Transforming Our Classroom into Paris

This week, our classroom didn’t just learn about the Great Depression — we lived it through the eyes of undercover reporters by transforming our class into Paris!

As part of our unit on the global impact of the Great Depression, I transformed our classroom into the heart of France. Why? Because our students became investigative journalists for the French people — citizens who had not yet been told by their government just how widespread the economic collapse truly was. Their mission? Report the truth. Tell the story. Make it known.

The Set-Up: Bonjour, Paris!

To set the mood, I started by transforming our classroom into Paris. I covered our walls with blue paper and added hand-drawn landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, and Notre-Dame, all on chart paper. These larger-than-life visuals made the space feel immersive and exciting. You could practically hear the café music playing in the background! These are extremely easy to do. All you need is a projector and a roll of chart paper. My school supplies chart paper to the teachers however, if yours does not, use a tablecloth from the dollar store! First, I find a clipart version of the monument. Next, I put it on a word document and segment it into two to four parts depending on the size I need. I use Sharpie Chart Markers to trace the clipart.

To add more, I create an entire bakery wall. I use brown paper to create the wood shelves, print bakery items from google, and label items with euros to immerse the students further.

Students each received a “plate” to work on. I print out two half size plates and cut and tape them together to make a full size. I also have a dessert plate for students to work on. It added a playful, Parisian café vibe to their desks while keeping their work organized and focused.

The Learning Menu: Choice Board Fun

I designed a choice board that followed a restaurant-style format:

• Appetizer: Students began with pre-reading activities, designed to build background knowledge and spark curiosity. These included images, headlines, and brief texts hinting at the economic downturn happening beyond France’s borders.
• Entrée: Here’s where the real work began. Students picked one reading and response strategy to dive deeper. They could analyze economic data, compare global news coverage, or write a journal entry from the point of view of a struggling citizen.
• Dessert: Because every good Parisian meal ends on a sweet note! Students wrapped up by adding a creative touch — a sketch, headline collage, or mini editorial cartoon that expressed the emotional impact of the Depression on people around the world.

The Final Product: A Front-Page Story

Once they gathered their notes and finished their strategies, students wrote a newspaper article detailing the global impact of the Great Depression — framed as an exposé for the people of France. To really have the students feel like our classroom was transformed into Paris, I had French words with a translation around the room that they could use. Their goal was to inform citizens who had been left in the dark. The results? Thoughtful, empathetic, and surprisingly insightful work. Some even wrote with accents and made up pen names — very undercover journalist of them!

Why I Love This Approach:

Transforming our classroom into Paris wasn’t just about decorations — it was about engagement with purpose. My students were immersed, motivated, and most importantly, thinking like historians. They practiced literacy skills, creative expression, and critical thinking, all while uncovering the human stories behind historical events.

Learning sticks when it’s meaningful. And sometimes, a little blue paper and a view of the Eiffel Tower can help make that happen.

Au revoir — until the next adventure!