Supports Texas Social Studies TEKS:

4.5A, 4.5B, .4.5C, 4.6A, 4.7A, 4.12C, 4.21A, 4.21B, 4.21C, 4.22B, 4.22D

This resource includes the activities listed below and was written using Scott Foresman's 4th grade "Texas Social Studies" textbook and internet resources.

Passages/Graphic Organizers/Word Studies:

o Urbanization o The Great Depression o The Dust Bowl o World War II

Important People and Events Cards (4 pgs)

(game instructions)

Writing/Research Prompts: o An Honored Hero o Read All About It

Early Oil Discoveries Map Activity

The early 1900s was a time of prosperity, or success, and

great change for the state of Texas and the people who lived there.

Farmers and ranchers living and working in rural areas benefited

tremendously from railroad expansion. They were able to sell their

cattle and produce much more easily to far away markets where

they could earn higher profits. No longer did they have to embark

on long and dangerous cattle drives across the country. Those

living in urban (city) areas experienced some amazing changes as

well. Recent inventions, such as electricity, telephones, and the

automobile were becoming more commonplace in the city and

making life more comfortable in many ways.

These modern conveniences, combined with increased job

opportunities, better schools, community activities such as theater

productions and concerts, and healthcare facilities drew many

people away from life in the countryside, and into a more fast-

paced life in the city.

Not only did Texas cities experience growth from the influx of

people moving from rural areas, but the state also welcomed the

arrival of people from other states and countries. With so many

new industries in Texas cities, such as meatpacking plants,

locomotive repair shops, automobile factories, and other

manufacturing companies, well-paying job opportunities were

abundant. Between 1900 and 1920, the population of Texas

increased by 1.5 million people.

Another industry that lured many people to Texas was the oil

and gas industry. In 1901, a businessman by the name of Pattillo

Higgins, noticed an oil smell in a field, known as Spindletop, near

Beaumont. Higgins convinced a miner, Anthony Lucas, to drill

underground, and on January 10th, 1901, Lucas's rig not only struck

oil, but discovered a gusher that produced more oil than any other

oil field in the entire U.S. When news of this finding, which became

known as the "Lucas Gusher", spread around the world, many

people came to Texas hoping to find more of this "Texas Gold" and

strike it rich too.

Unsurprisingly, as a result of Spindletop, more oilrigs sprung

up, new oil pipelines were laid, and oil refineries, which clean the

crude oil and turn it into useful products such as plastics, paint, and

lotion, were built. Soon, oil was being shipped from Texas cities to

countries all over the world. By 1928, Texas produced more oil

than any other state in the nation. For people seeking new

opportunities and a better life, Texas was a great place to be.

Use the context clues from the passage to place each word beside its definition

prosperity abundant rural lured expansion Texas Gold urban refineries conveniences influx

processing plant, factory

pull in, draw in, attract

country, countryside

arrival, entry

things that make life easier

good fortune, success

city

growth

informal term Texans used for oil

plentiful, many in number

Why do you think Texans refer to oil as "Texas Gold"?

What affect did Spindletop have on Texas?

Name three reasons people moved from the countryside

to the city.

Name three products made from oil.

Who was Pattillo Higgins?

What was the "Lucas Gusher"?

The turn of the century was a time of tremendous growth and prosperity for Texans as it was for most Americans. Businesses were growing, and new inventions, such as the automobile, telephone, and refrigerator, were making day to day life much more comfortable. Those alive during this time period, which was known as "Roaring Twenties", would probably have never guessed that the next decade (the 1930's) would bring one of the most difficult times in American history. We refer to this time as the "Great Depression".

An economic "depression" is a time period in which business slows down, many lose their jobs and their savings, and the economy (or financial wellbeing) declines. Even today, people that study history (historians), and people that study issues that relate to money (economists), still debate, about exactly what caused the Great Depression. Most would agree, however, that it was a combination of different factors that led up to these troubling times.

One factor that is not disputed is that the stock market played a big part in the Great Depression. A "stock" is a share of ownership in a company. When a company makes a profit, those that have ownership, or own stock, in the company also make a profit. In the 1920's, many people invested their extra money in the stock market. Some even borrowed money from the bank to invest in stocks because businesses were growing so quickly and doing so well. In the late 1920's, however, some businesses began

to fold, and people that owned stock in those companies lost money.

As news began to spread about people losing money in the stock market, many rushed to take their money out before they too lost money.

In October 1929, so many people rushed to sell their stocks, that stock values fell terribly. For many people, the money they got back when they sold their shares was worth even less than what they had paid for them in the first place. As a result of diminishing stock prices, businesses lost money and were forced to close. When businesses closed, workers lost their jobs.

