Students learn about the Industrial Revolution in America and how it changed different aspects of the country. Then, they learn about the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the cities. Finally, they write a description about what life was like for an immigrant living and working in one of the cities during the Industrial Revolution.
Students are introduced to the Industrial Revolution through brief background text and images, including a mid-nineteenth-century advertisement, to situate the period as a time of rapid economic and social change. They respond to a word cloud prompt by posting a word or short phrase about what comes to mind when they hear the word “revolution.”
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview and objectives. Lead a discussion of student word cloud responses, clarifying that a revolution can mean both political revolt and sweeping changes in daily life. Explain that in this context the Industrial Revolution refers to the shift from hand production in homes and small shops to machine-based manufacturing in factories, transforming the economy, employment, and life in the United States.
Students examine images of factories and read explanatory text outlining the first and second phases of the Industrial Revolution in the United States, including changes in manufacturing, transportation, and the labor force. They use Economic Growth and the Early Industrial Revolution to deepen their understanding of how industrialization altered production, shipping, and working conditions, especially for immigrants, women, and children. Students then complete a graphic organizer comparing manufacturing, labor, and living conditions before and after the Industrial Revolution. Next, they post on a collaborative wall describing negative consequences of the Industrial Revolution and reply to at least two classmates’ posts.
Teacher MovesGuide students through the key ideas in the background text and resource as needed. Facilitate completion of the graphic organizer and then discuss student entries to highlight major shifts in manufacturing, labor, and living conditions. After students post about negative consequences, prompt them to share and elaborate on examples such as poor working conditions, low wages, overcrowded and unsanitary cities, disease, poverty, and pollution.
Students view an image of New York City tenement houses and read text explaining how industrialization led to urbanization, with increasing numbers of people moving from rural areas to cities. They read City Life in the Late 19th Century to learn more about how cities changed as a result of the Industrial Revolution, then respond on a class wall to the question: “How did cities change as a result of the Industrial Revolution?”
Teacher MovesSupport students in connecting the reading to the visual evidence of tenement housing. Review student wall responses and share an interesting or exemplary answer with the class, emphasizing that cities became overcrowded, congested, and dirty, and that transportation and construction expanded as more people settled in urban areas.
Students examine an image titled “Bath Time in a Tenement House” and read about overcrowding and tenement housing. They use the article Tenements to explore living conditions for urban residents. Drawing on this information, they write a short first-person description of a day in the life of an immigrant living and working in a city during the Industrial Revolution, addressing where they work, what their job is like, where they live, and whom they live with, and post it to a class wall.
Teacher MovesInvite students to share their narrative descriptions with the class, using selected examples to highlight the challenges and realities of immigrant life in industrial cities.
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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