A Crossroads Resource

II. Crossroads Social Studies Methods Syllabus: American History Themes In Historical Inquiry Methods For Teaching The Crossroads Curriculum

Theme IV. The Development of the American Economy

This theme is particularly evident in Units IX and X. Read Bernstein's accompanying Essay IX: Boom and Bust and Essay X: The Roosevelt Years and use the content of the curriculum. If the novice teachers are more economically oriented, earlier units might be employed to explore the development of capitalism and issues of social welfare throughout American history. This is a more complicated content than Units IX and X require because the perspective is less in current economic terms and understanding.

  1. Use a resident economist to present economic principles for understanding and for teaching.

  2. Task groups should develop projects concerning the relationship of wars to productivity. At this point in the course, economics, inventions, and values and ethics should be incorporated into the projects.

  3. Develop modules/units for students to trace economic principles from the turn of the century to the Roaring Twenties through the Depression to World War II.

  4. For younger students, develop and gather materials including artifacts for students to learn about the Depression. Develop projects to go with these artifacts (e.g., to wash and dry the dishes for several days every night with a dishcloth; interview people who lived during the Great Depression; listen to music of the period and look at photographs such as those of Walker Evans. (Of course, these projects can be adapted for older students too.)

  5. Simulations (e.g., a stock market game)


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