# American History/The Great Depression/Day one
## Lesson Day 1
### NOTE

    Class lesson may run over scheduled time due to discussion of key topics and student participation. This is OK, extra time has been allowed in the lesson for such occasions. Lesson is simply a guide-additional information/elaboration of topics may be needed.
Objective: The Learner will through this course:
* Identify the term speculation. (H-1B-H12)
* Explain unequal distribution of wealth-(H-1B-H12)
* Identify the term credit and its relation to the Great Depression. (H-1B-H12)
* Identify the term foreign aid and how it added to economic problems of the Great Depression. (H-1B-H11), (H-1B-H12)
* Identity terms supply and demand. (H-1B-H12)
* Explain disparity between worker pay and output and identify the effects this had on purchase ability. (H-1B-H12)
* Identify and explain what luxury spending and investment is and how mis lead to a false sense of confidence in the economy. (H-1 B-H 12)
* Explain disproportion of wealth of industries related to automobiles to agriculture. (H-1B-H9)
* Identify the government's role in supporting industry rather than farming. (H-1B-H9)
* Identify the term "Black Tuesday". (H-1B-H12)

### Prelude to the Depression
#### Activities and Lecture:

* Students will have to have read the chapter before class
* Lecture will be aided by the use of transparencies and the chalkboard.
* Pictures of Dust Bowl will be used to show effect
* Ensure that students make note of key topics discussed
Motivational Beginning (5 minutes)
Class I want you to close your eyes for a moment and envision the life that I describe to you. As you wake up in the morning you feel a familiar ache in your stomach. There is no
D.(5-10 Min)Ask students to define the term luxury spending, and give examples from today's modem culture. (Allow time for definition and examples to be given) Explain that in the 1920's luxury spending and investment of the rich kept the economy afloat because they were confident in the financial system. This was actually a false sense of confidence because once again it was only a very small minority of the population that was spending in this manner. They kept putting money in, so industry kept overproducing products with no real demand to absorb it. When depression started the rich lost all trust in the system and cut back their spending, industry had to do the same, but this came in the form of worker layoffs. Ask students to explain why they think the rich did not spend more money in order to help out the economy and stop the depression. (Allow up to ten minutes for discussion) Write student examples on the board and explain that the rich could not be expected to simply buy more goods when they only needed to consume certain amounts. A couple families couldn't be help responsible for keeping the entire nation functioning. (Obj 7) Ask class if there are any questions. Yes (answer them) No (continue) Place key topic transparency 2 on overhead and follow outline for class presentation
E.(5 Min)Explain to the class that a major factor in bringing about the depression was a direct result of supply and demand. Explain these two things depend on each other and should be equal in a stable economy. Too much supply demand drops, demand goes up supply should go up to meet it. (Obj 5) As we discussed earlier there was a vast overage of products that the U.S. people could not consume. This was because of recent technology that increased output but industry did not increase worker pay. Ask students so what is the direct result? Yes-all kinds of materials to buy and no money for citizens to pay for it. Ask students-What would happen if industry would simply increase worker pay? (Allow time for answers) Explain pay would go up, but industry would be forced by law of supply and demand to drop their level of output to combat their loss in overall profit. (Obj 6)
F.(5-10 Min)Farming in the late 1920's was a very risky business as well. Tell class to remember that WWI had just ended, and ask what does a country need that is at war? Munitions, steel, rubber, food for army. Yes all very good answers. Government at the time had told farmers to buy more land to feed soldiers of the world, but when war ended didn't need that large supply anymore. Farmers were at a huge loss couldn't make profit on vast surplus of goods they had produced, and governments supported industry through tax cuts because of the overage of parts steel, etc. they had left over after the war. Automobiles and radios became extremely popular. How could this be a problem for everyday people such as you and me? (Allow time for answers) Luxury spending of the rich and credit sales of middle class=false economy. (Obj 8/9)

#### Student Activity/Guided Practice (15 Minutes)

Class already seated in groups of four, have students prepare and respond to the following assignment- Each group is given different cause of the Great Depression. Students must develop reasoning and provide sufficient background information as to why they believe their given cause was the largest contributing factor to the Great Depression. Each group must report their findings and rational at the end of class. Walk around and provide assistance to each group as needed.
Group topics are as follows:
* Group 1-Speculation
* Group 2-Credit Sales
* Group 3-Unequal distribution of Wealth
* Group 4-Luxury Spending
* Group 5-Low worker pay/overage of Supply
* Group 6-Government Support of Industry while Farm Prices Drop
* Group 7-Foreign Aid
* Group 8-Stock Market Crash
* Closure;
Sum up what we have covered today, highlighting on key points each group discussed. Explain again that no one factor lead to the Great Depression it was caused by a combination of the above factors.
Announce to the class that a Web Quest project will be assigned after the next class lecture. The final project will be given both group (50 point total) and individual (20 point total) grades. Students will be given time to complete the assignment in class, but some time may be needed outside of class to gather information and combine it for the final project which is to be turned in the day of the unit test. On the day of the unit test, each student must also turn in their contribution of material; which was included in the final project in order to receive credit for their individual work. (Obj 30)

##### Home Study

Review today's lecture and read next unit chapter in the book.