Dust Bowl: US History 1877-present (EOC) 🌐 Ver en Español
History
20th-Century Texas
Vertical Alignment
TEKS:
| 4th | 4.5(A) |
| 7th | 7.8(C), 7.9(A), 7.9(B) |
| USH | US.12(A), US.14(A), US.16(C) |
Linked To
Downloads
- Visual
- Word wall visual
- Lesson Plan
- Lesson Materials
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Teacher guide
Leveled reading passages
Structured Conversation Questions
Observational
What occurred during the Dust Bowl?
During the Dust Bowl, ...Relational
How was the Dust Bowl related to homesteaders?
The Dust Bowl was related to homesteaders because...Inferential
How do you think farmers responded to the Dust Bowl?
I think farmers responded to the Dust Bowl by...
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Students might notice in this visual:
- In 1862, Congress passed the Homestead Act.
- The Homestead Act gave homesteaders land that had drought-resistant grasses.
- From 1862 to 1933, homesteaders planted drought-susceptible crops with shallow roots.
- In 1934, there was drought and winds which led to a lot of loose soil.
- During the dust storms, the drought-susceptible crops were no longer able to grow and farmers were broke.
EXTENDING THE DISCUSSION
After the observational question, randomly call on one or more students to share what they or their partner answered. Then ask the class, “Did anyone notice…?” using the suggestions above or anything else you’ve noticed.
After the observational question, randomly call on one or more students to share what they or their partner answered. Then ask the class, “Did anyone notice…?” using the suggestions above or anything else you’ve noticed.
Students might wonder:
- What caused all the dust in the air?
- Why did people leave their homes?
- What happened to the farms in this area?
- How long did the Dust Bowl last?
- Could this have been prevented?
EXTENDING THE DISCUSSION
After students have shared what they notice, ask the class, “Did anyone wonder…?” using the suggestions above or anything else you might think is interesting or relevant to the lesson.
After students have shared what they notice, ask the class, “Did anyone wonder…?” using the suggestions above or anything else you might think is interesting or relevant to the lesson.
Example student responses
To the observational question, What occurred during the Dust Bowl?
LOW-LEVEL
During the Dust Bowl, the dirt blew around and the crops died.
HIGH-LEVEL
During the Dust Bowl, severe drought combined with poor farming practices caused the soil to blow away, destroying crops and forcing many farmers into poverty.
RESPONDING TO RESPONSES
Emphasize and celebrate each student’s use of the key vocabulary to support a culture of “no wrong answers.”
Emphasize and celebrate each student’s use of the key vocabulary to support a culture of “no wrong answers.”
