Lesson Plan: From the Flintstones to the Jetsons
Author: Brenda Beach, Betty DeVore, Amy Ferguson, Michael Hageman, Lance Westbrook, Annette Zell
Subject: History
Grade(s): 8
Benchmarks and Indicators
- Geography 6-8, Benchmark B: Define and identify regions using human and physical characteristics.
- Indicator: Grade 8, GLI 1. Compare places and regions in the United States as they existed prior to 1877 with the same places and regions today to analyze changes in land use and population, political, social, and economic characteristics.
- Geography 6-8, Benchmark C: Explain how the environment influences the way people live in different places and the consequences of modifying the environment.
- Indicator: Grade 8, GLI 2. Analyze how physical characteristics of the environment influenced population distribution, settlement patterns and economic activities in the United States during the 18th and 19th centuries.
- Geography 6-8, Benchmark D: Explain reasons that people, products and ideas move from place to place and the effects of that movement on geographic patterns.
- Indicator: Grade 8, GLI 3. Explain how colonization, westward expansion, immigration and advances in transportation and communication changed geographic patterns in the United States.
- Social Studies Skills and Methods 6-8, Benchmark C: Present a position and support it with evidence and citation of sources.
- Indicator: Grade 8, GLI 2. Construct a historical narrative using primary and secondary sources.
- History, 6-8, Benchmark A: Interpret relationships between events shown on multiple-tier timeline.
- Indicator: Grade 8, GLI 1. Select events and construct a multiple-tier time line to show relationships among events.
Lesson Summary
As a follow up to content lessons on agriculture and transportation, student will have the opportunity to compare and contrast transportation and agricultural methods in the United States from Colonization to Reconstruction. This is a five-day lesson plan.
Pre-Assessment/Diagnostic
- INSTRUCTIONS:
- Discuss the similarities and/or differences between as many of the following transportation topics and then agriculture topics as you can. You may use a chart or narrative to complete the pre-assessment.
- TRANSPORTATION:
- Conestoga wagon
- Locomotive
- Canal
- Canoe
- National Road
- Turnpike
- Steamboat
- AGRICULTURE:
- Interchangeable parts
- Cotton gin
- Steel-tipped plow
- Mechanical reaper
- Thresher
Instructional Procedures
- Day 1: Introduce lesson; Administer pre-assessment; Complete K-W-L chart with class.
- Day 2:
- Discuss compare/contrast
- Show example of primary source for content area (see Resources at left for the Huber Revolving Hay Rake)
- Use spiral questioning with primary source, using worksheet provided here.
- Introduce scrapbook from Ohio Memory and show teacher-generated example of scrapbook (see Sample Scrapbook in Resources at left)
- Assign Scrap Book to groups of 2-3 students (5 entries per group)
- Days 3 & 4: With teacher guidance, students will complete independent research and create scrapbooks in computer lab.
- Day 5: Student groups will present Ohio Memory Scrapbooks to rest of class. Scrapbooks will be assessed according to the provided post-assessment rubric.
Post-Assessment
Post-Assessment is based on the students' Ohio Memory scrapbooks, using the scoring rubric provided.
Extensions
- Students might create a story of a family across time and how the changes in agriculture and transportation have affected the different generations of the family.
- Students will create a multiple tier timeline showing the changes in transportation and the move from an agricultural to urban society.
