Objectives
- Students will place the novel into historical context and understand the social and economic issues faced by the characters in the novel.
Overview
The Dust Bowl and the Great Depression are the backdrops of The Grapes of Wrath. The opening chapter of the novel is a vivid description of the Dust Bowl’s devastation. The poverty endured by the Joad family was experienced by millions of people as the Great Depression deepened.
In this pre-reading activity students will set the novel into the broader context of what was happening around the country in the 1930s.
Relevant Sections
Materials Needed/Preparation
Estimated Time
Depending on student knowledge of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl
- 15 minutes minimum
- 1 period maximum
Procedures
Read “The Great Depression” from the Steinbeck in the Schools website.
- Discuss/summarize as a class the subheadings in the article. Each of these sections of the article discusses major ecological, economic, and historical factors that permeate the novel.
- ~Causes of the Great Depression
- ~The Dust Bowl
- ~Agribusiness and Mechanized Farms
- ~Organized Labor and Strikes
- ~Welfare and “The Dole”
- ~Politics: Hoover and the Great Depression
- ~FDR and the New Deal
- ~Psychological Effects of the New Deal
- ~Social
- Optional:
- ~Read chapter 1 of The Grapes of Wrath in class
- ~~Discuss what parts of the article can be found in the chapter
- ~Watch segments of the PBS documentary “The Dust Bowl” by Ken Burns
- ~~"Woody Guthrie: The Great Dust Storm"
- ~~“Woody Guthrie: Okies”
Post Activity/Takeaways/Follow-up
Takeaways
- Students will come away from this activity with a solid foundation from which to read the novel in context.
Follow-up
- Continue to reference these introductory pieces throughout the reading of the novel.
Extensions
- Read “A Primer on the ‘30s” (America and Americans and Selected Nonfiction) by John Steinbeck
- Read “Dubious Battle in California" (America and Americans and Selected Nonfiction), by John Steinbeck
Assessment
- Quiz students on the contents of the article
Common Core State Standards Met
- Reading Standards for Literature 6-12
- ~Key Ideas and Details: 1, 2, 3
- ~Craft and Structure: 4, 5, 6
- ~Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: 7, 9
- ~Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity: 10
- Reading Standards for Informational Text 6-12
- ~Key Ideas and Details: 1,2,3
- ~Craft and Structure: 4,5,6
- ~Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: 7,8
- ~Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity: 10
- Writing Standards 6-12
- ~Text Types and Purposes: 2
- ~Range of Writing: 10
- Speaking and Listening Standards 6-12
- ~Comprehension and Collaboration: 1, 2, 3, 4
- ~Presentation and Knowledge of Ideas: 4
- Language Standards 6-12
- ~Conventions of Standard English: 1, 2, 3
- ~Knowledge of Language: 3
- ~Vocabulary Acquisition and Use: 6
- Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies 6-12
- ~Key Ideas and Details: 1, 2, 3
- ~Craft and Structure: 4, 6
- ~Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: 8, 9
- ~Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity: 10
- Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects 6-12
- ~Text Types and Purposes: 2
- ~Production and Distribution of Writing: 4, 5
