[RSCT] Ideas for economic recession lesson

[Andrew Reed]

Hi all,

This is my first post with this group and I want to say that I have
gotten some pretty good ideas from reading some of your postings....so
maybe I can pick some of your brains for some more ideas on a project I
am planning.

 

I teach high school social studies to ELLs who come from mostly lower
income working families.  In the next month or two I will be getting to
the unit on the Great Depression in my US History class.  As a way to
connect what they learned in the unit to the current economic troubles
and to their own lives, they are going to create a video series (to put
on Youtube or the school's website) on tips on surviving hard economic
times (basically, how to get by with little money).  Each student will
present/record one tip they have found to be effective when not having
much money (i.e. how to plant a certain vegetable, cooking certain
inexpensive dishes, advice for finding good deals around town, etc.)
They will organize it like they would in a speech class (organize it,
write it out, present it, etc.).

 

The help I'm looking for is coming up with a list of categories for the
students.  I don't really need detailed step by step tips (the students
have to come up with that) but I am trying to create categories and
general ideas that may help students figure out what they want to do.  I
have obvious categories such as gardening, DIY home repair, etc. but am
looking for some that I may have overlooked.  If you have any good
general ideas about possible things students can do, please feel free to
send them my way, or if you have any thoughts about the lesson itself
and how to implement it I will also welcome that.

 

 

It's a good way for students to realize and show that even though they
may lack many of the material things they see around them they have real
life experiences that are of value and appreciated in society, and if
there is one thing I have learned with my years of teaching immigrant
students is that many of them (or their parents) are quite thrifty and
innovative when it comes to making the best out the little they have.

 

Thanks for your time

Andrew Reed

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