Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 17/01/2026
Subject: History
Lesson Topic: 3.4 The United States, 1919–41
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe the political realignment of the 1920s and the emergence of the New Deal.
  • Explain the causes and economic impacts of the Great Depression and evaluate key New Deal programmes.
  • Analyse social and cultural changes for women, African Americans, and immigrants between 1919‑1941.
  • Assess the shift from isolationism to interventionism in U.S. foreign policy from the 1930s to 1941.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of U.S. policies (Neutrality Acts, Lend‑Lease) in shaping involvement in WWII.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector and screen
  • PowerPoint slides with timeline and economic charts
  • Printed handouts of key events and primary‑source excerpts
  • Worksheet for group analysis
  • Large classroom timeline poster
  • Video clip of a 1930s newsreel/Jazz Age footage
  • Whiteboard and markers
 Introduction:

Begin with a 30‑second newsreel clip of the Dust Bowl and a political cartoon from the 1920s to hook interest. Ask students what they already know about the post‑World War I United States and link that to today’s focus. Explain that by the end of the lesson they will be able to describe the New Deal, analyse social change, and assess why U.S. foreign policy moved from isolationism to interventionism.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5'): Quick quiz on events from 1919‑1920; collect responses.
  2. Mini‑lecture with slides (15'): Overview of political, economic and social developments 1919‑1941.
  3. Group analysis (20'): Students examine primary‑source excerpts (New Deal speeches, migration letters) and complete worksheet questions.
  4. Timeline activity (10'): Teams place major events on a large timeline poster, justifying their choices.
  5. Debate (15'): “Isolationism vs. Interventionism” – each side uses evidence from the source material.
  6. Exit ticket (5'): Write three sentences summarising how U.S. policy changed from 1930‑1941.
Conclusion:

Recap the key points: New Deal reforms, social transformations, and the foreign‑policy shift leading to WWII. Collect exit tickets to gauge understanding, and assign a short reading on the New Deal with a prompt to formulate one question for the next lesson.