Norris Dam:
To Build or Not to Build?
In the Classroom
On this page you will find everything you need to bring Norris Dam to life in your classroom. An explanation of the activity, directions, primary sources, worksheets, and a suggested timeline are all here. Please use each as you see fit and edit them to make them more useful in your classroom.
Goal: Students will improve their analytic skills by examining primary source material related to the construction of Norris Dam
Objectives: Students will analyze primary sources
Discuss documents with their peers
Draw conclusions individually and as a group
Learn about the Tennessee Valley Authority and the New Deal
Activity Set-Up:
To begin this activity teachers should ensure the class understands the TVA’s historical context. Students should recognize that Norris Dam is a TVA project, that the TVA was a New Deal agency, and that in 1933 the country was in the midst of the Great Depression. There are a few videos below made by the TVA in the 1930s that do a good job setting the stage. Additionally, there is a map which can be used to help students understand the geographic context.
Students should be broken up into groups. Each group will be assigned a different role: farmer, unemployed, laborer, TVA official, or community leader. Each group will be given their specific set of primary sources. These sources might include official government documents, newspapers, photographs, charts, graphs, maps, and so on. Groups will then evaluate the sources, determine the impact Norris Dam could have on the area, and discuss whether or not the dam should have been built. They will use the sources to answer the question: Should Norris Dam be constructed? Have students pick two documents that support their answer. Not everyone in the group needs to pick the same documents or come to the same conclusion.
After students have had ample time to examine their documents they will be placed into a new group. These groups will consist of one or two representatives from each role previously assigned. Each person will have an opportunity to explain their sources. Once each person has presented, the group will discuss, using all of the evidence, if the dam should or should not be built. The group should come to an agreement and pick one or two key pieces of evidence.
One or two representatives from each group will explain their group’s decision to the entire class, using the evidence the group selected to help make their case. If different groups disagree then, if time allows, a class discussion could occur.
After all groups have shared their decision, the teacher will conclude this activity with an explanation of the impact Norris Dam had on the area and why it is still important to study today. There is useful information found in the Teacher’s Script and on the Norris Dam page.
Movies and Maps
14 minutes- This film explains the need for dams in the valley. There is also footage of Norris Dam, as well as other TVA projects, under construction. The first three minutes could serve as a part of an introduction to this activity.
3 minutes- In this short film, sponsored by Chevrolet, construction of Norris Dam is shown. It is a great explanation without being overly detailed.
36 minutes- This first eight minutes of this film could also serve as a good introduction to the TVA. There is a good explanation of the river system, as well as the social and economic issues within the valley.
