The Human Impacts of the Great Depression How did ordinary American endure the effects of the Great Depression?

“Brother Can You Spare a Dime” (1930s) Examine the photograph as you listen to the song

They used to tell me I was building a dream And so I followed the mob When there was earth to plow or guns to bare I was always there, right on the job With peace and glory ahead Why should I be standing in line Just waiting for bread? Once I built a railroad, I made it run Made it race against time Once I built a railroad, now it's done Brother, can you spare a dime? Once I built a tower up to the sun Brick and rivet and lime Once I built a tower, now it's done Once in khaki suits, gee, we looked swell Full of that Yankee Doodly Dum Half a million boots went slogging through Hell And I was the kid with the drum Say, don't you remember? They called me 'Al‘ It was 'Al' all the time Why don't you remember? I'm your pal Say buddy, can you spare a dime? Once in khaki suits, ah, gee, we looked swell Oh, say, don't you remember? They called me 'Al‘ Say, don't you remember? I'm your pal Buddy, can you spare a dime?

Turn and Talk What did the singer do before the Great Depression? What is he doing now? In what ways does the photograph reflect what you hear and feel when listening to the song? Thinking about the song and photograph, in what ways do you think people might have endured the hardships of the Depression?

Year Unemployment Rate 1929 3.2% 1930 8.9% 1931 16.3% 1932 24.1% 1933 25.2% 1934 22.0% 1935 20.3% 1936 17.0% 1937 14.3% 1938 19.1%

In this lesson, you will learn about ordinary Americans who lived during the Great Depression. You will learn about the hardships they faced and the ways that they endured.

Scrapbook Directions Cut out four scrapbook pictures and glue on the page – be creative, but you must have room to write next to each photo. Picture Picture Picture Picture

Scrapbook Activity Instructions pg 76 Look at your white sheet. Pick four of the pictures and number them 1, 2, 3, 4. Use the purple packet inside the manila folder to find the state represented by each picture. Label the state next to the picture. Use the green packet to read the letters that match your four states. (You will ONLY read four letters) On the back of your white sheet you will add the following for each letter: the state the letter comes from a two sentence summary of the letter. One sentence must be a direct quote from the letter.

EXAMPLE Pg 76 New Jersey

Processing Piece Use the information from the movie posters to write a letter to Eleanor Roosevelt describing the hardships people endured during the Depression. Your letter must have the following: An appropriate date, salutation, and closing (must look like a letter). At least four of these words: (need to be underlined) betrayal, change, depressed, desperation, destitute, dreadful, encourage, honorable, hope, ideals, plague, pride, self-respect, shame, stress, suffer, worth. A description of the movie posters. For each poster include: information on the hardships people faced during the Depression and the ways in which they endured those hardships. a quotation from the letters (must be in quotation marks)