ECONOMIC PROBLEMS WITH 1920'S AND 1930'S AMERICA

AND

STOCK FOLLOW UP

Rationale:

 The students will gain an understanding of the 1920's economic boom in the United States.  They will acquire a knowledge of how this economic boom was based on unsafe and untested foundations.  Also the students will know the basis for the Great Stock Market Crash of 1929 and how it was merely a contributing factor towards the depression and not the sole reason.  In addition to understanding the historical background of the situation the students will then take place in a stock tracking exercise.  This stock tracing exercise will get the students involved in following the modern day ever-changing market and relate this hands on experience to what they studied in their texts.

Learner Outcomes:

A.  The students will know what the economic system of 1920's America was based on.

B.  Students will know what Trade Associations were and the role they played in trying to help the U.S. economy.

C.  The students will know what a stock is, and how stocks played a role in the economy of 1920's America as well as the role they play in the modern American economy.  This will be done through the use of hands on stock tracing exercises.         

Content:

 The basic content of this lesson will be to cover the important aspects of  1920's America.  Areas which will be covered include, consolidation of industries, Trade Associations, tariffs, and the role of the Stock Market both in terms of 1920's America and in the modern day economy. 

Focusing Event:

 The focusing event of this lesson will be the discussion of the Stock Market.  This will allow the students to regroup the information which was just covered and analyze how it pertains to the Stock Market.  In addition discussion of the Stock Market lends itself to discussion of modern day economic activities and the students can use what was just learned and apply it to the modern day economy.

Procedure For Organizing Information:

 The information for this lesson will be organized in chronological order with there being specific attention paid to each important event year by year.

Questions:

1-  What role did Trade Associations play in shaping the economy of 1920's America?

2-  What is a tariff?

3-  What role did consolidation of industries play in the eventual decline of the economy?  If any?

4-  What are stocks?

5-  What role did stocks play in the 1920's economic system of America?

6-  What role do stocks play in the modern American economy?

Closure:

 The lesson will close by re-evaluating all in which was covered.  Along wit h this the class will review their own stock analysis and activities, to see how they fared in choosing stocks.  In a final action of  the lesson there will be a class discussion which will discuss if the Great Crash and the economic decline which followed could have been prevented.

Assessment:

 The assessment for this lesson will be classroom questioning throughout the lecture.  This will not only allow the teacher to see what knowledge the students have acquired but it will also allow the teacher to see what needs to be covered again.  In addition to classroom questioning the students will be required to keep a portfolio and log which details their stock choice and the life span of the stock throughout the course of the assignment.

Resource Materials:

 The key resource material for this lesson will be the textbook.  In addition a handout will also be consulted and recited to the class which contains statistical information of industry consolidation and stock quotes.  Computers will be incorporated within the lesson once the class reaches the stock tracing portion of the lesson.  Students will use computers to choose, track, and graph their stocks.  Possible web sites include Aol.com (Stock Section), Money.altavista.com