Oklahoma Social Studies MWH.P.2.4.B

Social StudiesGrades 9–12Social Studies Practices

The Standard

MWH.P.2: Use interdisciplinary tools to acquire, apply, and evaluate content understanding of the four strands of social studies.
MWH.P.2.4: Identify the principles of economic systems and develop an understanding of the benefits of a market system in local, national, and global settings.

Construct arguments using a combination of evidence regarding solutions used by nations to address historical or contemporary economic issues.

Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies (2026) · MWH.P.2.4

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students argue whether a nation's response to an economic problem worked. They use more than one kind of evidence and explain how each piece supports their claim. They also consider evidence that points the other way.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can argue that New Deal jobs programs helped reduce unemployment but did not end it. They use unemployment figures and WPA records to support the claim, without assuming the programs caused every change.
Common Misconceptions: Students may treat a drop in unemployment as proof that one program caused it. They may describe what a government did without judging the results. Some ignore evidence that weakens their claim.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: U.S. unemployment fell from about 25% in 1933 to 15% in 1940, and the WPA hired workers. Did New Deal jobs programs solve unemployment? Use both facts and name one limit of the evidence.

Lesson moves

Give pairs unemployment figures, a WPA worksite photo, and a WPA payroll record; have them sort what each source can and cannot show.
Ask students to write: Did New Deal jobs programs do enough to address unemployment? Use two sources and answer one objection.
Play evidence match: teams pair claims about WPA jobs with unemployment figures and payroll records, then earn points for spotting weak links.
Show a U.S. Department of Labor job-training page and a current unemployment chart; ask what the chart can prove about the program's results.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to MWH.P.2.4.B, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

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