The onset of drought can be subtle. The long periods of dry, sunny weather can seem pleasing at first. But as soil cracks, crops wither, and streams dry up the disruption to human life begins. Farmland becomes dust, food becomes scarce, and people either adapt or depart. From ancient times to the present, drought has affected environments, societies, and economies. Perhaps the best-known drought in the United States culminated in the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.

You will be assigned topics that reflect the issues surrounding drought and its effects on people and the environment. Use what you have learned to create a multimedia presentation that includes written, visual, and audio components depicting the impact of drought on American society and economy during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. To prepare for the project, you will research how drought changed the lives of farmers, forcing millions to lose their farms.

Look at the photograph below. Answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper.

Prolonged drought combined with high winds created this dust storm near Amarillo, TX, in 1936.

• What can you tell about the effects of drought on people and property from this photo?
• What do you surmise life would be like for farmers in Amarillo, Texas during this period?

Use the Daily Life through History articles listed on the right to research the impact of drought during the Great Depression. As you read, keep your assigned topic in mind. Remember that your multimedia presentation will need to convey what you are learning through various written, visual, and audio formats. Your audience should be able to understand your presentation without additional input.

Use the Multiple Effects Chart to organize your information. Write Drought in the “Cause” section and important details in the “Effects” section. Work together with members of your group to decide how to organize, create, and share your information with the class. Your presentation can include drawings, photographs, simulated primary source documents (such as journal entries), short reports, and audiotaped recordings of simulated interviews or historical reenactments.

Choose a spokesperson to introduce your multimedia presentation.

Students in the audience will have ten minutes to view each group’s presentation.

Your teacher will use these questions to assess your performance:

• Did you treat your topic thoroughly, presenting and supporting your ideas and conclusions with details?
• Did you use various media to present your topic in an engaging, informative way?
• Did you organize your work clearly?
• Did you strongly relate the major components of your presentation to the topic?