High School Lesson Plans for Great Depression

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Jonathan M. F. Catalán replied on Tue, Feb 8 2011 11:18 PM

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I would check out Robert Murphy's book, which is great for a high school crowd.

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Ricky James Moore II replied on Tue, Feb 8 2011 11:49 PM

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I would check out Robert Murphy's book, which is great for a high school crowd.

I second this. Also, Economics for Real People by Gene Callahan is an excellent work for introductory economics.

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Evilsceptic replied on Wed, Feb 9 2011 2:04 PM

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I havn't read Murphy's book but I have heard good things. Murray Rothbards "Americas Great Depression" is AWESOME, he goes through and lays out the case for ABCT, defends it from critisism and destroys the competition before moving through the 1920s pointing out inflationary fed policy and intrusive regulations before and after the crash. Rothbard is probably far to advanced for most highschoolers but maybe you should look through it.

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Coase replied on Wed, Feb 9 2011 2:40 PM

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There's also the option of realizing that there's no way that high school students could ever possibly understand the economics of the Great Depression, as it is still a controversial subject among real economists. Anything they believe about the Great Depression must be essentially religion. Perhaps the best thing to do is to expose them briefly to several different interpretations of the events and leave it at that. Or just stick to the facts and point out that it's not the job of historians to do economic analysis, nor are they competent to do so.

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Capitalist_Pig replied on Wed, Feb 9 2011 2:44 PM

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jkoop1:

Hey--

I'm a new high school United States History teacher.  I am beginning my unit on the Great Depression.  I have found (suprisingly enough!) that my textbook and most lesson plans that I have found online all buy into the traditional Keynesian myths about the causes of the Great Depression and how it was resolved. 

I was wondering if anyone had any good ideas for lessons, readings, or activities that would be able to engage a group of high school juniors.  Any help or ideas would be appreciated!

 

Thanks!

 

I wish you were my teacher. Then again, it doesn't hurt to know the opposing the view.

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Ricky James Moore II replied on Wed, Feb 9 2011 10:30 PM

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There's also the option of realizing that there's no way that high school students could ever possibly understand the economics of the Great Depression, as it is still a controversial subject among real economists. Anything they believe about the Great Depression must be essentially religion. Perhaps the best thing to do is to expose them briefly to several different interpretations of the events and leave it at that. Or just stick to the facts and point out that it's not the job of historians to do economic analysis, nor are they competent to do so.

Actually, any 7th grader with the right kind of mind could understand the general facts of the Great Depression; in fact, I would argue that an intelligent fifth grader could understand Aristotle. Just because Americans treat their children like morons does not mean that is necessary or productive, 'Coase'.

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Will Sankey replied on Thu, Feb 10 2011 9:12 PM

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Congratulations! I started my 2nd career last school year and love the job. I am no master teacher nor a Mises Master but I try.

I used the Hayek v. Keynes video with a copy of the lyrics and explain the basics. I did a prezi (www.prezi.com) so you can search my name you'll be able to find my Great Dep one. For educators we get decent access for free and the kids love the action better than ppt's. I have a bunch of other ones you can copy as well or any one. The GD is not perfect but I am trying. Several are from my students in Hawaiian studies.

Good luck!

Aloha,

will

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Valject replied on Thu, Feb 10 2011 9:31 PM

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"There's also the option of realizing that there's no way that high school students could ever possibly understand the economics of the Great Depression, as it is still a controversial subject among real economists. Anything they believe about the Great Depression must be essentially religion. Perhaps the best thing to do is to expose them briefly to several different interpretations of the events and leave it at that. Or just stick to the facts and point out that it's not the job of historians to do economic analysis, nor are they competent to do so."

Sir, when I was in high school I was delegitimizing the student council, destroying the fallacies, both logical and legal, that my teachers employed in explaining why I should do what I was told, and making life hell for the administration all around.  The image of the drug-using, beer-drinking high school student is totally legitimate.  But I sat amongst them, as I'm sure many of us, including yourself, have.  I spoke with them.  They understood logic as well as anyone else.  They might not have thought about things as much as I, or cared to act on them, but they were smart enough to understand.  Some of them were downright brilliant conversationalists.  I can speak for myself saying that I could run circles around a statist at the age of ten, let alone in high school. And I can't vouch directly, but I'd put down a number of people I'd met in high school as being able to do the same.

But nevermind just logic and economics.  Kids can't understand?  They can't think?  What about the students of the nineties, who were so far beyond the teachers when it came to knowledge of computers that the faculty were left eating dust?  What about the language students that surpassed language teachers?  What about the math whiz, the child pianist, or the kids that were cunning enough as businessmen to get other students to pay them for finishing their homework?  What about the students who were smart enough to realize that if they paid someone to do their homework, they could take it easy for a while?  There are but two men in this world that I consider my own equal, but not because I have some claim to high intelligence.  It is merely because I am an ass, fed up with idiots, taking my revenge through arrogance.  Yet even I acknowledge that my fellow man has brains and can use them.  Bring me an eight-year-old.  In two months, I will show you a child that can run argumentative circles around half the people frequenting these forums.

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jkoop1 replied on Thu, Feb 10 2011 10:14 PM

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Thanks for all your suggestions!  I understand that a high school history class is not the place to get into a huge lecture on economics, but it is tough using the book at all with these chapters because it focues so must on Hoover's "Laissez-Faire" approach and whatnot. 

I think the most important point is not to present them with the information that "the New Deal saved the U.S" because even if you then try to refute it by showing additional evidence to the contrary, most students will be stuck with the info they learned first.

@ WIll Sankey, I tried searching your name on Prezi and couldnt not find any presentations uploaded by you.....Could you send me a link?  I'd love to look  at it!

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Will Sankey replied on Thu, Feb 10 2011 10:37 PM

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http://prezi.com/7mr2guvpcucy/americas-great-depression/

I am a novice but its a start. Have fun!

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Coase replied on Thu, Feb 10 2011 10:44 PM

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I didn't mean to imply that kids are dumb--far from it. My point is that economics is a discipline that requires years of training to master. A high school student probably does not know enough economics to get a PhD in the subject.

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jkoop1 replied on Thu, Feb 10 2011 11:06 PM

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Will--This presentations looks great!  I really need to get good at utilizing Prezi...makes for a much more interesting method of presenting information.  If you have any others from other units/lessons I'd love to see them too!

Thanks.

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Valject replied on Thu, Feb 10 2011 11:08 PM

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"I didn't mean to imply that kids are dumb--far from it. My point is that economics is a discipline that requires years of training to master. A high school student probably does not know enough economics to get a PhD in the subject."

Probably, but it is not impossible that they could.  The logic is easy, and then there's some math.  And a PhD would probably require some history courses, which is just rote-memorization.  Then it's just the hum-drum of extracirricular work, and bam!  Any high school student is capable of this.  Years?  There's four that they're wasting in high school.  Why not do it then?  Anyone who doesn't know something doesn't know enough to get a PhD.  On the same point, any high schooler is able to learn just as well as anyone in their twenties.  Challenge the little goofs.  I gave up on school precisely because they never really challenged anyone, and intelligence was met with swift ostracization.  Change that, if you want a challenge yourself.  We could use more critical-thinking youngsters.

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mahall replied on Fri, Feb 11 2011 12:46 AM

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http://prezi.com/7mr2guvpcucy/americas-great-depression/

I am a novice but its a start. Have fun!

Nice job Will. I've never seen this website before. Looks excellent for kids, should peak their interest if a teacher tells them to question their textbook.