TCH 352 Middle Level Social Studies Lesson Plan

Author: McKenzie Hayes

Subject(s): Geography connected to Economics
School: Benjamin Jr. High School
Lesson Date & Hour: 10/2 3rd hour
Grade/Level Sixth Grade

Instructions: In the boxes below, include the relevant information concerning your planned lesson.

Rationale/Experiential Steam engines revolutionized travel, communication, and the industrial economy
and social justice in the early 1900s. It also provoked union strikes, established a wealthy class,
connection and created one of the largest monopolies of its time. The steam engine is a
great example of how a form of transportation and communication can affect a
nation’s economy. America’s industry was arguably built on the tracks of the
railroad and is a good example of how monopolies are established as well as
how they affect citizens in our economy today. By addressing these issues from
the standards, young adolescents will gain a better understanding of how
technology can affect us socially and economically. In this lesson, we will be
doing several activities to explore how railroad monopolies came to be and what
the economic implications are for American Industrial society.

Experiential Connections:
This is an important topic for young adolescents to explore because new
technology is a big part of their everyday lives, and steam engines was one of
the first pieces of technology that revolutionized communication and
transportation. This could be similarly compared to modern computers and
phones, which have also played a part in changing how small the nation seems
to the average person.

Social Justice:
Through this lesson, students will have a clearer understanding of the injustices
that can arise in a capitalist society. They will become more informed on the
influence of wealthy industries on government. Students will consider what the
ramifications of such influences have on the average American citizen. They will
draw comparisons to modern-day businesses.

Standards SS.G3.6-8.MdC
SS.EC.2.6-8.MdC

Learning Targets Explain how the creation of railroads led to monopolization.

Demonstrate knowledge on the effect of monopolies on social classes/cultures.

Essential Questions How did the steam engine help and hurt the American economy?
Why did only a few people become extremely wealthy?
In a capitalist society, when is it ok for the government to regulate business?

Materials and Beach ball with comprehension questions

Resources History video on the monopolies of the railroads
Simulation directions
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Political cartoon
White boards
Social Studies Journals

Academic Language Monopoly—the exclusive possession or control of the supply or trade in a

and Definitions commodity or service.
Steam engine/Railroads—1900s mode of transportation that changed America’s
industrial landscape
Social class—a division of a society based on social and economic status.
Industry—economic activity concerned with the processing of raw materials and
manufacture of goods in factories.
Tycoon—a wealthy, powerful person in business or industry.

Entry To introduce the lesson, I will use a video about railroad monopolies that
is approximately 3 minutes long. Students will have blank pages in front of them
where they will take notes, draw pictures/symbols, etc. while they watch. I will
pause after each important moment and allow students to reflect on their papers.
This part of the lesson would likely appeal to visual learners the most. After the
video, we will immediately have a small-group and then whole-class discussion
on what we saw using a beach ball with comprehension questions written on
each color. This activity would be great for intrapersonal learners. Students will
toss each other the ball and attempt to answer the question that is closest to their
right thumb.

Instructional Students will engage in a simulation in small groups. Students will make
Procedures predictions about how the monopolies will affect industrial tycoons, workers, and
the government. This linear/logical thinking will appeal to logical/mathematical
learners.
I will model the first political cartoon and then allow students to do so in
small groups. Students will be asked these questions:
1. What is the attitude of the artist who drew the cartoon?
2. What message is the artist trying to portray? What is your
evidence? Do you agree with the artist?
3. According to the artist, who is helped and who is hurt by
monopolies?
4. Can you connect any current events issues to any elements in the
political cartoon?

Practice and Students will then have the ability to practice what they know first through
Feedback a simulation activity where students take on roles that represent railroad
companies and the eventual monopoly that was created. The simulation will be a
kinesthetic and concrete example of how railroad monopolies came to exist and
who created them. They will write their predictions on whiteboards for me to
quickly formatively assess progress.
Student groups will then be given a political cartoon (primary source) that
represents railroad monopolies and be asked to analyze the different elements of
the cartoon in small-groups. Evaluating art may be great for naturalist learners as
they consider environmental implications of the railroad in the cartoon. Finally,
students will write in their journals and individually reflect on the questions posed
to them above. This kind of independent reflection will most appeal to my
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interpersonal learners. I will formatively assess the students at the end of the
lesson by having them turn their journals in so that I can read their responses
and give them feedback on their understanding of the standards.

Closure The closing part of the lesson will be work time on the journal reflections and a
reminder of the summative assessments that the students need to have chosen
before the next day of class.

Assessment/Rubrics  Illustrate/create a political cartoon that represents one form of financial

and social change as a result of the railroad. This political cartoon should
compare the steam engine to a modern piece of technology that has had
a similar effect on society.
 Write a letter from the perspective of a unionized railroad worker that
includes how he/she has been affected socially and economically. The
letter should be addressed to future generations (our generation) and
should have information/advice that the writer wants us to know that
he/she has learned from the past.
 Create a skit representing the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 but as if it
was done in modern-day times. You will be required to film the skit or
perform it to the class.
 Create an infographic that uses data from a population analysis in Illinois
before the railroads and after. The infographic should also include how
population growth had social and economic impacts.

Next Lesson This will be the last lesson before the summative assessment for this unit.