1. Grade 4 Social Studies Unit: 10 Lesson: 02
The Dust Bowl
Grade 4
Social Studies
Unit: 10 Lesson: 02

2. The Dust Bowl: 1930s
The Dust Bowl was an area of the country that was affected by drought in the 1930s, with being the most severe.
The states most affected were Wyoming, Montana, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas.

3. Image credit:
Natural Resources Conservation Service. (n.d.). Areas subject to severe wind erosion, Retrieved from

4. The Dust Bowl: 1930s
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.

5. The Dust Bowl: 1930s 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.

6. The Dust Bowl: 1930s Effects:
Severe dust storms or “black blizzards” devastated communities.
Crops were ruined.
Livestock perished.
Family farms were lost.

7. The Dust Bowl: 1930s 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.

8. The Dust Bowl: 1930s 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.

9. The Dust Bowl: 1930s
West Texas was hit the hardest, but people all over the state were hurt economically during these years.

10. Pretend you are one of the children in this picture
Pretend you are one of the children in this picture. Write one word describing how this makes you feel.
Photo credit:
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [LC-DIG-ppmsc DLC ]
Rothstein, A. (Photographer). (1936). Farmer and sons walking in the face of a dust storm. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from

11. Describe the picture below. What similar experiences come to mind?
Photo credit:
Western History Collection, University of Oklahoma. (Designer). A black blizzard over prowers co., colorado, 1937 [Web Photo]. Retrieved from

12. A black blizzard over Prowers Co., Colorado, 1937
Explain in a sentence why these severe dust storms were called “black blizzards.”
Photo credit:
Western History Collection, University of Oklahoma. (Designer). A black blizzard over prowers co., colorado, 1937 [Web Photo]. Retrieved from
A black blizzard over Prowers Co., Colorado, 1937

13. 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, Credit: NOAA George E. Marsh Album
Photo credit:
Image courtesy of the NOAA’s National Weather Service George E. Marsh Album.
NOAA. (Photographer). (1934). Dust storm approaching stratford, texas. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from

14. Why would the severe drought hurt cattle and other animals?
Photo credit:
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [LC-USF D DLC ]
Rothstein, A. (Photographer). (1936). Dry and parched earth in the badlands of south dakota. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from