Children and Adolescents Impact of the Great Depression

Dawn Roberts

P.S. 092 Mary McLeod Bethune

INTRODUCTION:

The 1930s marked a decade in the history of American childhood. That history was the Great Depression that hit the children and adolescents hard because hunger and malnutrition among children and adolescents were on the rise. Also, child abuse because adults were out of work.

You have been assigned to a student review on the “Great Depression Team” to investigate this problem. Your team will research and examine the current policies that address this issue and make recommendations to that it would not happen again.

TASK:

Students will work in small groups of five. Each team will develop a PowerPoint presentation based on their research that helps identify the problem, examine the cause and make recommendations to improve the current policies related to the affect that Great Depression had on children and adolescents. Your team will follow the Public Analysis steps to assist you with your conclusions.

PROCEDURE:

1. The class will be divided into groups of five.

2. Each group will be responsible for a video product and will be graded by the rubrics as a group.

3. Individual roles will be assigned as follows

Each person will be assigned as follows:

Student 1. Researcher: This student will use the internet sites in the resources section of the WebQuest to complete all four worksheets of the Public Policy Analyst. He or she will then advise both the Writer and PowerPoint creator to bring the pieces together.

Student 2. PowerPoint Creator: This student must identify the problem, gather the evidence, know the cause and explain how the new deal policy help to change the problem.

Student 3. Presenter: The person who is going to present the complete PowerPoint and the complete writing.

Student 4. Time Keeper: This student will have many functions. First, he/she will make certain the group stays on task and follows deadlines set down by the instructor. Secondly, he/she will make certain each member of the group completes their obligation. Thirdly, he/she will coordinate the sending of information among members and will help in the research completing the AHPPA worksheets.

Student 5. Writer: This student will do a creative writing using the four step Public Policy Analyst worksheets. All four steps must be included in the writing.

PROCESS:

Each group will use the use the four-step public policy analyst as an outline for completing the WebQuest PowerPoint and writing. Each step should be included somewhere in the PowerPoint and writing.

American History Public Policy Analyst:

Step 1. Identify the Problem 1, Identify the Problem 2

Step 2. Gather the Evidence

Step 3. Determine Causes

Step 4. Evaluate the Policy

RESOURCES:
Weblinks, survey to help you determine the causes of malnutrition, hunger, abuse to children and adolescents during the Great Depression.

INTERNET SEARCHES:

· History.com

· Weebly.com

· Iowa State University

EVALUATION:

PowerPoint Rubric: Rubric PowerPoint Presentation

CATEGORY	4 EXCELLENT	3 VERY GOOD	2 SATISFACTORY	1 POORLY DONE	Score
Teamwork	Students meet and discuss regularly. All students contribute to the discussion and all are listened to respectfully. All team members contribute a fair share of the work.	Students meet and discuss regularly. Most students contribute to the discussion and are listened to respectfully. All team members contribute a fair share of the work.	A couple of team meetings are held. Most students contribute to the discussion and are listened to respectfully. All team members contribute a fair share of the work.	Meetings are not held AND/OR some team members do not contribute a fair share of the work.
Concept	Team has a clear picture of what they are trying to achieve. Each member can describe what they are trying to do and generally how his/her work will contribute to the final product.	Team has a fairly clear picture of what they are trying to achieve. Each member can describe what they are trying to do overall but has trouble describing how his/her work will contribute to the final product.	Team has brainstormed their concept, but no clear focus has emerged for the team. Team members may describe the goals/final product differently.	Team has spent little effort on brainstorming and refining a concept. Team members are unclear on the goals and how their contributions will help them reach the goal.
PowerPoint	The PowerPoint is complete and it is clear what the Presenter will say and do. The PowerPoint is quite professional.	The PowerPoint is mostly complete. It is clear what the Presenter will say and do. The PowerPoint is in good condition.	The PowerPoint has a few major flaws. It is not always clear what the Presenter will share. The PowerPoint shows good research, but seems incomplete.	There is no PowerPoint. The Presenter are expected to invent what they say and do as they go along.
Use of AHPPA	Used all steps in the AHPPA in the video.	Used all steps of the AHPPA in the video with a few mistakes.	Used only half the steps of the AHPPA in the video.	Use of the AHPPA poorly defined.

Writing Rubric – Writing

CATEGORY	Fifth Grade Information Writing Rubric
Overall	Students meet and discuss regularly. All students contribute to the discussion and all are listened to respectfully. All team members contribute a fair share of the work.
Lead	Team has a clear picture of what they are trying to achieve. Each member can describe what they are trying to do and generally how his/her work will contribute to the final product.
Transitions	When writing about results, he/she used words such as consequently, as a result, and because of this. When he/she compared information, used phrases such as in contrast, by comparison, and especially. In narrative parts, he/she used phrases that go with stories such as a little later and three hours later. Wrote sections that stated an opinion, used words such as but the most important reason, for example, and consequently.
Ending	Wrote a conclusion in which he/she stated the main points and may have offered a final thought or question for readers to consider.
Organization	Organized his/her writing into a sequence of separate sections. May have used headings and subheadings to highlight the separate sections. Wrote each section according to an organizational plan shaped partly by the genre of the section.
Elaboration	Explained different aspects of a subject. Included a variety of information such as examples, details, dates and quotes. Used trusted sources and gave credit when appropriate. Made sure to research any details that would add to writing. Worked to make information understandable. May have referred to earlier parts of text and summarized background information. Let readers know when he/she was discussing facts and when he/she was offering his/her own thinking.
Craft	Made deliberate word choices to have an effect on readers. Use the vocabulary of experts and explained key terms. Worked to include the exact phrase, comparison or image that would explain information and concepts. Not only made choices about what details and facts to include but also about how to convey information so it would make sense to readers. Blended storytelling, summary and other genres as needed and used text features. Used a consistent inviting, teaching tone and varied sentences to hope readers take in and understand information.
Spelling	Used what she knew about word families and spelling rules to help him/her spell and edit.
Punctuation	Uses commas to set off introductory parts of sentences, such as, As you might know. Used a variety of punctuation to fix any run-on sentences. Used punctuation to cite sources.

CONCLUSION:

You are done! I hope that this WebQuest exercise helped you understand the impact that adolescents suffered during the Great Depression.

STANDARDS:

· Social Studies: 5.1 History

· 5.5 Civics, Citizenship and Government

· ELA RL 5.1, RL 5.3

· RL 5.1 W 5.2 A & B, W. 5.5, W 5.7, W 5.9