Great Depression Breakout: Home

9th-12th

AASL A.3: Learners identify collaborative opportunities by. developing new understandings through engagement in a learning group

One class period (45 minutes)

This lesson was created by Margaret Sullivan from Rockwood Summit High School.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Students work in small groups to solve a series of challenges related to the Great Depression and the New
Deal in order to find the codes that will open a virtual breakout box.

Chomebooks or other devices to access the Internet, copies of clues

• Students will apply research and online search skills to find information that will help them solve puzzles.
• Students will use their knowledge of the Great Depression and New Deal to solve puzzles.
• Students will interact with the other members of their group.
• Students will value individual contributions.

1. Assign students to work in pairs or small groups.

2. Each pair/group of students will need

• a computer or Chromebook
• a blank copy (or two) of the crossword puzzle 
• a blank copy (or two) of the Sudoku puzzle
• a copy (or two) of the Periodic Table of the New Deal

3. Instruct students to go to the following URL: Great Depression Breakout

4. Go over the scenario (found near the top of the web page) with students and explain each group will be racing against the clock to successfully complete all five challenges and open all five locks in order to obtain an internship in FDR's White House. Explain that students may open additional tabs on their computers or Chomebooks to search to do research as they try to decode the clues.
(Note: Some students may choose to use their personal devices, such as cell phones, too)

5. Circulate around the room as pairs/groups of students work on the activity. Have the paper clues (I cut them into strips) ready so you can give them to groups as they solve the puzzles. The clues and locks are not meant to be easy, so students will likely struggle. You may choose to give students hints if they seem to be stuck, but remember that trial and error is part of the process. 

• Note: Some groups will try to complete only the crossword clues with the circled letters. I require them to show me that they completed the entire puzzle in addition to figuring out the code that opens the lock.
• Some teachers like to have small prizes for the first team that “breaks out” or for all the teams that successfully “break out” in time.         

• •  Clues - for teachers only

  • Crossword Key - for teachers only

  • Crossword with Circled Boxes

  • Great Depression Breakout Answers - for teachers only

  • New Deal Equations

  • PeriodicTable New Deal

  • Word Bank - optional -- for groups and/or classes who might need a little more help

  • Sudoku Puzzle

  • Cartoon Lock Sign

Assessment can be based on whether or not the students successfully "break out," and/or how well individual groups collaborate.

The teacher and librarian can provide hints to groups that need them. Also, for classes or groups that don't complete tasks quickly, teachers/librarians may wish to assign this breakout: Great Depression Breakout 2. It contains only four of the puzzles instead of five. Provide the word bank to help students complete the crossword puzzle.