Banks also suffered during this time because people could not repay the money they had borrowed to buy the stocks. Banks could no longer do business unless loans were repaid. Unable to do business, many banks were forced to close and people who had money in these banks lost their entire life's savings. Without money to pay their bills, people lost their homes. Some even had to beg for food to eat.

While the stock market was seen as a profit-making opportunity in the early 1920's, it ended up being quite the opposite by the turn of the decade. Falling stock prices led to a chain reaction of unfortunate events that caused a depression in this country like we had never seen before and fortunately, have not seen since.

Use the context clues from the passage to place each word beside its definition

dimishing historians century economists decade fold depression stock debate invested

people who study history

to put money into

share of ownership

time period of 10 years

time period of 100 years

falling, lessening, declining

time of financial and economic struggle

to fail or go under

disagree, argue

people who study issues of money

Describe the "Roaring Twenties"

What is an economic "depression" What is a "stock"

List three results of The Great Depression

Complete the summary below of the Great Depression

Somebody - _______________________________________________

Wanted - to make money by _________________________________ . But - in 1929 some businesses began to ____________ . So - people rushed to ________________________, before stock prices fell further. Then - more businesses closed, workers _________________________ , many banks failed and people ____________________________________

______________________________________________________________.

For Texas farmers and others making their living farming in

the Great Plains, the 1930's were especially difficult. Not only were

they suffering the effects of the nationwide Great Depression, but

weather conditions destroyed millions of acres and ruined crops.

During the Great Depression, people did not have as much

money to spend on food. Often times, farmers could not sell

enough of their crops to make a profit. To make matters worse, a

severe drought, a long period of time with much less rainfall, hit

Texas and the Midwestern states in the 1930's and farmers could

not bring in the volume (amount) or quality (value) of crops that

they had been able to harvest in the past.

In order for crops to grow well, sunshine and rain are

necessities. With smaller amounts of one or both, crops will suffer.

The lack of rain during this period of drought created thin and dry

soil. When heavy winds assailed, or attacked, the Great Plains, dust

storms devastated the area. The dust storms were so severe and

so widespread that the entire region became known as "The Dust

Bowl". By 1935 over 100 million acres suffered the effects of the

Dust Bowl. Not only did the Dust Bowl destroy crops, but it also

destroyed property, and the physical and mental health of those

living in its path. Senior citizens, babies, and those with breathing

troubles, such as asthma, were especially vulnerable to eye and

lung damage from the dust storms that hit the area.

In an effort to help the desparate situation in Texas and the

midwest, the U.S. government established the Soil Erosion Service,

which later became known as the Soil Conservation Service (SCS).

The SCS helped to limit the effects of wind erosion by making sure

that farmers enriched their soil and took other measures to reduce

the amount of soil disturbed by heavy winds. By the end of the

1940s, the Dust Bowl had ended. By that time, however, many

farmers and their families had already left Texas in search of farms

well outside the path of destruction.

Dust Bowl Days in the Texas Panhandle

Taken from "Pioneers of the Prairie" published in 1967

Use the context clues from the passage to place each word beside its definition

drought assailed volume devastated quality senior citizens harvest vulnerable necessities enriched

must-haves, requirements

improved, made better

having value

weak, at risk, helpless to

to collect, to bring in

number, amount

a long period of time with much less rainfall

people 65 years or older

distressed, overwhelmed

attacked, assaulted

During the Great Depression of the 1930's people did not have as much money to spend on food

Use different colors to draw lines connecting each cause to its resulting effect.

Farmers began to take measures, such as enriching their soil, to reduce the damaging effects of heavy winds.

A severe drought hit Texas and the Midwestern states in the 1930's.

Farmers could not bring in the volume or quality of crops that they had been able to harvest in the past.

Due to the drought, the soil had become loose, thin and dry.

When strong winds swept through the Great Plains, soil was blown all around and dust storms devastated the area.

The dust storms were severe and widespread in the Great Plains.

The U.S. government established the Soil Conservation Service (SCS).

During the 1930s, the Great Plains region became known as the "Dust Bowl".

Often times farmers could not sell enough of their crops to make a profit.

The Great Depression characterized, or set apart, the 1930s,

but it was World War II that defined the 1940s. World War II lasted

from 1939 to 1945 and ended in a victory for our nation and its

allies. While war of any type is a sad turn of events, World War II

gave Texans, and most Americans, a renewed purpose. As Texans at

home worked hard to help the war effort in many different ways,

the economy began to bounce back from the difficult times of the

previous decade.

America joined the Allied forces on December 8, 1941, one day

after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, in Hawaii. The majority

of Texans strongly supported President Franklin D. Roosevelt's

decision to join with Brittain, France, China and the Soviet Union in

their attempts to stop the opposing Axis forces (Japan, Germany

and Italy) from invading and taking over other countries. With

about 750,000 Texans in the military, the Lone Star State had

more of its citizens in the armed forces than any other state in the

nation. Texans proved to be very brave on the battlefront; in fact,

thirty-three Texans won the nation's highest military award - the

Congressional Medal of Honor. Among the recipients were Cleto

Rodriguez of San Antonio, whose bravery saved many lives in the

Phillipines, and Audie Murphy of Farmersville, who earned more

military awards than any other U.S. soldier in the war.

