Scavenger Hunt Lesson Plan

Name: Melissa Borgen Date: July 28, 2010

Children, Teens, and the Great Depression
Subject: U. S. History Grade: 11

Objective: Learners will demonstrate knowledge of/understanding of/ability to:

Learners will use the Internet to find, evaluate, and report the causes and effects of the
Great Depression and Dust Bowl. Learners will review New Deal programs for
effectiveness. Learners will evaluate the economic, health, and psychological impact of
the Great Depression and Dust Bowl on children and teens. Learners will gain additional
understanding by examining the Great Depression and comparing it with the current
economic situation.

Content Standard: (California - http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci). Type out specific standard.

11. 6 Students analyze the different explanations for the Great Depression and how
the New Deal fundamentally changed the role of the federal government.

11.6.1 Discuss the human toll of the Depression, natural disasters, and unwise agricultural
practices and their effects on the depopulation of rural regions and on political
movements of the left and right, with particular attention to the Dust Bowl refugees
and their social and economic impacts in California.

Technology Standard: (NETS for Students - http://cnets.iste.org/students/s_stands.html)

Type out specific technology standard.
3. Research and Information Fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students:

a. plan strategies to guide inquiry.

b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use
information from a variety of sources and media.
c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the
appropriateness to specific tasks.
d. process data and report results.

Website Addresses Used as Resources

1. http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/depression/depression.htm

2. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/fsahtml/fachap06.html

3. http://newdeal.feri.org/eleanor/cohen.htm
Student Research Questions:

Essential Question: What impact did the Great Depression and Dust Bowl have on the health,
economic, and family security of children and teens?

2. How did people struggle to survive the Depression?

3. The Dust Bowl uprooted many families. How did this impact California?

4. Many New Deal programs were implemented during the Depression. Which program do you
think provided the most help to families? Why?

5. Children and teens were affected by the Depression in many ways. How did the Depression
affect their ability to receive an education?

6. Compare and contrast the photographs from the FSA Migratory Labor Camp, and the Modern
American Poetry photo essay. Pay particular attention to the children in the photographs. How are
they dressed? Do they seem happy? Do they seem healthy? Describe.

7. The FSA Labor Camp photographs illustrate community and belonging. Why is the idea of
community important? Why is it essential for individuals to feel that they belong? Or is it? Do
you think community is important for children and teens? Why?

8. After reading some of the letters written to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, briefly describe your
impression of how the Depression affected children and teens.

9. Why do you think people felt that Mrs. Roosevelt could help them? Do you think people send
similar requests to First Lady Michelle Obama? Why or why not?

10. Connection: Think about the current economic situation. It is more difficult than ever for
teens to find part-time work. Do you think the government should create similar New Deal
programs to help today’s youth? Why or why not? What type of program would you create?
Describe.

Assessment: In what ways did the use of the Internet promote student learning?
Through this web activity, students are able to review multiple perspectives on a topic,
practice information seeking skills, evaluate each web site for content, and find relevant
information within a source.
Reflection: How would this activity fit in your overall lesson planning? What type of
assessment would you create to evaluate student learning?
This activity would work well as an enhancement to textbook reading and classroom
lecture. I would create a journal writing rubric to evaluate student learning.