Section One: Project/Lesson Overview

 

Grade: 11

 

Subject: Modern History 112

 

Lesson Title: “Working Hard For Your Money: The Effects of Industrialization in New Brunswick (with comparisons to the British Industrial Revolution)”

 

Lesson Description:

 

The students will be examining the change in work environment due to the Industrial Revolution as it occurred in Britain in the 1800s.  To start this lesson, students will be brainstorming about working environments today in the Saint John area, and compare it to working environments in New Brunswick in the early 1900s to the 1960s (through pictures and text).  Following this, students will compare the changes in the Saint John area to the changes in Britain.

 

The Outline in the Modern History Curriculum Document[1] for the study of the Industrial Revolution and the beginning of the Age of Technology is:

 

  1. The Continuing Significance of Technology (the ongoing revolution as represented by the computer, robotics, and awareness of the environment).
  2. The Causes of Industrialism (the conditions that led to the Industrial Revolution in Britain).
  3. The Nature of Industrialism (the role of the machine and factory system).
  4. The Effects of Industrialism (productivity, urbanization, social change (child labour), pollution).

 

Time Required: 5-6 days

 

Specific Curriculum Outcomes:

 

Student will be expected to:

·        Understand the local and global forces that cause culture to be constantly changing.

·        Develop a concept of technology and examine its regional and global applications.

·        Examine the historical application of technology in New Brunswick and in Britain.

·        Understand how technology affected employment and the standard of living in New Brunswick and Britain.

·        Examine the effects of technology on recreation, home life, and community life.

·        Interpret visual images and textual primary documents.

·        evaluate patterns for preserving, modifying, and transmitting culture while adapting to environmental and social change.

·        analyze the causes of the Industrial Revolution in Britain and its impact on other countries globally.

·        Compare and contrast the causes, changes, and results of the Industrialization of Britain and New Brunswick.

 

Section Two: Project/Lesson Implementation

 

Equipment/Materials Required:

 

  • Computer
  • LCD Projector
  • Song (or lyrics), “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton
  • Handouts, listed at the end of the unit plan
  • A collection of visual images and one document provided by the Provincial Archives

 

Lesson Procedures/Teaching Strategies:

 

Lesson One: Technology Today

 

Anticipatory Set:

  1. Begin by either playing the song, “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton, or have the class examine the lyrics for this song.
  2. Ask students the following questions:
    1. Does the singer have a positive or negative feeling about work in this song?
    2. What does the singer think is her future in her work?
    3. How many students have a part-time job?
    4. How many students enjoy their job?
    5. What would you be willing to do to have a better job?

                                                               i.      Change of location

                                                             ii.      Risk in the workplace

                                                            iii.      Hours of work

Procedure:

  1. Explain to the class that they will be examining the world of work in New Brunswick and comparing it to 18th and 19th century work in Britain.
  2. Connect to the anticipatory set by explaining that there were a lot of changes to work in the early 19th century, particularly as technology was introduced.
  3. Brainstorm the word “TECHNOLOGY.”  Students should make a web-map in their notebooks similar to the following:

 

 

 

Radial Diagram

 

Students should come up with examples of technology, how it impacts on the environment (pollution), how it impacts on society’s standard of living, and how it impacts on work productivity.

  1. Students should have a working definition of “technology” for class in their notebooks.
  2. Dictionary.com defines technology as “the sum of the ways in which social groups provide themselves with the material objects of their civilization.”[2]
  3. Once students have a working definition of technology, have students identify what type of establishment in which they work.  Attempt to divide the class into smaller groups based on their workplace:
    1. Fast Food/Restaurant
    2. Gas Station/Automotive
    3. Retail (Clothing, Grocery)
    4. Childcare (babysitting)
    5. Manual Labour (shoveling snow, piling wood, mowing lawns)

Have the students answer the following questions in their groups:

1.      What types of technology are used in your workplace?

2.      Does the technology help or hinder you?  Explain.

3.      Do you feel you receive a fair wage for the work you do?

4.      How would your job be easier and/or more difficult without the technology?

  1. Discuss the students’ answers as a whole class.
  2. Inform the students that they will be looking at workplaces of early to mid-1900s workplaces to evaluate the role of technology and how it compares to current trends. 

