With support from the University of Richmond

History News Network

History News Network puts current events into historical perspective. Subscribe to our newsletter for new perspectives on the ways history continues to resonate in the present. Explore our archive of thousands of original op-eds and curated stories from around the web. Join us to learn more about the past, now.

Teachers' Edition: Grades 9-12 (Lesson Plans)

Hard Times: The Economy

Download this lesson plan as a Word document

This lesson is envisioned as a two-day undertaking, with the HNN backgrounder and links assigned as homework for the second day.

The lesson is consistent with Common Core Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies 6-12, numbers 1 & 2 for 6-10, 2 for 11-12; number 4 for 6-12; 7 & 8 for 6-8 and number 7 for 9-12.

Readings/resources

HNN backgrounder (assigned for first day), terms sheet, links, note-taking guide

Objectives

Knowledge of basic concepts related to the recession
Understanding of explanations for the causes of the recession
Ability to debate the relative merits of solutions

First Day

1.  Introductory questions (bell ringer)  Do you know anyone affected by the poor economy?  How?  What are the different problems, both material and emotional, people are confronting?  How do the problems vary according to class, race, age group, gender, etc.?  Who or what is responsible for their difficulties?

Check for existing knowledge regarding terms:  recession, depression, deficit, national debt, right vs. left (www.politicalcompass.org is useful).  Clarify misconceptions.  Students can take the Political Compass test, to locate them politically, for homework.  Students should take the terms sheet and complete it for homework.

2.  Class reads short news article on the recession: "Outside Cleveland, Snapshots of Poverty’s Surge in the Suburbs" (New York Times).

3.  Discussion followed by essential questions: 

  • How can we explain the causes of the current economic crisis?
  • How do the explanations vary?  How do you evaluate their relative validity?
  • Is the current downturn a recession? Is it really a depression?  Why or why not?
  • Why are the economies of some countries still doing well?  (China, Brazil, India, Turkey, South Africa)
  • What solutions do the explanations for the crisis, and the experiences of thriving economies, suggest?  Are there obstacles? 

    • Your questions: