Students engage with key vocabulary related to the Great Depression and Dust Bowl era. The experience can be used as an introduction or a review at the end of the unit.
Students engage with key vocabulary related to the Great Depression and Dust Bowl era. The experience can be used as an introduction or a review at the end of the unit.
Students read an introduction to the Great Depression unit and view a photograph of a farmer and his family affected by the era. They respond to two polls indicating which of the listed vocabulary words they are familiar and unfamiliar with, then illustrate the word drought by drawing or uploading an image that shows the outcome of a long period with very little rain.
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview and connect the photograph to the historical context of the Great Depression. Use poll results to gauge students’ prior knowledge of the vocabulary and briefly clarify unfamiliar terms as needed. Invite several students to explain their drought illustrations to reinforce understanding before moving on.
Students read a brief explanation of economic depression, then use a dictionary to write three different definitions of the word depression in their own words in a graphic organizer. They answer multiple-choice questions to identify the likely result of an economic depression, a synonym for tariff, and the best definition of economic speculation. After reading a short explanation of social welfare, they contribute an example of social welfare to a shared class table.
Teacher MovesReview the multiple meanings of depression with students and guide them to see that each definition involves some kind of “low spot.” Monitor responses to the vocabulary questions, clarifying correct meanings of unemployment, tariff, and speculation. Support students in generating accurate examples of social welfare by sharing sample responses such as Social Security, Medicare, veteran benefits, food banks, or homeless shelters, and then transition the class to the next scene.
Students review the target vocabulary words and write a sentence that correctly uses as many of the words as possible, sharing their sentence on a class wall.
Teacher MovesSelect several strong student sentences to discuss with the class, highlighting effective and accurate use of the vocabulary. Gently correct any serious misuses of the terms to reinforce precise understanding and usage.
©2026 Exploros. All rights reserved.