 

Lesson Two: Stepping Back in Time in New Brunswick

 

Anticipatory Set:

  1. As the students enter the classroom, leave one of the following images (see Procedure) on your classroom screen (via computer and LCD projector) for students to see and think about.

Procedure:

  1. Hand out the document, “How to Interpret Visual Documents as Primary Sources of Information.”
  2. Students will examine the following three photographs (1989,7.139 2002.12.13, high explosives shells cover).  Each student is to answer the general and specific questions individually.
  3. Once this is completed, the class will come together in a sharing session which will examine student responses and formulate reflective questions based on their interpretation of the images. 
  4. The general questions should lead to a discussion surrounding the events taking place in the photographs, the location of the photograph and the purpose for the photograph. 
  5. Focus on the use of technology within each photograph.  As students reflect on these answers and continue their analysis with the specific questions, there should be discussion surrounding the impact of technology on the world of work and on society in general.

 

Lesson Three: The Industrial Revolution of Britain

 

Anticipatory Set: Find an image of either a spinning jenny, a flying shuttle, or other piece of machinery invented in Britain in the 18th century.  Allow students to view this image as they enter the room.

 

Procedure:

  1. The teacher will begin explaining what the image is and the significance of this piece of machinery to the textile industry.
  2. The teacher has the option of using the textbook or preparing a power point presentation about:

a.       the reason why Britain was the first country to experience a revolution in industry.

b.      The inventions that increased productivity.

c.       The impact of the revolution on society with the emergence of the proletariat, the rise of the bourgeoisie, and the urbanization of Britain.

d.      The impact of the revolution on the environment (for example, the predominance of the white moth pre-revolution, and the predominance of the grey moth post-revolution).

 

Lesson Four:  Social Change/Child Labour in New Brunswick in the late 1800’s to

  early 1900’s

 

Equipment/Materials Required: child labour visual images:

 

1)      LS – AAR – 5 (2) – Students Working in the MacDonald Consolidated School

2)      1996.5.13 – Women and Children Picking Berries

3)      LS-AAR7 (2) – Children working in a school garden

4)      LS-AAR-6(2) – Children in garden

5)      LS-AAR – 8(2) – Children in garden

6)      LS-AAR-12  - Children in garden

7)      Written document on Cossar Farm (boys under 14 working on farm) – Otty,MG-F1 (12 slides (visual images)) 

8)       visual image of  Cossar farm – 1989.95.14. (boys on farm)

9)      Visual image of boys at work on Cossar Farm in hayfield – 1989.95.13

 

Lesson Procedure/Teaching Strategies:

 

Purpose:  Examine the social issues and societal values/beliefs as illustrated in the visual images of child labour in New Brunswick in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s with the Industrial Revolution in Britain.

 

Anticipatory Set:

  1. Have the students read the two poems, “The Chimney Sweeper” from Blake’s Songs of Innocence & Songs of Experience.
  2. Discuss what the poems reveal about a child’s experience as a chimney sweeper in Britain in the late 18th century.

 

Procedure: 

  1. Before viewing and sharing images of child labour, begin a discussion of the definition of child labour by using the following questions:
    1. What types of jobs/activities do you think constitute child labour?
    2. Does child labour exist in the world today?  If so, where and what jobs are children performing?
    3. As a first world nation, should we intervene to stop child labour in third world countries?  Why or why not?

 

  1. After this discussion, show the visual images LS-AAR-5, 6,7,8 and 12 on the LCD projector of children working in gardens and answer the following questions:
    1. Why was a garden needed outside of a school?
    2. What vegetable/plants were grown?  Why were these crops needed?
    3. Why are children working in these gardens? (volunteer, punishment for poor behaviour, regular school routine, etc.)
    4. What activity are children doing in the visual image of 1996.5.13?  Is this still performed by children today?  Is it considered labour or a fun activity today?
    5. What values and beliefs are teachers attempting to instill in the children?  How are these values similar and/or different from ours today?  Do you think that our society is lacking in these values of the 1800’s? Explain.
    6. Do you think that this type of work would/should be allowed to occur in our schools today?  Why or why not?

