Women in the Great Depression

Curriculum Area

Subject: History
Level: Key Stage 3 (Year 9)
National Curriculum Area: Challenges for Britain, Europe, and the wider world 1901 to the present day

Lesson Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Understand the role and experiences of women during the Great Depression.
• Compare the approaches of Presidents Hoover and Roosevelt in addressing the struggles of women.
• Analyse historical sources to evaluate the impact of different policies on women’s lives.

Materials Needed

• Printed source materials (e.g. letters, photographs, government reports from the 1930s)
• Whiteboard and markers
• PowerPoint presentation
• Pre-prepared scenario cards for group work
• Exit tickets for plenary activity

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Lesson Structure (60 Minutes)

1. Starter Activity (10 minutes) - Empathy Through Role Play

• Hook: Display an image of a woman during the Great Depression on the board. Ask students:
  • "What do you think her daily life was like?"
  • "What challenges might she have faced?"
• Quick Pair Discussion: In pairs, students write down three words they associate with the image.
• Class Discussion: Share initial thoughts before introducing today's topic.

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2. Introduction to Women in the Great Depression (15 minutes) - Setting the Context

• Teacher Explanation: Briefly outline the economic collapse and how women were affected.
• Key Points to Cover:
  • The increase in unemployment and its impact on working-class women.
  • Expectations for women to maintain households with fewer resources.
  • Differences between urban and rural experiences.
• Mini Task: Students work in small groups to summarise the key differences in experiences on mini whiteboards.

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3. Comparing Hoover and Roosevelt (15 minutes) - Government Responses

• Divide the class into two halves:
  • One half researches Hoover’s policies regarding women (or lack thereof).
  • The other half researches Roosevelt’s approach, including the role of Eleanor Roosevelt.
• Source Analysis: Each half analyses a primary source (e.g. Hoover’s public speech or Eleanor Roosevelt’s article).
• Debate Style Feedback: One student from each half explains their findings, with teacher-led questioning to prompt critical thinking.

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4. Group Task (15 minutes) - Real-Life Scenarios

• Scenario Cards: Each group receives a card detailing a different perspective (e.g. a single mother looking for work, a factory worker laid off, or a woman employed in a New Deal programme).
• Task: Groups discuss and prepare a short dialogue or diary entry from their assigned person’s perspective.
• Presentations: Volunteers read their entries aloud to the class.

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5. Plenary (5 minutes) - "Exit Ticket" Reflection

Each student writes a response to one of the following prompts:

• "One thing I learned today that surprised me was..."
• "If I were a woman in the Great Depression, my biggest challenge would have been..."
• "Roosevelt’s policies helped women more than Hoover’s because..."

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Assessment Opportunities

• Participation in discussions and debates.
• Group work and role-play engagement.
• Quality of reflections on exit tickets.

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Differentiation & Support

• For Higher Ability Students: Encourage deeper source analysis (e.g. contrast newspaper reports from different perspectives).
• For Lower Ability Students: Provide structured sentence starters for discussions and written responses.
• For Visual Learners: Use images and short video clips to illustrate key points.

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Teacher Reflection Post-Lesson

• Did students engage with the role-playing task?
• Were they able to differentiate between Hoover’s and Roosevelt’s policies?
• Did the exit ticket responses indicate understanding or need for revisit?

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This lesson ensures historical knowledge is digested through active learning rather than passive note-taking. The role-playing and scenario cards create empathy-driven engagement, making this a standout lesson.