Children of the Industrial Revolution
Kara Jerome
Overview
I will be talking about children of the Industrial Revolution. I will be relating children today to
children of the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries working in mills. The children will view a
PowerPoint I made showing pictures of children working in mills. They will also view a diary
entry from Lewis W. Hine, who was an American sociologist and became a photographer for the
National Child Labor Committee (NCLC). He took pictures of the children working in the mills.
Before we view the PowerPoint, I will place the children in groups and distribute the same
picture to each group. From the pictures shown to them from the PowerPoint, I will then have
the children pick one and pretend they are a child from the picture and they will have to write
home to their families and tell how they are doing, and write about the day in the life of a child
working in a mill. This lesson will consist of the Inquiry Based Learning model: asking,
investigating, creating, discussing, and reflecting.
Goal
The children will gain an understanding about the children from the Industrial Revolution and
will be able to develop an understanding of the importance of historical inquiry.
Objectives
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The students will be able to make predictions about what certain pictures are of using a
large note card with a peephole in it
The students will be able to evaluate primary source materials as artifacts for greater
understanding of the past
The students will be able to select, examine and analyze photographs
The students will be able to use primary source sets to answer questions about historical
eras, generate and test hypotheses, and derive conclusions
The students will be able to search the internet for information on the Industrial
Revolution and come up with information that is interesting to them about it and share
what they have learned with everyone
The students will be able to assume the role of a child working in the mills and write a
letter home talking about the day in the life of a child working in the mills
Investigative Question: Can you imagine being the age you are and working 60-70 hours a
week in a mill? (This covers the “asking” part of the Inquiry Based Learning model).
Time Required: 1 class period--50 minutes
Recommended Grade Range: Grades 3-5
Subject: Social Studies/History
Standards
Pennsylvania State Standards
Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening
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Reading Critically in All Content Areas 1.2.3.A
Types of Writing 1.4.3.A
History
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Pennsylvania History 8.2.3.B
PREPARATION
Credits: Kara Jerome
Materials Used
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PowerPoint
Paper
Pencil
Industrial Revolution pictures
Large note cards with peep holes
Resources Used
Brown, Brown F. Child Labor in the Gulf Coast. 1913. American Treasures of the Library of
Congress. Library of Congress. 24 Jun. 2009.
<http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trm032.html>.
Hine, Lewis W. Boy Sweeper. October 1908. Photographs from the records of the National
Child Labor Committee (U.S.). Prints and Photographs Online Catalog. Library of Congress.
24 Jun. 2009. <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/nclc.01331>.
Hine, Lewis W. Nannie Coleson, looper who said she was 11 years old, and has been working
in the Crescent Hosiery Mill for some months. Makes about $3 a week. Has been through the 5th
grade in school. She is bright, but unsophisticated. November 1914. Photographs from the
records of the National Child Labor Committee (U.S.). Prints and Photographs Online Catalog.
Library of Congress. 24 Jun. 2009. <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/nclc.02949>.
Hine, Lewis W. A young raveler in London Hosiery Mills. Location: Loudon, Tennessee.
December 1910. Photographs from the records of the National Child Labor Committee (U.S.).
Prints and Photographs Online Catalog. Library of Congress. 24 Jun. 2009.
<http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/nclc.02007>.
Hine, Lewis W. Some of the young knitters in London [i.e., Loudon?] Hosiery mills. Photo taken
during working hours. Location: Loudon, Tennessee. December 1910. Photographs from the
records of the National Child Labor Committee (U.S.). Prints and Photographs Online Catalog.
Library of Congress. 24 Jun. 2009. <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/nclc.02004>.
Hine, Lewis W. 488 Macon, Ga. Lewis W. Hine 1-19-1909. Bibb Mill No. 1 Many youngsters
here. Some boys were so small they had to climb up on the spinning frame to mend the broken
threads and put back the empty bobbins. Location: Macon, Georgia. January 19, 1909.
Photographs from the records of the National Child Labor Committee (U.S.). Prints and
Photographs Online Catalog. Library of Congress. 24 Jun. 2009.
<http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/nclc.01581>.
Hine, Lewis W. Child Labor in the Cotton Mills of Mississippi. April-May 1911. American
Treasures of the Library of Congress. Library of Congress. 24 Jun. 2009.
<http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trm032.html>.
PROCEDURE
Description of Procedure
1. A note card with a peep hole cut in it will be passed out to the children. I will ask them
what they think they will be doing with these cards.
2. Next, I will pass out the pictures to them, (facedown). Once every group has a picture, I
will tell them to slide the note card under the picture and then flip the picture over.
3. With their peep hole, they will only be able to see a selected part of the picture. They
will have to make hypothesis about what the picture is of. They will write their
predictions on a piece of paper and we will go over them. They should get about 5-7
minutes to complete this activity.
4. After this is completed, I will have them take their note cards off the picture. I will ask
them what they actually see when they take the note card off the picture. I will go around
and everyone will give me a few ideas on what they thought the picture was of and what
they wrote down.
5. Once everyone gives their predictions about what they thought the picture was of, they
can then ask questions about what they see in the picture.
6. After this is completed and they have asked their questions, they will be able to learn
more about the children of the Industrial Revolution by looking up information on the
Library of Congress website. (This covers the “Investigating” part of the Inquiry Based
Learning model).
