The Dust Bowl
3rd grade level (below grade)
Section 3: pages 1-29 (pages are not labeled in the book)

Discussion Director:

Your job is to write down 5 questions that your group will talk about:
 


Fact/Opinion
1. State two facts from the book.  Now give two opinions from the book.  Discuss the difference between a fact and opinion.

Facts:
a. The 1930s were called the Dirty Thirties, because there was a drought and the land was dusty and
    dirty.   p. 17
b.  There was a dust cloud so big, it blocked the sun for days.  p. 15

Opinions:
a. Matthew's grandpa will have to sell the farm.  p. 1 & 2
b. The big dry is back now, and we are going to have another big drought.  p. 27

A fact is something that is true and you can prove it.  An opinion is something that you think or feel, and you cannot prove it.

Setting
2.  Where and when does the story take place? If it took place somewhere else or in a different time,
       how would it be changed?

a. Where the story takes place: On a farm (not specific) p. 1

b. When the story takes place: In the present but most of the book flashes back to the 1930s era.
        p. 1-29

c. If this book took place somewhere else or in a different time, there might not have been any mention
    of the Dust Bowl.  The Dust Bowl occurred mostly in the Midwest area, including Oklahoma and
    surrounding states. Since there was no Dust Bowl in New York, and the setting was there, the Dust
    Bowl would not have been part of those people's lives. The same is true for the time period.

Genre
3. What is the genre of this book? How do you know?

    The genre of this book is a historical fiction. The reason I know this is that the main setting of this
    story is the 1930s era.  This means that the book is about history and what has happened in the past.
    Also this book is not a true story so that makes it a fiction.  p. 1-29

Prediction
4.  What do you think will happen to _______?  What do you predict will happen next?

    a. I predict that Matthew will become a farmer when he gets older. He seems really interested in his
    grandfather's stories about the farm. Matthew also seems really concerned about losing the farm.
    (p.  27 )

    b. I also predict that Grandpa will not end up having to sell the farm. The rains will come, the
    drought will end, and the crops will grow again. I predict this will happen because Grandpa really
    loves his farm and will stick it out to the very end an wait for the rains.

MCEOG
5. Ask one MCEOG


Passage Picker
Your job is to pick passages from this book that you and your group can talk about. Choose passages that satisfy these four reasons: 1. Historical
a. p. 17
b. "Your grandma . . . prairie schooners."
c. Historical: I picked this passage because it tells us a lot of historical information about the Dust
    Bowl. This passage uses the term "Dirty Thirties", and this lets us know the Dust Bowl occurred in the
    30s.  This passage also tells us about the heat, the wind, and the drought that came along with the
    dust.
d. Why were these years called the Dirty Thirties?
    A- They were called this because there was so much dust, it made everything dirty including
    grandma's laundry.
e. The author's purpose in the passage was to describe. The author was describing what the Dust Bowl
    was like to the reader.

2. Scary/Frightening
a. p. 15
b. "And, oh, the dust clouds . . . world had come"
c. Scary: I picked this passage because the things grandpa was describing made me feel scared for those
    people. They had no idea what was going on and they thought the world was going to end.  Also, not
    having any sunlight for days must have been especially frightening to experience.
d. Why do you think the people in the cities thought the world had come to an end?
    A- The dust clouds blocked the sun for days, so they did not have any light and could not see the sun.
e. The author's purpose was to inform the reader about how scary it must have been to experience this
    terrible time in history.

3. Intriguing
a. p. 13
b. "The dirt . . . of the cattle."
c. Intriguing: I picked this passage because I thought the line about the children have to clean the dust
    of the nostrils was fascinating. It was intriguing to find out that the dust was so bad it got stuck it
    the nostrils of the cattle.
d.  Why did the children have to walk backwards when walking to school?
    A- The wind and dust were so strong, if they didn't walk backwards the dust would sting their faces.
e. The author's purpose was to entertain. The line about cleaning the nostrils of the cattle was
    interesting and intriguing to read about.

4. Descriptive
   Find one descriptive passage.


Word Wizard
Your job is to choose four words from the following:
  1.
a. drought p. 3
b. The rain will come. The wheat will grow. It's not as bad as the last drought.
c. Dictionary: A long period of abnormally low rainfall, especially one that adversely affects growing or
    living conditions.
    My own: A time where there is no rainfall and the land is very dry.
d. noun
e. The rain stopped coming for a long time, so our country was experiencing the effects of a drought.

2.
a. jalopies p. 23
b. Chickens and everything else they owned were tied on the backs of jalopies.
c. Dictionary: Old, dilapidated motor vehicles, especially an automobiles.
   My own: Cars that are really old and break down a lot.
d. noun (pl.)
e. The used car salesman always sells a bunch of jalopies to people.
f. Word Wizard Card (see below).
 

3. Harvested p. 9
4. Prairies p. 8

Character Sketcher:
    Your job is to find a interesting character from this section you read today. You will find three words that describe the character.  For each word, or character trait, you will give the proof or example (including page # and paragraph).
    The next thing you will do is to tell one of your character's goals, or what the character wants to do in this section.
    Then you will find one of the character's problems in the section and the solution or possible solution to the problem.
    Finally, you get to have fun and illustrate your character!

Character:  Grandpa

Character Traits:
a. Determined - Grandpa loved his farm and would not give up on it. He was determined to keep his farm.
    p. 27
b. Entertaining- Grandpa is entertaining with the stories he tells about the Dust Bowl during the Great
    Depression.
    p. 2-27
c. Caring- Grandpa is caring about his grandson nephew, because he takes the time to tell him about the
    old days.
    p. 2-27

Character's Goal:
a. Grandpa's goal is not have to sell the farm. He also wants it to rain because they are having a drought.

Character's Problem:
a. Grandpa's problem is that there is a drought and his crops are not growing.

Character's Possible Solution:
a. The rains come and replenish the crops, and Grandpa does not have to sell the farm.

Character Sketcher Illustration
 


Investigator:
Your job is to investigate the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression. Specific things to look for are:

1. Which states did the Dust Bowl occur in?
        (see web site 1)
2. What caused the Dust Bowl?
        (see web sites 1, 2, 3)
3. How many acres did the Dust Bowl cover?
        (see web site 1)
4. What was the Soil Conservation Act? Why did they form this act?
        (see web site 2)
5. How many dust storms were there in 1932? 1933?
        (see web site 2)
6. Do you think there will be another Dust Bowl?
        (see web site 3)

1. People & Events The Drought This web site lists basic facts about the Dust Bowl with many quotes
                                               from people during this era.

2. Dust bowl Timeline This web site is a timeline about events that occurred during the Dust Bowl.

3. Another Dust Bowl  This web site is an interview with a man who thinks we might have another dust
                                  bowl.