This ready-to-use Dust Bowl activity goes beyond the basics. Instead of just asking students what happened, it pushes them to think about why farming practices and government policy led to the Dust Bowl.  Then connect 1930s mistakes to modern soil conservation challenges today. Students then apply this knowledge by creating a PSA poster aimed to promoting more sustainable farming practices. 
 
What's Included:
5 Page History Cat Article on the Dust Bowl
Student worksheet with six scaffolded research questions
PSA planning grid (audience, message, call to action, emotional appeal, key visual)
3 Historical Examples of PSA posters
4-point rubric assessing historical accuracy, message clarity, use of evidence, and visual design
Teacher guide with full answer key 
 
 
What Students Will Learn:
How to identify the human and environmental causes behind the Dust Bowl.
How to explain the real-world effects of the Dust Bowl on land, farming operations, and families across the Great Plains
How different farming practices could have protected the soil
How to take historical evidence and turn it into a persuasive PSA with a focused message and a clear call to action

Grade Level: 7–10
DOK Level: DOK 2-3 
Estimated Duration: 90–120 minutes
Format: Word