Lesson Three: People on the Move
Focus Questions:
- How does a cold war differ from a hot war?
- How did the Missouri River change during the 1950s and 1960s?
- How did new developments in transportation affect small towns?
Imbedded Information in the Student Lesson:
; United Nations; Pollock
Worksheet:
Classroom Activities:
Divide the class into teams. Provide each team with a large, waterproof container—a roasting pan, cake pan, or plastic dish pan. Supply each team with rocks, sand, or gravel. Then have students build their own dam and fill their newly made reservoir with water. Have them discuss the ways in which such dams and reservoirs are useful to people.
The students can make a map of South Dakota that demonstrates the changes in modes of transportation. Have students draw their own outline map of the state. Then have them research modern maps and other resources and fill in their map as a transportation map of South Dakota. The maps should include the student’s hometown, existing railroad lines, the interstate highways, the Missouri River and the four dams, state highways running through their hometown, Ellsworth Air Force Base (east of Rapid City), and towns with commercial airports (Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Pierre, Aberdeen, and Watertown). Once the maps are done, have the students look at them and see if patterns have developed. Have them discuss reasons why certain areas of the state are growing faster than others (urban/rural issues) and how that is or is not reflected in the transportation maps. Have them discuss how transportation is important to agriculture and tourism in the state. Display the maps.
