Dust Bowl Reflection and Some Just in Time Teaching
1. After reading the article, The Dust Bowl, discuss how human practices affected the sustainability of wheat crops and
contributed to the Dust Bowl.
A combination of farming practices (overplowing, lack of crop rotation) and severe drought led to the Dust Bowl. When
native grasses were plowed to plant wheat, there was no longer a root system to hold the soil in place, which set the stage
for massive soil erosion.
2. After reading the article, The Dust Bowl, discuss how United States policy decisions were shaped by lessons learned
during the Dust Bowl.
 In the fall of 1934, the United States Government began to buy and slaughter starving livestock to help stave off farmer
bankruptcy.
 FDR’s New Deal included bills to help Americans deal with poverty, unemployment, and to stimulate economic
recovery.
 Soil Conservation Act of 1935 and Establishment of Civilian Conservation Corp led to education about improving
farming practices (crop rotation, strip farming, contour plowing, terracing, etc.) and planting 200 million trees to block
wind, retain water, and help hold soil in place.
 Paying Dustbowl farmers $1 per acre to employ a “better” farming practice in 1937.
3. Sketch the food chain(s) from “Surviving Winter in the Dust Bowl.”
Wheat  Cow/Bull Human
Wheat  Human
4. As you analyze the food chain(s) above, identify the limiting factor that most influenced your management decisions
and explain your rationale.
Water (rainfall and availability of potable water) is the limiting factor that most influenced my management decisions.
Scarcity of rainfall (10 inches versus a 42 inch average) limited the output of the wheat crop, resulting In a 500 bushel
Dust Bowl Reflection and Some Just in Time Teaching
(rather than 2800 bushel) harvest because water is a requirement for photosynthesis. Furthermore, adult humans require a
minimum of 0.4 gallons of water per day. With only 500 gallons of potable water, it is unreasonable to keep the cattle, as
each require between 40 and 50 gallons of water per day, which would rapidly extinguish the water supply.
5. After completing the supplementary activity, “Food Chain—Gizmo Data Set and CEJ Questions & Template,” explain why
the loss of organisms in the first trophic level is particularly devastating to a food chain/web and ecosystem.
Wheat is a producer and occupies the first trophic level of our food chain. Ultimately, every consumer—whether
herbivore, omnivore, or carnivore—either relies directly or indirectly on wheat as an energy source. When wheat becomes
scarce, fewer organisms can be sustained in other trophic levels.
6. After reading The Right Mix of Carbs, Proteins, and Fats, and analyzing your resource management plan, what
nutritional deficits and health concerns might your family face?
A diet consisting only of wheat provides ample carbohydrates, but insufficient proteins and fats. Protein must be
consumed daily in order to synthesize amino acids. The text states plant products, which include wheat, are incomplete
proteins and do not supply all of the essential amino acids. Hence we would suspect systemic problems, including
problems with hair, bone, muscles, and skin. Fats also must be consumed in order to supply energy, pad organs, and
transport vitamins. Since wheat contains essentially no fats, we would expect the family to suffer from exhaustion and
inadequate vitamin absorption. (Ex. Vitamin D is needed for strong bones and immune function, etc.)
After reviewing the diagrams on succession, photographs of the United States Great Plains during the Dust Bowl &
today, and the text, “Interesting Facts About Temperate Grasslands,” answer the following questions:
7. What type of succession has occurred in the United States Great Plains since the Dust Bowl? Cite textual evidence to
support your response.
Drought and human farming practices significantly altered the landscape in the Great Plains. Native grasses were stripped
to plant crops, such as wheat. Windstorms resulted in catastrophic soil erosion and reduced fertility of the soil. At
present, land conservation and improved farming practices have restored the grasslands to an extent. This meets the
criteria of secondary succession, as primary succession was interrupted by drought and human influence.
Dust Bowl Reflection and Some Just in Time Teaching
8. A biome is a complex biotic community characterized by distinctive plant and animal species maintained under the
climatic conditions of the region, which has developed to climax. A temperate grassland, such as the United States Great
Plains, is considered to be a biome. What accounts for the discrepancy in the climax community described in the
diagrams of succession and the one that exists presently in the Great Plains? Cite textual evidence to support your
response.
The temperate grassland biome of the United States Great Plains is a climax community, as its organisms are in balance
and well-adapted to their environment. Grasslands do not receive enough rainfall to sustain large shrubs, trees, and
forests. Furthermore, frequent fires and grazing animals such as bison, elk, moose, etc. help keep plant growth in check.
Thus grasslands reach climax (and stability) before large shrubs and trees inhabit the area.
9. After completing the supplementary activity, “Rabbit Population By Season Gizmo Data Set and CEJ Questions &
Template,” discuss a scenario that might result in the community the rabbits live in to undergo secondary succession.
Examples of possible scenarios include:
 Since Eastern Cottontails are solitary (according to the text, they like their space), habitat destruction would likely result
in intense competition for space and resources. Both the flora and fauna in the area would be impacted.
 A series of harsh winters and dry summers could result in a diminished food supply and reduction in rabbit
population. Both the flora and fauna in the area would be impacted.