grade 7 social studies unit: 11 lesson: 01 ©2012, tesccc
TRANSCRIPT
The Dust Bowl
Grade 7Social Studies
Unit: 11 Lesson: 01
©2012, TESCCC
The Dust Bowl was an area of
the country that was affected by drought in the 1930s, with 1934-1936 being the most severe.
The states most affected were Wyoming, Montana, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas.
The Dust Bowl: 1930s
©2012, TESCCC
Image Source: http://www.fasttrackteaching.com/burns/Unit_9_1930s/Unit9_Dust_Bowl.html©2012, TESCCC
The area most affected in Texas
was the panhandle.
Cities such as Dalhart, Amarillo, Lubbock, Midland, Odessa and the small communities surrounding them were heavily impacted.
The Dust Bowl: 1930s
©2012, TESCCC
Causes:
Severe drought (no rain)
High winds and temperatures well over 100 degrees.
Farming methods at that time did not use ground cover, crop rotation, or soil conservation methods.
The result was that the dry conditions and high winds caused the soil to turn to dust and blow away.
The Dust Bowl: 1930s
©2012, TESCCC
Effects:
Severe dust storms or “black blizzards” devastated communities.
Crops were ruined. Livestock perished. Family farms were lost.
The Dust Bowl: 1930s
©2012, TESCCC
Effects: Adults and children died from dust
pneumonia.
Children wore dust masks walking to school.
Homes were overcome with insects and pests such as scorpions, spiders, rattlesnakes.
Thousands of jackrabbits devoured family gardens.
The Dust Bowl: 1930s
©2012, TESCCC
Effects: Acts of daily life such as breathing, eating,
and working were no longer simple.
Children wore dust masks to and from school.
Women hung wet sheets over windows in a futile attempt to stop the dirt from entering their homes.
Farmers watched helplessly as their crops and land blew away.
The Dust Bowl: 1930s
©2012, TESCCC
West Texas was hit the
hardest, but people all over the state were hurt economically during these years.
The Dust Bowl: 1930s
©2012, TESCCC
Pretend you are one of the children in this picture. Turn and talk to a partner and say one word describing how this makes you
feel.
Source: http://www.weru.ksu.edu/new_weru/multimedia/dustbowl/dustbowlpics.html
Arthur Rothstein, photographer, April, 1936. (Library of Congress) ©2012, TESCCC
(Western History Collection, University of Oklahoma)
Turn to your partner and describe the picture below.
What does it remind you of?
Source: http://www.weru.ksu.edu/new_weru/multimedia/dustbowl/dustbowlpics.html©2012, TESCCC
Turn to your partner and explain in a sentence why these severe dust storms were called “black
blizzards.”
A black blizzard over Prowers Co., Colorado, 1937. (Western History Collection, University of Oklahoma)
Source: http://www.weru.ksu.edu/new_weru/multimedia/dustbowl/dustbowlpics.html©2012, TESCCC
Turn and talk to your partner. What do you think happens inside the houses when a dust storm like this
hits?
Dust storm approaching Stratford, Texas Dust bowl surveying in Texas Image ID: theb1365, Historic C&GS Collection Location: Stratford, Texas Photo Date: April 18, 1935 Credit: NOAA George E. Marsh Album
Source: http://www.weru.ksu.edu/new_weru/multimedia/dustbowl/dustbowlpics.html©2012, TESCCC
Turn and talk to your partner. Why would the severe drought hurt cattle and other animals?
Arthur Rothstein, photographer, 1936. (Library of Congress)
Source: http://www.weru.ksu.edu/new_weru/multimedia/dustbowl/dustbowlpics.html©2012, TESCCC