In the mid-1930s, the southern Plains were gripped by drought, high winds, and massive dust storms that threatened the health and safety of tens of thousands of people. To aid in the crisis, the Roosevelt administration was willing to experiment, see what worked, abandon what didn't and move on. But these solutions sometimes ran afoul with political opponents who felt government shouldn’t step in or objected to the cost, or felt the solutions didn’t go far enough. Groups affected by the Dust Bowl had varied views about how to solve the problems, but which solution provided the most effective remedy? How could different groups deliberate a common solution?

In the activities contained within this media gallery, students will work in groups, representing different views on what policy to implement to address the problems of the Dust Bowl, and develop collaborative solutions to address these problems.

Lesson Objectives:

The student will:

• Analyze liberal and conservative political philosophies
• Describe the views of various groups regarding the causes and solutions for Dust Bowl problems
• Develop strategies to effectively work with persons with other views and political philosophies
• Develop collaboration and cooperation skills to develop effective solutions

About the Author:

Michael Hutchison is social studies department chairperson at Lincoln High School, Vincennes, Indiana, and has more than 30 years of teaching experience. He has written classroom lessons for several films, including The Civil War, The War, Horatio's Drive, Prohibition, The Vietnam War, and more.