Dust Bowl WebQuest

Introduction

USH 5 | 1920s – 1930s Evaluate the impact of social and economic changes and the conflict between traditionalism and modernism in the 1920s through the 1930s.

MS.10. Investigate conditions created by the Dust Bowl for their impact on migration patterns during the Great Depression.

Objectives:

The students will identify key aspects of the Dust Bowl and the affect it had on farmers

The students will describe the Dust Bowl and its significance in American History.

Today, you will complete a Webquest on the Dust Bowl, which will introduce you to the phenomenon. You will learn what it was, when it took place, and how it affected the people who lived through this period of history. You will be assigned a partner, and the two of you will investigate this event. Certain questions I want you to ask yourself are: What are black blizzards? What caused the Dust Bowl? and How did this event affect migration?

Task

You and your partner will visit several websites to understand the Dust Bowl. I encourage you to take notes on what you read, and to pay attention to key details, events, and people groups. Please read the information on the websites carefully. After the Webquest, I will ask you 5 questions pertaining to what you read and discovered. The next day, we will have a discussion about what we learned, so be prepared to participate and share what you learned.

Process

You will begin by investigating the Dust Bowl by exploring the website Okhistory.org, to learn about what states were effected by the Dust Bowl.

https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=DU011

Your next task will be to gain more insight into what the timeline was of the Dust Bowl. To investigate this, you will visit the website: National Drought Migration center. This will help to give you an over view of the Dust Bowl, year by year.

https://drought.unl.edu/dustbowl/

Your third task will be to watch the linked video on black blizzards. Be sure to take notes!
Your next task will be to explore the different people groups of the Dust Bowl
- Farmers
  - Dust Bowl Farmers
    - https://web.viu.ca/davies/H322%20Between%20the%20Wars/Low.DustBowlDiary.1934.htm This diary entry from a farmer will help to put into perspective what farming families endured during this period of history
  - Migrant Farmers
    - https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/surviving-the-dust-bowl-mass-exodus-plains/
- Migrant workers (hint: what were they called?)
  - https://www.history.com/news/dust-bowl-migrants-california
Your next task will be to research Dorthea Lange. Who was she, and what why is she important?
- https://dorothealange.museumca.org/section/the-dust-bowl/

Evaluation

1. What were migrant workers called in the Dust Bowl?

a. Texans

b. Okies

c. Pioneers

d. Dusties

2. How long did the Dust Bowl last?

a. a decade

b. two years

c. thirty years

d. two months

3. True or False, Oklahoma was the only state affected by the Dust Bowl. ______

4. Write three sentences describing Dorthea Lange. Include who she was, and what she accomplished.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Write three sentences describing what a black blizzard is.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Conclusion

After you have completed the short quiz, take some time to reflect on what you have learned. I want you to write down or highlight in your notes things that grabbed your attention, surprised you, or things you found interesting. Make sure you and your partner have at least three points each. Tomorrow we will discuss as a class and share what we learned about the Dust Bowl!