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=Rachel's Lesson Page Teacher Side=

Rachel's Teacher Lesson Page (Student Side)


 * Lesson Title:** Worked to Death: Immigrants' Struggle for Safe Working Conditions


 * Author:** Rachel Porter


 * Unit Title:** Pemberton Mills


 * Grade Level(s):** 8th


 * Age Levels(s):** 13-15 years old


 * Subject Area:** U.S. History I


 * Essential Questions:** How did immigrants respond to America’s systemic inequalities?


 * Unit Goals:**


 * Objectives:** Students will be able to:
 * Describe the working conditions of 19th century factories and mills.
 * Explain why immigrants worked under such deplorable conditions.
 * Explain how American citizens responded to immigrants' struggles to improve working conditions in the United States.


 * Curriculum Standards:** USII.2 Explain the important consequences of the American Industrial Revolution.

overhead/LCD projector internet access various handouts/copies of primary source documents
 * Materials/Resources:**


 * Timeframe:** 2-3 days


 * Student Foundational Skills:**

Students will be able to:
 * Describe the working conditions of 19th century factories and mills.
 * Explain why immigrants worked under such conditions.
 * Explain how American citizens responded to immigrants' struggles to improve working conditions in the United States.
 * Analyze and interpret primary source documents
 * Snythesize primary source documents to write a persuasive letter

**Step 1: ** Students will read a set of letters, written by someone in Ireland to a family member in the United States, and a letter written from an Irish immigrant in the United States, to a family member back home, describing life as an Irish immigrant. They will then use the written document analysis worksheet to help them analyze the letters. Next, they will decide whether or not they would have moved from Ireland to the United States based on the two sets of letters they have read. Responses should be in the form of a well-written paragraph, and must describe the living conditions of immigrants in America, as well as the benefits and risks taken by either moving or staying. **Step 2: ** Now that students have learned about some of the reasons the Irish moved to America, they will investigate the type of jobs they had while in this country. To do this, they will be given a set of job descriptions and advertisements from 19th century newspapers, as well as political cartoons. As they analyze the documents, complete these guided handouts, the NARA Cartoon Analysis Worksheet and the Pennsylvania Historical Society "Anti-Immigrant Images" Worksheet. **Step 3: ** By now, students have come to understand that job opportunities were limited for immigrants in the mid-19th century United States. Many immigrants worked as unskilled laborers in factories and mills, such as the Pemberton Mill in Lawrence, MA. Students will click on a link to watch a video that will provide them with an overview of the Pemberton Mill and what happened there in 1860. They will click on the link that says "View of the Pemberton Mill" to watch the clip. @http://www.tourlawrence.org/tour/pemberton-mill/ Ask students: What does it tell you about the conditions of the Pemberton Mill for those who worked there?
 * Learning Activities and Organizational Notes:**

 After viewing the video clip, have them scroll through the illustrations of the destruction at Pemberton Mills. @http://www.celebrateboston.com/image/pemberton-mill-collapse/001.htm Ask them: What do these images show about the events and the workers? Now that they have a good sense of what happened in Lawrence, have them read the following poem and newspaper excerpts to see how people responded to this event that killed many workers, including Irish immigrants.

 The excerpts are from a poem that was written about the Pemberton Mill collapse. It is "A Poetic Sketch Written Upon the Sad Disaster at Lawrence, Mass...." by George Handy (1860). Have them read the selection entitled "A sister in the ruins." <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Next, have them click on the following links to read two newspaper articles about how people responded to the tragedy in Lawrence. <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 197.25pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> · <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">"Horrible Calamity" New York Times, January 11, 1860 <span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 197.25pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> · <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">"Sad Disaster at Lawrence" New York Times, January 21, 1860

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> Ask them: How did the people in the town of Lawrence respond when the Pemberton Mills collapsed? What actions did they take to try and rescue people from the wreckage? What was done to accommodate the survivors? Was it enough? Could anything have been done beforehand to ensure that this tragedy never occurred in the first place?

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> Finally, have students use the information they have gained from these documents to write a letter to the editor of the Lawrence newspaper. In their letters, they should describe what life was like for immigrant factory workers living in Lawrence at the time. Also, have them describe the working conditions of the factories and mills that employed these immigrants. Have them take a stand about working conditions. Ask them to consider the following questions: What do you think could have been done to prevent this tragedy? Did people do enough to help? What should be done now to assist survivors? What do factory workers in an industrializing America deserve?


 * Lesson Assessments:**

=
As stated above, students will u<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">se the information from these documents to write a letter to the editor of the Lawrence newspaper. In the letters, they must describe what life was like for immigrant factory workers living in Lawrence at the time, as well as the working conditions of the factories and mills that employed these immigrants. They will take a stand about working conditions. =====

Questions from Assessment Questions page: 15, 19, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 32, 33, 36

Additional Questions written by Teacher:

Rachel -- edit to include the questions you want for your pre-/post-test. The items you have on this page will be the ones to use. -- Cath


 * Teacher Notes:**

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