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Step into the Roaring Twenties, where shiny new appliances filled American homes, Model Ts rolled off assembly lines by the millions, and optimism felt as abundant as the neon signs lighting up small town streets. Shiny Dreams & Shattered Savings takes students inside the economic roller coaster of the 1920s and the devastating crash that followed, using a fully guided simulation paired with a creative storytelling extension that helps students understand not just what happened, but why it mattered.
In this immersive experience, students become part of the decade’s rise and fall. Through the Living the Boom, Losing It All simulation, they step into the shoes of Frankie Taylor, an everyday American reflecting on newfound prosperity, changing spending habits, and the warning signs that slipped by unnoticed. Students examine mass production, advertising, consumer credit, overproduction, speculation, and the stock market crash, connecting their character’s personal journey to the national economic themes required by SSUSH16c and SSUSH17a. After the simulation, they bring history to life in Voices from a Vanishing Town, a creative project where they craft first-person stories that show how the crash rippled through small-town America. Their work blends character voice, economic analysis, and cause-and-effect reasoning to reveal how a decade of confidence gave way to collapse.
Shiny Dreams & Shattered Savings Historical Context – A student-friendly overview that explains the explosion of mass production, the rise of advertising and consumer credit, and the deeper economic weaknesses that built toward the 1929 crash. It prepares students for the simulation while grounding their understanding of the decade.
Living the Boom, Losing It All Simulation Instructions – A role-based, interview-style simulation where students become Frankie Taylor and reflect on life during the boom years, the sudden collapse, and the lessons learned in hindsight. This guided structure supports inquiry, analysis, and strong historical thinking.
Voices from a Vanishing Town Extension Activity – A creative writing and performance task in which students craft a first-person video diary, podcast episode, or illustrated journal that captures the human impact of the crash. Students must blend character perspective with accurate economic cause-and-effect explanations tied to credit, installment buying, overproduction, speculation, or bank failures.
Voices from a Vanishing Town Rubric – A detailed, 100-point rubric assessing historical accuracy, concept integration, cause-and-effect reasoning, character voice, creativity, organization, and completeness.
Step into the Roaring Twenties, where shiny new appliances filled American homes, Model Ts rolled off assembly lines by the millions, and optimism felt as abundant as the neon signs lighting up small town streets. Shiny Dreams & Shattered Savings takes students inside the economic roller coaster of the 1920s and the devastating crash that followed, using a fully guided simulation paired with a creative storytelling extension that helps students understand not just what happened, but why it mattered.
In this immersive experience, students become part of the decade’s rise and fall. Through the Living the Boom, Losing It All simulation, they step into the shoes of Frankie Taylor, an everyday American reflecting on newfound prosperity, changing spending habits, and the warning signs that slipped by unnoticed. Students examine mass production, advertising, consumer credit, overproduction, speculation, and the stock market crash, connecting their character’s personal journey to the national economic themes required by SSUSH16c and SSUSH17a. After the simulation, they bring history to life in Voices from a Vanishing Town, a creative project where they craft first-person stories that show how the crash rippled through small-town America. Their work blends character voice, economic analysis, and cause-and-effect reasoning to reveal how a decade of confidence gave way to collapse.
Shiny Dreams & Shattered Savings Historical Context – A student-friendly overview that explains the explosion of mass production, the rise of advertising and consumer credit, and the deeper economic weaknesses that built toward the 1929 crash. It prepares students for the simulation while grounding their understanding of the decade.
Living the Boom, Losing It All Simulation Instructions – A role-based, interview-style simulation where students become Frankie Taylor and reflect on life during the boom years, the sudden collapse, and the lessons learned in hindsight. This guided structure supports inquiry, analysis, and strong historical thinking.
Voices from a Vanishing Town Extension Activity – A creative writing and performance task in which students craft a first-person video diary, podcast episode, or illustrated journal that captures the human impact of the crash. Students must blend character perspective with accurate economic cause-and-effect explanations tied to credit, installment buying, overproduction, speculation, or bank failures.
Voices from a Vanishing Town Rubric – A detailed, 100-point rubric assessing historical accuracy, concept integration, cause-and-effect reasoning, character voice, creativity, organization, and completeness.