Successes and Failures of the Tennessee Valley Authority

The following lesson plan and resources are designed to cover part of the 5th grade content standards for the New Deal. It addresses the successes and failures of the Tennessee Valley Authority. This lesson plan does not address the causes and impact of the Great Depression, which will need to be covered prior to this lesson. It also does not cover all the New Deal policies, which will also need to be covered either before or after this lesson. 

Standards & Objectives

Essential and guiding questions: 
  • What was the purpose and goals of the Tennessee Valley Authority?
  • How was the Tennessee Valley Authority successful?
  • How did the Tennessee Valley Authority fail?

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Understanding

Helpful Hints

Materials Needed:

  • Primary sources from Tennessee State Library and Archives, National Archives, Teach Tennessee History, and Library of Congress. They are all linked within the activity.
  • Secondary sources from Tennessee 4 Me.
  • Collection analysis sheet (attached) and clipboards for each student.