Learn all about the ‘golden age’ of Hollywood as well as the Great Depression with this fun 1930s for Kids Reader. These 30s printables are a great way to work on reading skills while learning about american history for kids. Use this free printable as part of a famous person, History of 1930s study for preschool, pre k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, and 5th grade students. Simply print pdf file with great depression for kids to learn about life in the 1930s.
1930s for Kids
Whether you are a parent, teacher, or homeschooler – you will love this low-prep activity for helping students learn about the 1930s. One of the easiest ways to help kids learn and remember is to have them read and study the people, the country and the way of life during this era. This reader is a great introduction to the 1930s, the Great Depression, the beginnings of the Monopoly board game, the 1930s radio and telephone as well as farmers who lived in this time period.
Due to the Great Depression, the thirties was a difficult time for people. To have a break from everything that was happening, people like to go to movies, read books, listen to music and watch sports. It was also known as the ‘Golden Age’ of Hollywood; many movies were produced during this time period. The radio was immensely popular during the 1930s. Even if people didn’t own their own radio, there were many ways they could still access one. Popular content included comedy, music, theater and soap operas as well as news and political messages. The telephone was first invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876. Candlestick phones became popular during this era, having the pride of place in establishments. These phones contained a transmitter that had to be in an upright position for it to operate. The receiver was located on an attachment that rested on a hook when not in use. The tall profile of this phone led to people calling them candlestick phones.
The Wall Street crash of 1929 was one of the main causes of the Great Depression. This combined with a weak banking system, overproduction of goods and overspending caused many companies to go out of business and many people losing everything. Some people moved to live in shanty towns, used newspapers as blankets, and ride on railroad cars. During this time, nearly half of the children in the US didn’t have enough food, shelter or medical care. During the Great Depression, the land suffered from severe drought and dust storms. The farms dried up, tens of thousands of animals died, forcing families to leave their farms. In May 1934, a massive storm, carrying around 350 million tons of dirt traveled 2,000 miles east, dumping millions of tons of prairie dirt in Chicago.
During the Great Depression, people turned to movies and dancing. Ballroom and swing dances were all the rage, with Foxtrot and Latin dancing also coming onto the scene. Swing dances came out of Harlem, while the samba moved from the big screen onto the dance scene. Monopoly is a board that became popular in the 1930s as players loved to become rich while playing the game. The game was developed over the years, and by 1933, the Parker Brothers had created a board game which is much like the modern-day Monopoly. During this time, cars took on a great deal of style and sophistication, becoming works of art. The automatic transmission and hydraulic brakes were introduced, and trunks for carrying luggage were added. This time also saw the rise of three big automakers – General Motors, the Ford Motor Company and Chrysler.
Herbert Hoover became the 31st president in 1929 during the onset of the Great Depression. In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected as President of the United States. FDR spent the most time in office; the only American president to serve more than two terms. He served until his death in 1945.
Great Depression for kids
Start by scrolling to the bottom of the post, under the terms of use, and click on the text link that says >> _____ <<. The pdf file will open in a new window for you to save the freebie and print the template.
First, you will need to grab the pack. Now simply print the black and white pages on plain printer paper and cut the pages in half before stapling the book together.
Depression Worksheets
These mini books contain one cover page that children can decorate their own. After this, there are multiple pages all about the 1930s to add behind this. While reading these books, children will learn about:
- the Golden Age of Hollywood
- radio
- candlestick phones
- the Great Depression
- Farmers
- Dancing
- Monopoly
- Automobiles
- Presidents of the USA during this time
- Major Events
- Cost of Living
- Inventions
Cost of Living 1930
- Average price of a new house – $3,845
- Average income – $1,970 per year
- Average cost of a new car – $800
- Average rent – $18 per month
- Average cost of gasoline – 10 cents per gallon
- First class postage stamp – 2 cents, going up to 3 cents by 1939
- A movie ticket – 25 cents
- Average cost of a loaf of bread – 8 cents
Life in the 1930s
These two books are completely in blackline which is not only great for printing, but also a fun way for kids to get creative by decorating the images however they desire. Children can use crayons, markers, colored pencils, gel pens, etc. to color in their books.
There are two different books, with one book being a more simple version of the other. This one is aimed at younger children, while the more in-depth one is aimed at older children. Extra pages for children to write on could also be added, after reading books and researching more on this topic.
This printable pack comes in black and white only.
History Lessons for Kids
Check out one of or MANY engaging, Free history lessons for kids
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United States Lesson for Kids
Help children learn about the great country of the United States with these free printables and resources:
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Geography for Kids
Looking for more resources and free worksheets to teach students about geography for kids? You will love these coloring sheets, printable maps, books, activities and games:
- Grab this realistic looking Free Printable Passport for Kids
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- Read, Color and Learn about other countries with FREE country studies including: Vietnam For Kids and Greece for Kids and Peru for Kids and Kenya for Kids and Israel for Kids, plus many more!
- You can find all our FREE printable country coloring pages covering over 36 different nations – or jump right to Spain Coloring Pages, China Coloring Pages, Italy Coloring Pages, Chile Coloring Pages, Germany Coloring Pages, and Costa Rica Coloring Pages
1930’s worksheets pdf
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>> 1930s in America Reader – SIMPLE <<