On the homefront, Texans worked very hard to aid the war

efforts as well. With so many men at war, women went to work in

factories, taking jobs that men had traditionally held. Men and

women working in the Texas oil industry provided more than half

of all the oil used for fuel in the war, and Texas steel workers

manufactured tons of steel later used to build war planes and

battleships. The high demand for products such as these created

thousands of new jobs in Texas, and as a result, the economy

improved dramatically. When the war ended in 1945 and Texas

soldiers were welcomed home, they found their state much better

off than it had been when they left for war.

Use the context clues from the passage to place each word beside its definition

characterized opposing allies recipients renewed aid purpose traditionally previous manufactured

help, support, assist, serve

reason, use, worthiness

partners

usually , routinely

set apart, described, distinguished

receivers

made new again, restored

produced, made, constructed

against, opposite, conflicting

before, earlier

When did America join the Allied forces in World War II, and why?

What countries made up the Allied forces?

How did the lives of women change during World War

II?

Name the most decorated (awarded) U.S. soldier in World

War II.

In what way was World War II beneficial to Texans?

Who was Cleto Rodriguez?

What countries made up the Axis forces?

Pass out a bingo board with student's names in the spaces. Pass out vocabulary/people definitions (one to every student). On "Go" students mingle around the classroom. If they can answer the correct person or word described, they can get the student questioning to initial their bingo card in his/her name space. If they answer incorrectly, then the questioner get's the student who answered (incorrectly) to initial his/her bingo card (in his/her name space). When students get a bingo, they earn a prize. Continue to play until all students have earned a bingo.

Cut and laminate vocabulary/people cards and definitions. Give one to each student and on "Go", students must find their match. Set a timer. If all students can find their match within a certain time frame, them give out a class reward.

To promote active learning, use the vocabulary/ people cards and definitions to play one of the

following whole group games.

a time period where the economy is depressed; many

are without jobs, and times are very hard

the nickname given to Texas

and other parts of the U.S. that were most affected by severe drought and heavy winds in

the 1930s

a type of oil that comes from underground and is used to make gasoline and other oil-

based products

a limit put on the amount of

food or other supplies you are allowed to buy; products such

as sugar and gasoline were rationed during WWII

growth of cities due to economic changes

Civilian Conservation Corps; a work relief program designed to help unmarried young men

find jobs during the Great Depression

Public Works Administration; provided work opportunities during the Great Depression; built dams, hospitals, schools,

and bridges

Works Progress Administration; employed

unskilled workers during the Great Depression; constructed

buildings, roads etc.

An oil field located near Beaumont, Texas; the first

major gusher that started the Texas Oil Boom

Businessman and self-taught

geologist who convinced miner Anthony Lucas to drill for oil

at Spindletop

an African American composer and musician from Northeast

Texas; famous for ragtime compositions such as Maple

Leaf Rag

Texan who served in the U.S. Congress as Speaker of the

House of Representatives for 17 years

fourth American woman to

earn a pilot's license; established the Stinson School

of Flying in San Antonio

Texan who was the first African American to be

awarded the Navy Cross for his bravery at the attack on Pearl Harbor; died in WWII

Texan awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his courage during battle in

the Philippines

the first Republican U.S. Senator from Texas since

1870; became a U.S. Senator at 35 years old

a Texan whose family founded Neiman-Marcus clothing store

in downtown Dallas, which later became one of the most famous and high-end clothing

stores in the world

a Texan who became the first African American female pilot; first African American to hold an international pilot license

the first Hispanic Texan of to serve on the Texas Supreme

Court

received the Congressional

Medal of Honor for his service in World War II; most

decorated American soldier in World War II.

Thirty-three Texans earned the military's highest award for their brave service in World War II, the Congressional Medal of Honor. Among the recipients were Cleto L. Rodriguez of San Antonio and Audie Murphy of Farmersville.

Using your textbook, internet, and/or library sources choose one of the heroes listed above or another who earned this highest honor and write about their service in World War II and specifically how their courageous actions saved the lives of others.

The early 1900s brought about many changes to the way people lived their daily lives. Thanks to new inventions, such as the automobile, telephone, refrigerator, vacuum cleaner, and many others, life was more comfortable and more enjoyable for those who could afford such luxuries.

Using your textbook, internet, or library resources, research some of the inventions that were new in the early 1900s and choose one to write about. Describe the invention, who or where it was invented, how is used today, and what life would be like without it.