The Other Side of Progress
The Unheard Voices of the Industrial Revolution
By Frankie
This is will be three 40 minute periods
Introduction
The lesson will begin with the teacher reminding students of how the Industrial Revolution in New York was a time of great change. "Things were being invented and people made a fortune making improvements to inventions or making their own inventions. Factories were being built and more people were coming to New York. They came for different reasons, but they came with the hope of a better life." The teacher explains that the purpose of this lesson is to look at what it was like for many people coming to New York during the Industrial Revolution.
Activity
The teacher explains that with progress comes the need for workers. Many of the workers immigrants. From 1880 - 1920, many immigrants came to New York. The teacher projects a historical map that shows the major immigrant groups in New York. The teacher reads aloud "A New Life in a New Land" to students. It is a brief passage from the social studies textbook that focuses on what happened when immigrants came to New York looking for a better life. The teacher goes back to the section read about Jacob Riis, and explains that the photos that he took and some of his words are available online.
Activity 2
The teacher and students will discuss the video, focusing on what the conditions were that they live in and the quality of life for immigrants. The teacher asks kids to state the problems that immigrants faced when they came here. The teacher, explains that living in such poverty meant that they wanted as many family members to work - even children. Sweatshops, factories, and mines was where adults and children worked.
Activity 3
Students will select one picture on immigration, tenements, or Jacob Riis' work. They will use the picture as an inspiration for a poem. Their poems can be in any style that they want. It has to connect to the picture. Students will upload the picture and read their poem on VoiceThread. They will be responsible for commenting on at least 3 people's posts.
Click here to go to VoiceThread
Students will have the information to log themselves in and upload their work. Once this is done, my initial instructions on the cover page will be changed to an introduction of students' work.