1931 England Food Riot Lesson Plan by Ashley Ralston Hands-On History Coordinator, Historic Arkansas Museum Butler Center for Arkansas Studies 2007-2008 School Year Utilizing 2006 Arkansas Social Studies Frameworks Plus Other Curriculum Frameworks Including 2007 School Library Media Frameworks Students will begin by looking at America as a whole during the Depression. Students will then refine their perspective to a specific event, the England Food Riot, in Arkansas history that took place during that period. Students will look closer into the past by examining one family in that area. They will use resources for a predetermined task. Grades: 9th -12th Objectives: 1.Students will be able to analyze primary sources to understand life during the Great Depression. 2. Students will be able to examine documents and discuss cause and effect of a specific event in history. 3. Students will be able to use new information about a past event and apply it to the world around them. Arkansas Curriculum Frameworks: Arkansas History Student Learning Expectations: GD.8.AH.9-12.5 - Explore the economic and social consequences of the Great Depression G.3.CAG.1 - Explain the purpose of the government English Language Arts Student Learning Expectations: OV.1.10.2 - Prepare and participate in informal discussions and activities, such as presentations, group discussions/work teams, and debates… W.4.9.1 - Generate, gather and organize ideas for writing School Library Media Student Learning Expectations: I.1.9.9, I.1.10.9, I.1.11.10, I.1.12.10 – Distinguish between primary and secondary sources I.2.9.2, I.2.10.2, I.2.11.2, I.2.12.2 – Evaluate primary and secondary sources A.4.9.1, A.4.10.1, A.4.11.1, A.4.12.1 – Use resources and/or technology tools for a predetermined task Related Encyclopedia of Arkansas Entries: Early Twentieth Century, 1901 through 1940; England Food Riot of 1931; Lonoke County Introduction: The teacher will select the appropriate student learning expectations for his or her class, review the key terms, and make copies of the selected activity handouts as described in the lesson. Collaboration with the school library media specialist for assistance in the utilization of the technology resource tool for Arkansas History is suggested. See above links or visit the online Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture at http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net. The library media specialist can assist with obtaining the web resources cited in this lesson. Key Terms: The Great Depression Census Report Key Terms Defined: The Great Depression: a time of extreme economic hardship that affected the majority of the United States. Census Report: a data base of information taken on individuals and households by the government every ten years. Materials Needed: Writing Utensils Notebook Internet Access Handouts from Cited Web Sources Suggest Timeline: Two 50 minute class periods Background: The England Food Riot occurred in January of 1931. Citizens of England, Arkansas were starving and not able to receive food for their families. The merchants at the local stores had run out of government vouchers and were not sure whether or not they would receive payment for food. The citizens formed a mob and stormed the stores, claiming the stores could either give them the food or they would take it by force. Merchants handed out the food and were later paid back by the government. The England Food Riot became a national event and epitomized the needs of the poor during the Depression. Procedure: * All discussion questions may be placed in a notebook as a journal question, if desired. Have students answer a discussion question: y How do people obtain the resources they need? Students should brainstorm, and place suggestions on the board, where they may be discussed as a class. Tell students you are going to give them a fictitious scenario and they must come up with a solution, listing all of the pros and cons: The school cafeteria has raised the prices for the food, so much so, that students are unable to pay for lunch throughout the week. Unfortunately, students also have no food at home to bring for lunch. How will students obtain the food that they need? Whose responsibility is it to ensure that the students have food for lunch (i.e. government, teachers, parents, etc.) Activity 1: Students will begin by learning about life during the Great Depression. If appropriate equipment is available, students will listen to an audio of President Roosevelt’s speech: http://hpol.org/fdr/inaug If appropriate equipment is not available, the teacher may make a copy of the speech found at the suggested website. At the end of this activity students should understand the general atmosphere of the 1930’s and be able to answer the discussion question: y What was the government’s plan to rectify the economic hardships of the American people? Activity 2: Provide students with the 1930 census data for Lonoke County (England, Arkansas): http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05/05085.html. Have students review information about population, education and economy during The Great Depression in this county. Students should be able to answer the discussion question: y How do census reports help historians analyze an event? Activity 3: Provide students with the online text article from the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture which describes the England Food Riot. Students should be able to answer the discussion question: y What were the causes and effects of the England Food Riot? Evaluation: Have students research a place in the world today that is going through the same type of hardships as described in the England food riot. From their previous lists of cause and effect, have students identify the similarities in the different times and place. Have students answer the following discussion questions: y How do places struggling with hardship impact the world around them? For Further Reading: See Race Relations in the Natural State by Grif Stockley. The textbook has been adopted by the ADE as social studies resource. Order information is available at http://www.butlercenter.org/publication/books.html Mr. Stockley has written several articles for the online Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture. Students can use the advanced search feature in the online encyclopedia to access these articles. The Taylor Foundation (Little Rock, Arkansas) makes Butler Center lesson plans possible. Contact the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, Central Arkansas Library System, 100 Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72201. 501-918-3056 www.butlercenter.org and www.cals.lib.ar.us
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