Introduction
Imagine waking up one morning to find the sky completely dark. You look at a watch and it is the middle of the day, but because giant clouds of dust have covered your town you can't see anything. You cannot see across the street. Your family cannot grow crops as they are all dying, and many people are forced to leave their homes in search of work.
This was reality for thousands of Americans during the 1930s. Before reading Of Mice and Men, you'll investigate the Dust Bowl to understand why so many people, like George and Lennie (characters in our novel), traveled around looking for work.
We will be exploring the following Essential Question:
How does understanding the historical and social context of the 1930s help readers better understand the characters, conflicts, and themes in Of Mice and Men?
We will be meeting the following standards:
-
RI.9-10.7: Analyze various accounts of a subject presented through different media.
-
W.9-10.7: Conduct short and sustained research projects to answer questions.
You will work to meet the following "I can..." statements:
-
I can use various multi-media accounts to collect evidence on the Dust Bowl
-
I can format my research in the form of a Newspaper article to make a connection between the Dust Bowl and our novel
Task
Reporting from the 1930s
You are a newspaper reporter living during the Dust Bowl era of the 1930s. Your job is to report on how the Dust Bowl has affected the lives of people in the Great Plains and surrounding communities.
For your final project, you will create a 1930s-style newspaper article featuring an imaginary interview with either George Milton or Lennie Small from Of Mice and Men.
Your article should combine historical research about the Dust Bowl with evidence and reasonable inferences about the characters.
Your final product should answer:
How did this historical issue affect the lives of people during the 1930s, and how does it connect to Of Mice and Men?
As you work though, your final newspaper article will require a few things - be on the lookout for the following:
- Severe drought
- Dust storms
- Crop failures
- Loss of farmland
- Economic hardship
- Loss of homes or farms
- Migration
- Unemployment
- Effects on children and families
- Health problems caused by dust
- Farmers leaving the Great Plains
- Searching for work in places such as California
Your article must include an imaginary interview with George or Lennie.
Include at least 5 interview questions and answers.
Your questions should connect the characters to the historical situation.
Possible questions:
- How has the Dust Bowl affected your life?
- What have you seen happening to families in the area?
- What are you hoping to find in California?
- What has been the most difficult part of traveling during these times?
- What do you think your future will look like?
- How has the economic situation affected your plans?
- What do you miss about having a permanent home?
- What are you hoping will happen next?
As you work through the following activities, be thorough and have fun!
**Open up a Google Doc so that you and your partner
can collect your research/evidence and collaborate together**
Process
Work though the following activities to gather evidence and knowledge!
- Watch the following video and answer the questions that follow
- Read and view the following articles, first-hand experiences, and photos
- Review the following timeline to see how the Dust Bowl's devastating impact lasted for years to follow. Don't forget to post your response on the digital board!
- Would you be able to survive in the Dust Bowl and make the right decisions for your family? Play this game and find out!
- You have learned a TON, but do you still have questions? What if you had the chance to chat with someone who survived the Dust Bowl to ask real time questions? Try it out here! Be sure to ask questions to help you further understand what impact the Dust Bowl had on them and make a connection between how this impacted the decisions that George and Lennie made.
Evaluation
Your Newspaper Article Must Include:
1. A Newspaper Name
Create a newspaper name that sounds appropriate for the 1930s.
Examples:
- The Dust Bowl Daily
- The Oklahoma Gazette
- The Great Plains Times
- The California Chronicle
- The American Farmer
2. Date
Your newspaper should have a date from the 1930s.
3. Headline
Create an attention-grabbing headline that tells readers what your article is about.
Example:
DUST AND DESPERATION: FARM FAMILIES FLEE THE GREAT PLAINS
4. Byline
Include your reporter's name.
Example:
By Juliette O'Keefe, Staff Reporter
5. Opening/Lead
Begin with a strong lead that answers some of the basic questions of journalism:
Who? What? When? Where? Why?
Introduce the Dust Bowl and explain why it is important to your readers.
6. Historical Information
Your article must explain the impact of the Dust Bowl. Include information about at least three of the following:
- Severe drought
- Dust storms
- Crop failures
- Loss of farmland
- Economic hardship
- Loss of homes or farms
- Migration
- Unemployment
- Effects on children and families
- Health problems caused by dust
- Farmers leaving the Great Plains
- Searching for work in places such as California
Important: Historical information should come from your WebQuest research.
7. Interview With George or Lennie
Your article must include an imaginary interview with George or Lennie.
Include at least 5 interview questions and answers.
Your questions should connect the characters to the historical situation.
Possible questions:
- How has the Dust Bowl affected your life?
- What have you seen happening to families in the area?
- What are you hoping to find in California?
- What has been the most difficult part of traveling during these times?
- What do you think your future will look like?
- How has the economic situation affected your plans?
- What do you miss about having a permanent home?
- What are you hoping will happen next?
8. Character Evidence
George or Lennie's answers should sound like the character.
Use what you know about the characters from Of Mice and Men to make reasonable inferences about how they would respond.
For example, George's responses might demonstrate his concern for Lennie and his desire for a better future. Lennie's responses might demonstrate his simple way of thinking, his love of soft things, or his desire to live on the farm George describes.
Do not simply make up random answers. Your interview should be supported by what you know about the characters.
9. Closing
End your article with a conclusion that explains what the Dust Bowl means for people living through it.
You may leave readers with:
- A prediction about the future
- A warning
- A message of hope
- A statement about the struggles facing families
Newspaper Appearance
Your finished product should look like a newspaper from the 1930s.
Include:
- Newspaper name
- Date
- Headline
- Byline
- Multiple columns
- At least one relevant photograph or historical image
- Photo caption
- Interview section
- Black-and-white or vintage appearance
- Easy-to-read text
Final Check
Before submitting, make sure:
☐ I included a newspaper name.
☐ I included a 1930s date.
☐ I created a strong headline.
☐ I included a byline.
☐ I explained the Dust Bowl.
☐ I included at least three historical impacts.
☐ I included an interview with George or Lennie.
☐ I included at least five questions and answers.
☐ My character's answers are based on the novel.
☐ I used information from my WebQuest research.
☐ I included at least one historical image.
☐ I included a caption.
☐ My newspaper looks like it could come from the 1930s.
☐ I checked my spelling and grammar.
Websites for Creating the Newspaper
Canva - Search for "newspaper" or "vintage newspaper" templates and modify the headline, columns, images, captions, and article text.
Newspaper Club Free Newspaper Templates - this site provides free newspaper templates, including Canva-compatible templates and a Vintage Tabloid layout.
Conclusion
Ready to submit your article?
- First, review the RUBRIC to be sure you have met all of the requirements
- Save your article, then upload it to the Schoology folder
Ready to reflect?
- Complete the following questions with your partner
Credits
References
Humy. (n.d.). Humy assignment [Interactive assignment]. https://app.humy.ai/
Michigan Open Book Project. (n.d.). Dust Bowl timeline.
Mission US. (n.d.). Up from the Dust.
PBS. (n.d.). Black Sunday. American Experience.
PBS. (n.d.). An eyewitness account. American Experience.
PBS. (n.d.). Mass exodus from the Plains. American Experience.
PBS. (2012). The Dust Bowl [Film]. American Experience.