Economics · Lesson Plan
The Great Depression
After the prosperity of the 1920s, the United States fell into the worst economic downturn in its history. This reading-based lesson walks students through the boom of the Roaring Twenties, the 1929 stock market crash, the bank failures and mass unemployment that followed, and how the Depression reshaped American life and policy. A comprehension worksheet checks understanding of causes and effects.
For Teachers
Lesson at a glance
- Topic
- Economics
- Grade Level
- Grades 6–12
- Resource Type
- Lesson + Worksheet
- Estimated Time
- 45–60 minutes
- Format
- Reading + worksheet
- Materials
- Printable lesson, worksheet, pencils
What Students Learn
Learning objectives
- Describe the prosperity of the 1920s
- Explain the 1929 stock market crash
- Identify the causes of the Great Depression
- Describe its effects on everyday Americans
- Connect the Depression to later economic policy
Materials
What you’ll need
- Printed reading and worksheet (one per student)
- Highlighter
- Pencils
Key Terms
Vocabulary
- Great Depression
- The severe worldwide economic downturn of the 1930s.
- Stock market crash
- A sudden, steep fall in stock prices.
- Unemployment
- The share of workers without jobs.
- Bank failure
- When a bank cannot return depositors’ money.
- Prosperity
- A period of economic success and growth.
- Mass production
- Making large quantities of goods efficiently.
For Teachers
Lesson plan
Estimated time: one 45–60 minute class period.
Lesson sequence
- The Roaring Twenties (12 min). Read about 1920s prosperity and mass production.
- The crash (12 min). The 1929 stock market crash and what triggered it.
- The Depression (12 min). Bank failures, unemployment, and daily hardship.
- Worksheet (12 min). Students answer comprehension questions on causes and effects.
Assessment
Assess the worksheet for understanding of the causes and effects of the Great Depression.
Discussion
Discussion questions
- What made the 1920s a decade of prosperity?
- What happened in the 1929 stock market crash?
- What were the main causes of the Great Depression?
- How did the Depression affect ordinary families?
- What lasting changes came out of the Depression?
Printable Lesson & Worksheet
The Great Depression — Reading & Worksheet
A printable reading and comprehension worksheet on the Great Depression: the 1920s boom, the 1929 crash, and the causes and effects of the downturn.
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