Texas TEKS 4.5.A
The Standard
explain the impact of various events on life in Texas such as the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and World War II and notable individuals such as Audie Murphy, Cleto Rodríguez, and Bessie Coleman and other local individuals
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students explain how economic hardship, drought, and war changed Texans’ jobs, homes, migration, and daily routines. They connect Audie Murphy, Cleto Rodríguez, Bessie Coleman, and local figures to those changes.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students can describe a clear cause and effect for each major event using accurate details. They can explain how named individuals served, broke barriers, or influenced Texas communities.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may treat the Great Depression and Dust Bowl as the same event or assume all of Texas became a desert. They may think World War II affected only soldiers or identify Bessie Coleman as a wartime combat pilot.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Choose one event and one person. Write two sentences explaining how each changed life or opportunities for Texans.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Sort photo, map, and artifact cards into Great Depression, Dust Bowl, and World War II groups, then add one impact label.
Write and discuss: Which event caused the greatest change in Texans’ daily lives, and what evidence supports your answer?
Play an evidence match game pairing event and individual cards with accurate effects, achievements, and Texas connections.
Use a local newspaper archive to find one wartime, drought, or economic hardship story from the community and summarize its impact.
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Printable 4.5.A Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 4.5.A, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
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