massive unemployment

Fill in the Blank:

2. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, large numbers of homeless

people lived in shanty towns outside major cities. These shanty towns
were called __________________________.

True or False:

3. Hoover’s philosophy in dealing with the problems of the Depression was

known as “Rugged Individualism”.

Matching:

4. Match the following New Deal program with the correct description. One
description will not be used.

_____ Social Security Administration (SSA)

_____Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

_____Federal Depositors Insurance Corporation (FDIC)

_____Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

_____Works Progress Administration (WPA)

_____Federal Emergency Recovery Administration (FERA)

_____ Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA)

A. Regulated the Stock Market

B. Provided benefits to the unemployed, disabled, dependent children,

and elderly

C. Created hydroelectric projects and much employment for a vast region

of the country

D. Created six additional justice positions on the United States Supreme

Court

E. Compensated farmers for not producing certain crops

 F. Created federal jobs for unemployed musicians, playwrights, authors,
construction workers, and many other type workers

G. Supplied necessary funds to states for immediate needs of the poor

H. Guaranteed security of financial institutions

5. _______________ is to the 1920s as ___________________ are to the 1930s?

A. TV ; dime novels

B. Radio; movies

C. The phonograph; chat rooms

D. The Newspaper; IPODs

6. Which of the following BEST describes the economic cycle of the 1920s
and 1930s?

A. Massive unemployment in the 1920s then rising stock prices in the

1930s

B. Government regulation in the 1920s then Laissez-Faire policies in the

1930s

C. Unlimited consumer credit in the 1920s then bank overhaul in the

1930s

D. Huge farm loan programs in the 1920s then rising agricultural prices in
the 1930s

7. Which of the following accurately describes the policies of Herbert Hoover

and FDR in dealing with the Depression?

A. Hoover promoted direct handouts to people in need, while FDR

hesitated to provide welfare.

B. Hoover wanted people to pull themselves up out of the depression,

FDR favored bold and experimental action by the government.

C. Hoover believed in deficit spending to pay for his aggressive

government programs, FDR worked to balance the budget.

D. Hoover used the federal government to create millions of jobs; FDR put
responsibility on the states to employ the masses.
8. Which statement reflects the MOST important significance of these major
New Deal programs?

A. FDIC - restored the public’s confidence in financial institutions

B. FDIC- regulated the Stock Market to prevent another crash

C. Social Security – created a socialist style government to end poverty

D. Social Security – paid unemployment benefits

9. Which BEST represents the “flapper” image of the 1920s woman?

A. Having educational opportunities

B. Utilizing greater political influence

C. Challenging traditional values

D. Taking on a new religious role

10. Which of the following would BEST complete the chart?

Unregulated Panic and

Stock rush to sell ?
Market stocks
A. Stock Market crashes because stock prices become too high

B. Stock Market crashes because stock prices become too low

C. Stock Market crashes because people had borrowed money to buy

stocks

D. Stock Market crashes because banks had charged too much

interest on stock loans

11.Which of the following added to the hardships of the farmers during the
Great Depression?

A. Election of FDR

B. End of Prohibition

C. Dust Bowl

D. Stock Market Crash

12.Which of these contributed the MOST to the legacy of the FDR’s New
Deal?

A. Paying farmers not to farm certain crops in overproduction

B. Insuring bank deposits up to 25,000 dollars

C. Using deficit spending to create big government

D. Attempting to “pack the court” with extra Supreme Court Justices

COURSE GOAL ALIGNMENT:

ASSESSMENTS ARISE FROM AND REFLECT CLEAR LEARNING

TARGETS.

ACCURATE ASSESSMENT USES APPROPRIATE METHODS GIVEN THE

CONTEXT AND SAMPLE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT APPROPRIATELY.