Prepared by:

Andrew L. Kudray
Lesson title/topic: Great Depression Unit Introduction
Grade: 11th Grade
Subject area: Social Studies: U.S. History
Date: 03/26/2015
Time available: 40 Minutes

STANDARDS/OUTCOMES addressed in this lesson:

7.1.2 Causes and Consequences of the Great Depression Explain and
evaluate the multiple causes and consequences of the Great
Depression by analyzing
the political, economic, environmental, and social causes of the Great
Depression including fiscal policy, overproduction, under consumption,
and speculation, the 1929 crash, and the Dust Bowl (National
Geography Standards 14 and 15; p. 212 and 214)

OBJECTIVES Through these learning activities, the student will be able

to:
In groups, analyze the lyrics of "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?"
INSTRUCTION Teaching strategy:
Youtube Video, Group Work
Introduction/Set induction
Give students five minutes at the beginning of class to write an answer
to this bell-ringer:

What do you know about the Great Depression? Include at least three
things.
What do you want to learn about the Great Depression? Include at
least three things.
Begin by showing a Youtube recording of "Brother, Can You Spare a
Dime?"
Make sure every student has a written copy of the lyrics.

Instructional Activities
Have students get into groups and write a summary of each of the first
three verses.
Have students get up (physically), stand in front of the classroom, and
explain their summaries.
Write on the board the following question:
What did most of our summaries have in common?
Have the students discuss this in their groups once again.
This time, have students answer from their desks (for time's sake).
Conclusion/Closure
"Tomorrow, we will dive deeper into the major causes of the Great
Depression. Turn in your bell-ringer as you leave; that will be your exit
ticket."

Transitional Activities

How this lesson provides for ASSESSMENT of student learning:

Bell-Ringer will be graded for completion.
Students will turn in their summaries individually. These will be graded
for completion.
(Graded for completion due to this being the beginning of the unit prior
to the students learning the material.)

Pre-assessment
Bell Ringer

Checking up

Post-assessment

How this lesson provides DIFFERENTIATION for the students in this

class:
Visual Learners: Video
Auditory Learners: Song
Kinesthetic Learners: Group Work
RESOURCES NEEDED

Internet Access
Projector
100 Copies of Song Lyrics
REFLECTIVE ASSESSMENT of the lesson and student success (to be
hand written after lesson is taught)
I believe that this went well. I ended up breaking "Brother, Can You
Spare A Dime?" apart from this lesson and using it in another.