Understand the social and economic effects of the 1930s drought on American farmers; analyze the effects of human modification of landscapes; use knowledge of climate and weather to explain geographic phenomena; use a variety of media to display data

Extreme weather such as drought, floods, and hurricanes have disrupted human lives through the ages, causing damage to property, and forcing survivors to adapt or to abandon their ways of life. In North America, prolonged periods of drought have affected more people than any other natural hazard. In some cases, the use by farmers of soil-depleting crops can worsen the effects of drought. The drought that covered two-thirds of the United States during the 1930s and that resulted in the Dust Bowl is one such example, altering societies and economies as millions went into debt and left their farms in search of new lives. Reforms in the 1930s after the Dust Bowl encouraged crop rotation and other means of soil conservation.

• CA  Historical Interpretation: 5
• TX  113.33(11): b; 113.38(2): c, d; 113.39(8): b
• FL  SS.B.2.4:1
• NCSS  III(HS):f, III(HS):h, j

2 class periods

• Activity Sheet, Drought Devastates Farming in 1930s America
• Graphic Organizer, Multiple Effects Chart
• Multimedia Presentation Rubric

Students have the opportunity to write an Analytical Essay (see Extension below).

What impact did drought have on farming society in 1930s America?

Display Data Students will create multimedia presentations to convey the impact of drought on the environment and farming society during the 1930s. Group members will conduct research and present their work in a variety of written, visual, and audio formats, such as illustrations, short reports, 3-D models, simulated journal entries, and audiotaped historical reenactments, if applicable.

Have students research the topic using the provided links. Encourage them to use the suggested graphic organizer as they read the articles.

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

To start students thinking about the impact of drought, have them examine the photograph.

Key questions students should answer are:

• 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?

Divide the class into groups. Distribute the Student Activity sheet. Have each group research the topics below. Remind them to consider the ways in which farming society's impact on the environment affected the conditions of drought.

• Drought and Dust Storms
• Drought During the Great Depression
• Drought on the Plains
• Drought and Farming
• Drought and the American Economy

Tell students that they will show their multimedia presentations to the entire class. Explain that each group will determine the components best-suited for presenting the information to an audience.

Use the Multimedia Presentation Rubric to assess students’ performance.

Have students reflect on their performance and use the list of expectations to judge how well they met the criteria.

Ask students: Do people have it within their power to control all the effects of drought? Explain.

Analytical Essay Have students use Daily Life through History to research and write an essay that compares the effects of drought throughout the world. CRITICAL THINKING: ANALYZE