Norfolk Boom
Lesson Plan: Rick Short – Norwood-Norfolk Middle School
Disciplines: Social Studies
Grade Levels: Grade 8
Time Frame: 1 Class Period
Materials Needed: The American Nation textbook
3 Articles The Massena Observer
Learning Objectives: Students will:
1. Be reminded of the definition of a boom
2. Have an understanding of how Norfolk went through its own boom
over 100 years ago.
Procedures:
1. As a class we will discuss the definition of a boom. We should
have discussed this during the gold rush but will talk again about
Boomtowns and the cattle boom. Boom is like an explosion.
2. We can look at page 549 in their textbooks.
3. Students will now read the three articles on the Norfolk Boom, all
from 1900. We can read them aloud together.
4. Student can brainstorm together with a partner why this boom
may have happened.
5. We will have a class discussion on why this happened,
concentrating on the Racquette River, Railroad, Power Plant, Mills
and the parties involved.
List of Documents Used:
All 3 Article came from the Massena Observer
1. NorfolkHas Boom on Possibilityof the Water Power Being
Developed
2. The Norfolk Boom is On
3. Norfolk’s New Railroad
All 3 were given to me by The Norfolk Museum