 

3. Display visual images of boys at Cossar Farm – 1989.95.13 and 14.  Give students enough time to answer the following questions from each slide of the document on Cossar Farm:

     

Slide #1

  1. What was the primary objective of Cossar Farm?
  2. Why were boys from New Brunswick hired for the summer as opposed to boys from Scotland?

Slide #2

  1. Who applied to work on the farm? 
  2. Why do you think there are only eight boys on the farm when it could accommodate twenty boys?
  3. Why does Dr. Cossar extend the invitation to work on the farm to boys in Montreal?

Slide #2 - #3

  1. What values/beliefs did Dr. Cossar want to instill in these boys?   How did this reflect the social values of the time period?  Explain.
  2. Discuss the rules of the farm and the code of conduct (behaviour) expected of the boys.  How are they different/similar to today?
  3. How much were the boys paid to work on the farm?  What do you think is the current dollar value?

Slide #4

  1.  In what recreational activities did the boys participate?  Compare and contrast them to the extra-curricular activities of boys today.
  2. According to Dr. George J. Trueman, president of Mt. Allison University, why was working on a farm so valuable to a young boy as opposed to living in the city?  Are these ideals still considered important in our society today?

Slide #5

  1. What is the main type of farming on the Cossar Farm?  Would this type of farming still occur today?  What technological changes may have occurred to improve this form of farming?

Slide #8

  1. Describe the living quarters of the boys who worked on the farm.  What would be the differences/similarities between this and working in a work camp in northern Canada today?

Slide #10

1.  What were the duties of girls on the farm?   Why was Dr. Cossar concerned with the girls working on the farms?  What misconception did the girls prove false?

 

Lesson Five: Child Labour in Britain

 

Anticipatory Set: Provide students with an excerpt to silently read of one of Charles Dickens novels about child labour (for example, Oliver Twist).  OR, the students can view the chimney sweeping scene from Mary Poppins.

 

Procedure:

  1. Provide students with images and textual information about child labour in Britain.
  2. Have students read pages 119 and 120 from the Modern History 112 textbook, Modern Western Civilization[3] and answer the following questions:
    1. Who worked in the factories?
    2. Why were they often paid so poorly?
    3. What were the working conditions?
  3. Give students a “Compare and Contrast” Chart and have the students find similarities and differences between child labour in New Brunswick (Lesson Four) and 18th and 19th century child labour in Britain.
  4. Have a whole-class discussion about the students’ results.

 

Final Summative Assignment:

 

Hand out “Change in Technology Interview and Rubric.”  Provide students with a due date for the interview questions, and then for the interview and analysis.

 

Section Three: Project/Lesson Resources

 

Teacher Generated Resources:

  1. “How to Interpret Visual Documents as Primary Sources of Information.”
  2. “Change in Technology Interview and Rubric”
  3. “Compare and Contrast Chart”
  4. Answers to Questions for Lesson Four

 

Supplementary Resources:

  1. “Photographs for Analysis” from the Provincial Archives.
  2. Document about Cossar Farm from the Provincial Archives
  3. Modern Western Civilization Textbook
  4. “9 to 5” Song and Lyrics by Dolly Parton
  5. William Blake’s “The Chimney Sweeper”
  6. One of Charles Dickens novels including information about child labour (Oliver Twist)
  7. The Chimney Sweeper scene from Mary Poppins.

 

Section Four: Additional Information

 

Contact Information:

 

Laura Cote

Kennebecasis Valley High School

District 6

Laura.cote@nbed.nb.ca

 

Paula Galbraith

Kennebecasis Valley High School

District 6

Paula.galbraith@nbed.nb.ca

 

Linda Urquhart

Kennebecasis Valley High School

District 6

Linda.urquhart@nbed.nb.ca

 

 

 


[1] Department of Education, "History 112: The West in the Modern World", page 13. 1992. 16 Jan 2007. <http://www.gnb.ca/0000/publications/curric/modernhistory112.pdf>.     

[2] “Technology." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 16 Jan. 2008.

<Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/technology>.

[3] Christopher, James R. and George G. Wittet.  Modern Western Civilization.  Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1991.