Share
Tell other teachers, parents, and students about us.
Follow
Description
OVERVIEW
In this lesson, students will analyze a set of primary source excerpts about the causes and effects of the Dust Bowl, the New Deal programs established to address the Dust Bowl, and how the Dust Bowl and New Deal programs affected Texans.
LESSON TIME
This lesson will take approximately 45 – 60 minutes.
Optional 30 – 45 minute writing activity
Exact times may vary based on the specific needs of individual classes.
ESSENTIAL QUESTION
- What was the Dust Bowl? What were its primary causes and significant effects, and how did it affect the lives of Texans?
Teacher Tools
-
Lesson Plan, Teacher Guide, Sources
Downloadable/editable versions of this lesson plan, including a step-by-step guide through the lesson. When applicable, a list of primary sources used in the lesson is also included.
-
This ready-to-use classroom slideshow contains the warm-up exercise, the daily objective, the “We will / I will” statements, and the essential question for the lesson.
It guides the class through the assignment providing larger versions of images, visual representations of the directions, and supports for reading and answering questions including sentence stems for in-class responses. It concludes with the exit ticket.
Student Activities
-
Warm-up & Exit Ticket
In this printable warm-up / bell-ringer activity, students will examine a primary source excerpt from a Texas newspaper discussing challenges related to the Dust Bowl, including the depletion of native grasses, erosion, and harmful farming practices. Students will state what they expect to learn in this lesson based on the primary source excerpt.
In this exit ticket, students will explain what the Dust Bowl was and demonstrate their comprehension of the causes and effects of the Dust Bowl by completing a graphic organizer.
The Warm-up and Exit Ticket document includes two warm-ups on the front of the page and two exit tickets on the back of the page. This formatting reduces the number of copies needed, as teachers will cut each printed page in half. Each student will receive a half-page with the warm-up on the front and the exit on the back.
-
Primary Source Excerpts
This printable material provides a set of eleven primary source materials for students to use to complete their assignment. Materials include newspaper articles, transcripts of oral history interviews, and photographs. Text-based materials include vocabulary assistance.
-
Grade Level Work
In this printable assignment, students will read an introductory passage about the Dust Bowl to explain what the Dust Bowl was and what caused it using sentence stems to guide their responses. Students then use the primary source materials to summarize the causes, effects, New Deal programs, and personal experiences related to the Dust Bowl. Students provide examples from 2 of the primary source excerpts for each topic. Finally, the lesson ends with an optional writing activity in which students create their own journal entry from the point of view of someone who experienced the Dust Bowl firsthand.
-
In this printable assignment, students will read an introductory passage about the Dust Bowl with key information presented in bold. They organize statements about the reading into one of three categories including: Definition, Cause, or Effect. Students then use the primary source materials to summarize the causes, effects, New Deal programs, and personal experiences related to the Dust Bowl. Students provide examples from 1 of the primary source excerpts for each topic. Finally, the lesson ends with an optional writing activity in which students create their own journal entry from the point of view of someone who experienced the Dust Bowl firsthand.
-
In this printable assignment, students will read an introductory passage about the Dust Bowl at an above-grade level Lexile level to identify what the Dust Bowl was and make predictions about its effects on people in the Great Plains region. Students then use the primary source materials to summarize the causes, effects, New Deal programs, and personal experiences related to the Dust Bowl. Students provide examples from three of the primary source excerpts for each topic. Finally, the lesson ends with an optional writing activity in which students create their own journal entry from the point of view of someone who experienced the Dust Bowl firsthand.
Sources
Previews and links to sources referenced in this lesson.
-
Brenham Banner-Press, Monday, October 7, 1935
-
The Shamrock Texan, Thursday, April 11, 1935
-
“The Denison Press, Wednesday, May 12, 1937
-
The Lampasas Daily Leader, Wednesday, October 26, 1938
-
Oral History Interview with John Karl Rankin, August 29, 2011
-
The Lampasas Leader, March 31, 1939.
-
Picturing Texas: The Farm Security Administration
Rights
Support
Learn about our team, supporters, and how to contribute or give back.