The New Deal: North Carolina's Reconstruction?

Deborah Pendleton
Martin Middle School
Raleigh, NC

Jackie Brooks
Ligon GT Magnet Middle School
Raleigh, NC

This lesson plan is a guide for teachers that will result in imaginary WPA interviews similar to those found in the American Life Histories, 1936-1940 of the American Memory Collection of the Library of Congress website that demonstrate students' interpretation of the question "Was the New Deal North Carolina's 'Reconstruction'?"

A 1930's view of the Atlantic Beach boardwalk, bath houses, and old casino, where dances, concerts-and sometimes professional boxing matches-were held. from "The Fighter Who Wouldn't," The State, October, 1986, page 21.

A written WPA report on an imaginary North Carolina resident who lived during the Reconstruction and Depression eras is the product of this assignment. Students must complete research of the American Life Histories, 1936-1940 from the American Memory Collection, select an occupation for future research, and explore additional print and electronic sources. The "interview" must be historically accurate, support a thesis that answers the question, and include an appropriate sensory illustration.

The Student Project

Objectives

The student project will demonstrate mastery of a variety of objectives that include creative writing, historical appreciation and criticism, recognition of bias, and incorporation of text and illustration reflecting primary source research.

In this project students will:

Demonstrate an understanding of the degree to which the Depression/New Deal amended the economic destruction of the Civil War.
Utilize the American Life Histories, 1936-1940 as both a primary resource as well as a model for student-written interview documents.
Identify point of view/bias in historical documents, both text and pictorial.
Provide historical support for a thesis through the use of creative writing.

Time Required

Three weeks or 12 to 15 class periods.

This estimate reflects the approximate time frame to implement and complete this assignment. All background knowledge on the Reconstruction era should have been completed prior to the introduction of this project.

Recommended Grade Level

Eighth grade students.

Curriculum Fit

This interdisciplinary project encompasses the subject areas of social studies, language arts, visual art, music, and technology. It specifically addresses objectives from the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for eighth grade social studies, language arts, and information skills.

Resources Used

American Life Histories: Manuscripts from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1940
America from the Great Depression to World War II: Photographs from the FSA-OWI, 1935-1945
American Slave Narratives: An Online Anthology
Documenting the American South
Southern Folklife Collection
FDR's New Deal
Great Depression Links
New Deal Network
20th Century History By the Decades: 1930-1939
North Carolina Division of Archives and History
Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Manuscripts Division
North Carolina and the New Deal by AnthonyBadger. North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, Division of Archives and History, Raleigh, N.C., 1981.
Hard Times by John Bell. North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, Division of Archives and History, Raleigh, N.C., 1982.

Procedure

Step 1: Introducing the Project 1-2 class periods

Classroom teacher will introduce the question "Was the Depression North Carolina's 'Reconstruction'?" for initial reaction from students and to review the Civil War/Reconstruction Era.
Students will receive the assignment with specific objectives and guidelines enumerated by the rubric.
The instructor will explain the rubric in detail, stressing the importance of research, drawing conclusions, and answering the question.
Opportunities will be provided for individual and group questioning.

Step 2: Researching the New Deal Time will vary

Students will research the impact of the Depression and New Deal programs on the social, economic and/or political life of the individual in preparation for the writing assignment.
Students may interview individuals who were living during the Great Depression.
Students should search for a specific illustration for the assignment.

Step 3: Introducing American Life Histories, 1939-40 1-2 periods

The media specialist will introduce and demonstrate use of the American Memory Collection, specifically the American Life Histories: Manuscript from the Federal Writers' Project.
The media specialist will use the American Life Histories Special Presentation Voices from the Thirties to introduce collection and the work of the Federal Writers' Project.
To assist students in conducting searches, the media center will demonstrate use of the Search Tips page of the American Memory Collection and the Search Guides located through the Learning Page.
The media specialist will call attention to other online sources as well as print sources from the school library collection.

Step 4: Exploring American Life Histories, 1936-40 1-5 periods

Students will explore the American Memory Collection, American Life Histories. They should read a variety of interviews, observing point of view/bias and format of questioning.
The following questions will serve to guide students as they research the American Life Histories, 1936-1940: "How did the Depression affect different social, economic, geographical, and political dimensions of North Carolina?" and "If you were going to interview someone from North Carolina during the Depression, what kind of person would you look for?"
The student should select a specific occupation as the basis of further research and for the "interviewee" in the imaginary Life History report. Suggested occupations include artist, banker, bootlegger, farmer, lawyer, merchant, mill worker, preacher, sharecropper, and sheriff. The occupation request form should include the following: occupation; sex, race, state geographic location, designated name.

Step 5: Creating the "Interview" 1-2 periods

Language arts teacher will guide student writers in format, style, and tone of the project.
The following WPA Life Histories from North Carolina provide a contrast in writing styles that will be useful to students as they begin their original interviews: Stella Wall, Aline Caudle, Allen Teavis, Mary Allen.
Students will link reports to images and print or text citations.
A bibliography will accompany the report.

Evaluation

Evaluation by rubric for "interview" answering the question "Was the New Deal North Carolina’s ‘Reconstruction’"?

For questions or comments contact Deborah Pendleton or Jackie Brooks.