The Great Depression: The Dustbowl

SUBJECT: U. S. HISTORY

GRADE LEVEL: 11 GRADE

TOPIC:

The Great Depression: The Dust Bowl

TEKS:

Chapter 113.32(c)

(2) History
(B) analyze economic issues such as farm issues

(9) Geography
(A) analyze the effects of physical and human geographic factors on major events

(11) Geography
(A) identify the effects of population growth and distribution on the physical environment

(13) Economics
(C) analyze the effects of the Great Depression on the U.S. economy and government
(D) evaluate the effectiveness of New Deal measures in ending the Great Depression

(20) Culture
(A) describe how the characteristics and issues of various eras in U.S. history have been reflected in works of art
(C) identify examples of American art that transcend American culture and convey universal themes

(24) Social studies skills
(D) use the process of historical inquiry to research, interpret, and multiple sources of evidence
(F) identify bias in written and visual material

OBJECTIVES:

1) Students will discover the causes and effects of the Dust Bowl on Great Plains farmers.

2) Students will utilize photographs to analyze and evaluate documents.

MATERIALS:

See Photographs Below

Dorothea Lange, Oklahoma Drought Refugees
Camping by the Roadside, Blythe, California

Dorothea Lange, Migrant Mother with
Three Children, California, February 1936

Arthur Rothstein, Black Dust Clouds Rising
Over the Texas Panhandle, March 1936

Russell Lee, Farm Children Eating Their Christmas Dinner,
Near Smithland, Iowa, Dec 1936

RESOURCES:

Textbook

Allen, Frederick Allen. Since Yesterday. New York: Bantam Books, 1939.

Curtis, James. Mind's Eye, Mind's Truth. Philadelphia: Temple UP, 1989.

Davidson, James West and Lytle, Mark Hamilton. After the Fact, 2nd ed. Vol. II, New York: Knopf, 1986.

Hurley, F. Jack . Russell Lee, Photographer. Dobbs Ferry, NY: Morgan & Morgan, 1978.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Students should view photographs after they have read and discussed the Dust Bowl. After they have viewed the photographs, they should read articles from the resource section, and then study the photographs again.

After viewing photographs for first time, discuss the following questions:

1) How does this photograph affect you?

2) Why were these farmers now migrants? 

3) What led to their loss of farm?

4) Why did the photographers use these subjects in such a way?

5) What government programs were established to help farmers?  Which ones were successful?

ASSIGNMENT:

After reading articles and conducting research, students should prepare an an investigative report on the effects of the Dust Bowl, using written sources as well as other photographs.