02 Dust Bowl

Instructions

If you missed class, please use the class recording to help you.

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Observation is a fundamental skill in the world of science. By carefully observing the natural world around us, scientists gather information and make sense of the phenomena they encounter. 

Observation is more than simply looking. It involves using our senses to collect data and information about a particular phenomenon. 

Scientists strive to remain unbiased and refrain from jumping to conclusions. By remaining objective, scientists can avoid making inaccurate interpretations of what they observe. 

Observations can be qualitative or quantitative. 
Qualitative observations focus on qualities or characteristics, such as color, texture, or shape. 
Quantitative observations involve measurements or numerical data, such as length, weight, or temperature.
Observe the following data regarding the phenomenon of the Dust Bowl.

The Dust Bowl: Use the video, images, and text to learn about the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.

In the 1930s, several years of drought affected over 100 million acres in the Great Plains from North Dakota to Texas.  For several decades before this drought, the invention of modern farming equipment such as gasoline tractors and harvester-combines had allowed farmers to plow more prairie than ever before, removing the grasses with deep root systems and planting shallow-rooted crops.  When the soil became extremely dry from lack of rain, strong prairie winds easily removed huge amounts of soil from the farms, forming dust storms.  This region was called the Dust Bowl.

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What do the video, images, and text above make you wonder about the Dust Bowl? What questions do you have?

Use the graphic to the left to guide you.

There are no right or wrong answers. I only want to know what you think.

Feel free to use the blue "+" to record an audio or video response.

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What are some possible explanations for the phenomenon of the Dust Bowl?

Use the graphic at left to guide you.

There are no right or wrong answers. I only want to know what you think.

Feel free to use the blue "+" to record an audio or video response.

The Dust Bowl, a devastating ecological disaster that occurred in the 1930s, serves as a stark reminder of how interconnected the Earth's spheres truly are. The Dust Bowl was a result of complex interactions between the lithosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere.

Consider the following examples of sphere interactions during that time and determine which two spheres best fit each interaction.

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Draggable item		Corresponding Item
Cryosphere		Layer of gases surrounding the Earth where weather occurs
Geosphere		The living components of the Earth including plants and animals
Biosphere		The liquid water found on the Earth's surface such as oceans, rivers, and lakes
Atmosphere		The solid portion of the include that includes rocks, sediments, soils, and landforms
Hydrosphere		The frozen water found on the Earth's surface such as the ice caps and glaciers

02 Dust Bowl

If you missed class, please use the class recording to help you.

If you missed class, please use the class recording to help you.

What do the video, images, and text above make you wonder about the Dust Bowl? What questions do you have?

Use the graphic to the left to guide you.

There are no right or wrong answers. I only want to know what you think.

Feel free to use the blue "+" to record an audio or video response.

What are some possible explanations for the phenomenon of the Dust Bowl?

Use the graphic at left to guide you.

There are no right or wrong answers. I only want to know what you think.

Feel free to use the blue "+" to record an audio or video response.

If you missed class, please use the class recording to help you.

If you missed class, please use the class recording to help you.

Match the sphere to its description.

What do the video, images, and text above make you wonder about the Dust Bowl? What questions do you have?

Use the graphic to the left to guide you.

There are no right or wrong answers. I only want to know what you think.

Feel free to use the blue "+" to record an audio or video response.

What are some possible explanations for the phenomenon of the Dust Bowl?

Use the graphic at left to guide you.

There are no right or wrong answers. I only want to know what you think.

Feel free to use the blue "+" to record an audio or video response.

For the following questions, read the statement and identify the TWO spheres involved.

The air is windy and blows the loose soil, causing dust storms.

Plants dry up and die when their water sources disappear.

Wheat and corn crops had shorter and less dense roots that didn't hold the dry soil in place.

There was an extreme drought and few fresh water sources and the land became dry and loose.

Lack of rainfall causes crops to die.

Plants, animals, and people struggle to breathe air during the dust storms.

Cool air above the Pacific Ocean prevents evaporation, resulting in extremely dry conditions in the Dust Bowl region.

02 Dust Bowl

02 Dust Bowl

If you missed class, please use the class recording to help you.

If you missed class, please use the class recording to help you.

What do the video, images, and text above make you wonder about the Dust Bowl? What questions do you have?Use the graphic to the left to guide you.There are no right or wrong answers. I only want to know what you think.Feel free to use the blue "+" to record an audio or video response.

What are some possible explanations for the phenomenon of the Dust Bowl?Use the graphic at left to guide you.There are no right or wrong answers. I only want to know what you think.Feel free to use the blue "+" to record an audio or video response.

If you missed class, please use the class recording to help you.

If you missed class, please use the class recording to help you.

Match the sphere to its description.

What do the video, images, and text above make you wonder about the Dust Bowl? What questions do you have?Use the graphic to the left to guide you.There are no right or wrong answers. I only want to know what you think.Feel free to use the blue "+" to record an audio or video response.

What are some possible explanations for the phenomenon of the Dust Bowl?Use the graphic at left to guide you.There are no right or wrong answers. I only want to know what you think.Feel free to use the blue "+" to record an audio or video response.

For the following questions, read the statement and identify the TWO spheres involved.The air is windy and blows the loose soil, causing dust storms.

Plants dry up and die when their water sources disappear.

Wheat and corn crops had shorter and less dense roots that didn't hold the dry soil in place.

There was an extreme drought and few fresh water sources and the land became dry and loose.

Lack of rainfall causes crops to die.

Plants, animals, and people struggle to breathe air during the dust storms.

Cool air above the Pacific Ocean prevents evaporation, resulting in extremely dry conditions in the Dust Bowl region.

What do the video, images, and text above make you wonder about the Dust Bowl? What questions do you have?

Use the graphic to the left to guide you.

There are no right or wrong answers. I only want to know what you think.

Feel free to use the blue "+" to record an audio or video response.

What are some possible explanations for the phenomenon of the Dust Bowl?

Use the graphic at left to guide you.

There are no right or wrong answers. I only want to know what you think.

Feel free to use the blue "+" to record an audio or video response.

What do the video, images, and text above make you wonder about the Dust Bowl? What questions do you have?

Use the graphic to the left to guide you.

There are no right or wrong answers. I only want to know what you think.

Feel free to use the blue "+" to record an audio or video response.

What are some possible explanations for the phenomenon of the Dust Bowl?

Use the graphic at left to guide you.

There are no right or wrong answers. I only want to know what you think.

Feel free to use the blue "+" to record an audio or video response.

For the following questions, read the statement and identify the TWO spheres involved.

The air is windy and blows the loose soil, causing dust storms.