New Deal Relief Office: Agency Decision Worksheet
 
Description
In this activity, students step into the role of a New Deal relief clerk in 1935, tasked with matching real people to the correct government agency—or determining when no help was available. Using short, realistic case backstories, students analyze age, employment status, work history, location, and economic need to decide which New Deal agency applies.
Rather than memorizing acronyms, students learn how the New Deal actually worked: who qualified, who didn’t, and why. Several cases are intentionally designed to be denied, pushing students to confront the limits of government aid during the Great Depression.
 
Grade Level: 7–12
Duration: 1 class period (30–45 minutes)
 
What’s Included
New Deal Relief Office worksheet with 13 case files
2 reflection questions 
1 Graph Analysis question
Clear student directions
Realistic cases of real depression-era people
Teacher answer key with brief, rule-based explanations for each case

Skills Developed
Identify the types of New Deal Relief Agencies
Analyzing historical scenarios
Understanding cause and effect in economic policy
Distinguishing between different types of government aid
 
Perfect For
Introducing the New Deal before deeper analysis
Reinforcing agency roles after instruction
Civics and economics connections
Discussion-based or small-group lessons