7. They will be permitted to write down as much information as they want.
8. I will then show them my PowerPoint on “Children of the Industrial Revolution.”
9. On the second slide there a “Questions to think about while viewing slides” slide. We
will keep returning to that slide after we view and discuss each slide with a picture on it.
This will get them to actually “think” about the picture instead of just looking at it.
Extension
After the looking up information on the computer, the students will discuss and reflect on what
they have learned. (This covers the “Discussing” part of the Inquiry Based Learning model).
Using the information they have gathered and were taught today the students will assume the
role of a child from the Industrial Revolution. They will place themselves back in that time
period and will write a letter home to their family about the day in the life a child working in a
mill. The students will be graded on this, they will need to follow a rubric on what they need to
include in their letters home. They will be graded on the greeting and the closing of the letter.
The children of this age group will be able to write a letter in proper form. The sentences within
the letter should be complete and well-constructed. They will be graded on their grammar and
spelling as well as their capitalization and punctuation. Since this letter is to be hand written,
their neatness will also count, it should be easy to read. Lastly, they need to include at least 3
facts they learned today on children of the Industrial Revolution to make their letter sound as if
they really are writing during that time period. This should not be hard given all of the
information they learned and pictures they saw today about that time period. This will be worth
a total of 24 points. Allow for questions and comments from other students. (This covers the
“Reflecting” part of the Inquiry Based Learning model).
Letter-Writing : Industrial Revolution Letter Home
Teacher Name: Kara Jerome
Student Name:
________________________________________
4 Excellent
3 Good/Above
Average
Greeting and
Closing
Greeting and closing
have no errors in
capitalization and
punctuation.
Greeting and closing
have 1-2 errors in
capitalization and
punctuation.
Greeting and closing Greeting and/or
have 3 or more
closing are missing.
errors in
capitalization and
punctuation.
Sentences &
Paragraphs
Sentences and
paragraphs are
complete, wellconstructed and of
varied structure.
All sentences are
complete and wellconstructed (no
fragments, no runons). Paragraphing is
generally done well.
Most sentences are
complete and wellconstructed.
Paragraphing needs
some work.
Many sentence
fragments or run-on
sentences OR
paragraphing needs
lots of work.
Grammar &
spelling
(conventions)
Writer makes no
Writer makes 1-2
errors in grammar or errors in grammar
spelling.
and/or spelling.
Writer makes 3-4
errors in grammar
and/or spelling
Writer makes more
than 4 errors in
grammar and/or
spelling.
capitalization and
punctuation.
Writer makes 1-2
errors in
capitalization and
punctuation.
Writer makes 3-4
errors in
capitalization and
punctuation.
Writer makes more
than 4 errors in
capitalization and
punctuation.
Neatness
Letter is handwritten, clean, not
wrinkled, and is
easy to read with no
distracting error
corrections. It was
done with pride.
Letter is neatly handwritten, clean, not
wrinkled, and is easy
to read with no
distracting error
corrections. It was
done with care.
Letter is hand-written
and is crumpled or
slightly stained. It
may have 1-2
distracting error
corrections. It was
done with some care.
Letter is handwritten and looks like
it had been shoved
in a pocket or locker.
It may have several
distracting error
corrections. It looks
like it was done in a
hurry or stored
improperly.
Include at least
3 facts from
what they
learned today on
children of
Industrial
Revolution
Includes 3 or more
facts about children
and the Industrial
Revolution and
makes sense
according to the
PowerPoint and
information they
have learned today.
Includes 3 or more
facts about children
and the Industrial
Revolution does not
make sense.
Includes less than 3
facts about children
and the Industrial
Revolution and does
not make sense.
Includes no facts
about children and
the Industrial
Revolution.
Sentences are made
up and are not
relevant to the
information they
learned today.
CATEGORY
Writer makes no
Capitalization
and Punctuation errors in
2 Satisfactory
1 Below
Standards
Questions to think about while viewing slides…
Where are these children? List any
clues relating to their surroundings.
Describe any tools or objects you see.
Describe their clothing. What do their
clothes reveal about their work?
What do you think they are doing?
What questions do you have about
each of these photographs?
Based on your observations, list three things
you might infer about the lives of these
children.
Lincoln Cotton Mills
Carding Machines
October 1908
Nannie Coleson, looper who said she was 11 years old, and has been working in the
Crescent Hosiery Mill for some months. Makes about $3 a week. Has been through the 5th
grade in school. She is bright, but unsophisticated. Told investigator, "There are other little
girls in the mill too. One of them, says she's 13, but she doesn't look any older than me."
Location: Scotland Neck, North Carolina.
November 1914.
A young raveler in London Hosiery Mills. Location: Loudon, Tennessee.
December 1910
Some of the young knitters in Loudon Hosiery mills. Photo taken during
working hours. Location: Loudon, Tennessee
December 1910
488 Macon, Ga. Lewis W. Hine 1-19-1909. Bibb Mill No. 1 Many youngsters here. Some
boys were so small they had to climb up on the spinning frame to mend the broken threads
and put back the empty bobbins. Location: Macon, Georgia.
January 19, 1909