Back In Time Route 66

Explore the impact of Route 66 on Oklahoma’s economy, communities, and people from its creation in the 1920s through its dismantling after the development of the interstate highway system. Students will see the role the road played for the “Okies” of the Great Depression, transportation in World War II, and the rise of vacations in the 1950s. They also learn how the decommissioning of the road changed the small towns that dotted its length, and about the recent resurgence of tourism around the historic Mother Road. What role did the road play in economic growth, and what factors influenced its development? Extend the lesson by having students create their own roadside attractions! 

By the end of the guided viewing exercise, learners will be able to analyze and evaluate the impact of Route 66 on Oklahoma’s economy by distinguishing the political, economic, sociocultural, technological, legal, and environmental factors and determining the degree that each influenced economic growth through Oklahoma’s tourism industry.

• Learners will be able to identify the human and non-human actors in the development of Route 66 in Oklahoma.
• Learners will determine the relationship between influential factors and the formation of Route 66 in Oklahoma.
• The learner will interpret the impact of contributing factors on the development of Route 66 in Oklahoma.