Summary
In this lesson, students reflect on their prior knowledge about the Dust Bowl then expand their perspective on how the Dust Bowl impacted Americans. Students learn more about the phenomenon by listening to one of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's fireside chats, examining photographs of the Dust Bowl, and analyzing the lyrics of the song "Dust Bowl Blues" by Woody Guthrie. To conclude the lesson, students summarize the knowledge they gained about the Dust Bowl.
Essential Question(s)
What impact did the Dust Bowl have on Oklahomans?
Snapshot
Engage
Students recall their prior knowledge about the Dust Bowl.
Explore
Students listen to an excerpt of one of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s fireside chats about drought conditions.
Explain
Students analyze photographs that depict the conditions of the Dust Bowl.
Extend
Students listen to and take notes on the song Dust Bowl Blues by Woody Guthrie.
Evaluate
Students summarize the knowledge they gained about the Dust Bowl.
Materials
Lesson Slides (attached)
Tip of the Iceberg handout (attached; one per student)
Fireside Chat Excerpt handout (attached; one per student)
Dust Bowl Notes handout (attached; one per student)
Dust Bowl Images handout (attached; one per pair of students)
Dust Bowl Blues handout (attached; one per student)
Engage
10 Minute(s)
Use the attached Lesson Slides to facilitate the lesson. Pass out one copy of the attached Tip of the Iceberg handout to each student. Display slide 3 and introduce the Tip of the Iceberg strategy. Tell students to list everything they know in response to the question “What impact did the Dust Bowl have on Oklahomans?” above the water line on the handout. If students have information they suspect is true about the question, they can write it at the water line.
Allow students time to respond. Then, have each student compare their handout to that of another student. Ask for a few volunteers to share what they already know about how Oklahomans were affected by the Dust Bowl. Move through slides 4–5 to share the essential question and learning objective.
Have students keep the Tip of the Iceberg handout to use at the end of the lesson.
Explore
10 Minute(s)
Display slide 6 and give each student one copy of the attached Fireside Chat Excerpt handout and one copy of the attached Dust Bowl Notes handout.
Introduce the concept of the fireside chats of Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR). Have students envision what life would be like in 1936 at the height of the Great Depression and Dust Bowl during FDR’s presidency. Explain that many poor Americans went to bed at dusk to both conserve energy and stave off the pains of hunger by sleeping. Share that, in an era before mass media, radio was the main way news was delivered. Explain that millions of Americans listened to the radio at 10 p.m. on Sunday evenings to hear FDR give his weekly address to the American public, known as the fireside chat. Have students imagine going to bed at dusk, hungry and surrounded by darkness, listening to the president give his speech.
Draw students’ attention to the Fireside Chat Excerpt handout. Play the clip September 6, 1936: Fireside Chat 8: On Farmers and Laborers and have students follow along on the excerpt. Stop the clip at the 2:52 minute mark.
After playing the excerpt, display slide 7 and have students add their thoughts to the Dust Bowl Notes handout.
Explain
20 Minute(s)
Organize students into pairs and give each pair one copy of the attached Dust Bowl Images handout. Display slide 8. Tell pairs to work together to analyze each image and respond to the questions below each image.
Assign each pair a number 1–4. Move to slide 9 and introduce the Caption This strategy to students. Have each pair create a caption for the photograph that corresponds with their number. Provide time for groups to create their captions.
Display slide 10 and have students assigned to Photo 1 share out their captions. Repeat this process for Photos 2–4 using slides 11–13.
Have students add what they have learned about the Dust Bowl to the Dust Bowl Notes handout.
Extend
10 Minute(s)
Display slide 14 and pass out the attached Dust Bowl Blues handout. Tell students that they should listen to the song Dust Bowl Blues by Woody Guthrie and follow along on the handout. Play the video on the slide.
Then, provide time for students to add notes to the Dust Bowl Notes handout.
Evaluate
10 Minute(s)
Move to slide 15 and have students return to their Tip of the Iceberg handouts. Ask students to add what they learned about the Dust Bowl below the water line. Collect these handouts to assess students’ understanding of the lesson.
Resources
Adelfred. (2010, January 16). Woody Guthrie – Dust Bowl Blues [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQYKJaWuj0Y&t=1s
Guthrie, W. (1940). Dust bowl blues [Song]. In Dust bowl ballads. RCA Victor.
K20 Center. (n.d.). Caption this. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/82
K20 Center. (n.d.). Tip of the iceberg. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/67
Roosevelt, F. D. (1936, September 6). Fireside chat 8: On farmers and laborers [Speech transcript]. University of Virginia Miller Center. https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/september-6-1936-fireside-chat-8-farmers-and-laborers