Students learn about how farming changed from small farms to large commercial farms. They describe advancements in farming tools, and examine how commercial farming impacted Texas politically, socially, and economically.
Students learn about how farming changed from small farms to large commercial farms. They describe advancements in farming tools, and examine how commercial farming impacted Texas politically, socially, and economically.
Students read an introduction explaining cotton’s importance in nineteenth-century Texas, the post–Civil War growth of farms, and the need for new machines after the end of slavery. They examine an image of the McCormick reaper and contribute observations about the machine to a shared table, focusing on its design and how it operates on a mid-nineteenth-century farm.
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview and objectives, highlighting the shift from small farms to commercial farming. Guide a brief discussion of student observations about the McCormick reaper, drawing out ideas about power source, labor needs, and simplicity of the machine to build background on early agricultural technology.
Students review a farming technology timeline, including Historical Timeline—The Seeds of Change 1600 - 1929, with attention to nineteenth-century developments such as terraces, steel plows, horse-drawn plows, and threshers. They learn how the Homestead Act, westward movement, and railroads encouraged settlement and farming in drier regions, and how new tools helped farmers adapt to difficult conditions. Students then choose one tool or technique, explain why it was important to farmers (optionally adding an image), post their explanation to a collaborative wall, and respond to at least two classmates with questions or positive comments.
Teacher MovesClarify key points about the Homestead Act, westward migration, and the role of railroads in shipping crops. Ensure students understand how each listed tool or technique addressed specific environmental challenges. Monitor wall posts, prompting students to justify their choices with clear reasoning, and facilitate discussion that compares the significance of different technologies.
Students read an explanation of commercial farming in late nineteenth-century Texas, including its rapid growth, partnership with railroads, and effects on the economy through increased crop production and changing prices. They read selected paragraphs from Late Nineteenth-Century Texas to deepen their understanding of farming during this era. Using this information, they complete a graphic organizer by listing positive and negative impacts of commercial farming on Texas.
Teacher MovesClarify the concept of commercial farming and the relationship between supply, demand, and farmers’ profits. Support students as they read the additional text, checking for understanding of economic terms and historical context. Guide students in completing the organizer, prompting them to distinguish clearly between positive and negative impacts and to use evidence from the reading.
Students read about the political, economic, and social impacts of the agricultural industry in Texas, including farmer political organizing, antitrust legislation, diversified crops, improved transportation, westward migration, new farming techniques, tenant farming, and sharecropping. They examine a population graph showing post–Civil War growth from 1850–1910 and read Cotton Culture to learn more about agricultural impacts. Students then write a letter to a farmer from the 1800s, explaining future changes in agriculture, including technological advancements and hardships, and post it to a collaborative wall. They review classmates’ letters and respond to at least two with questions or positive comments.
Teacher MovesHighlight key political, economic, and social changes tied to agriculture, explaining terms such as antitrust law, tenant farming, and sharecropping. Help students interpret the population graph and connect it to agricultural expansion. Provide guidance and examples as students draft their letters, prompting them to include specific technologies, farming practices, and challenges. Use the posted letters to reinforce understanding of long-term impacts on Texas farmers.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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