National Endowment for the Humanities
Factory vs. Plantation in the North and South
North is to factory as South is to plantation—the perfect analogy for the economy that set up the Civil War! The first lesson in a series of five helps teach beginners why the economy creates a driving force for conflict. Analysis of...
Curated OER
Mass Production Using an Assembly Line
Fifth graders examine the industrial revolution. In this industrialization lesson, 5th graders explore the concept of mass production via the assembly line. They then create an assembly line which demonstrates its costs and benefits...
Curated OER
Fun-Factory - NOT!
Students design a solution to a problem based on the Industrial Revolution. In this design lesson plan, students come up with architectural designs and present them to teachers in a simulated factory.
Curated OER
Interchangeable Parts Revolutionize Clock-making
Learners consider assembly line production. In this lesson on Industrialization, students explore rifle manufacturing then create a workshop in the classroom to assemble clocks. They determine the pros and cons of assembly line...
Curated OER
The Toothpick Factory
Get your scholars ready to become employees at the Toothpick Factory. Small groups take on specific roles to practice working in a team with a common goal. They review an instruction sheet (included) before jumping into the production...
Curated OER
The Plant Food Factory
Plants need sun and water to survive. Let kids discover these facts by reading a block of informational text and considering a scientific quandary. They read the text, then use the information to complete a two-part question about plant...
Mathematics Assessment Project
Designing 3d Products: Candy Cartons
Wouldn't it be great to work in a candy factory? Learners get their chance as they first design a carton for a candy that meets certain requirements. They then examine and analyze nets and explanations in sample student responses.
DiscoverE
DiscoverE Challenge: Pen Factory
Manufacture a great lesson on industrial manufacturing. A fun resource has learners use the production of pens to consider how assembly lines work. They write out a set of instructions for assembling a pen, test it out, then determine if...
Curated OER
Workers in Factories During the Gilded Age
Seventh graders experience what life was like in the factories during the Gilded Age. They explore the reasons behind the move for work place reforms during the Progressive Era. Students discuss the factors that led to work place reforms.
Curated OER
2nd Grade Social Studies
Having a basic understanding to how our economy works is a great way to help students understand the world around them. This Social Studies presentation focuses on defining the concepts of trade, goods, service, wants, needs, and...
National WWII Museum
What It Takes to Win: Mapping Primary Source Evidence
World War II was not just waged in Europe and Asia; the home front was key to Allied victory. Using newspaper clippings from World War II and a map, scholars plot out wartime production in the United States. After that, class members...
Curated OER
Work
Students identify productive resources. In this economics instructional activity, students read the book Charlie Needs a Cloak and discuss productive resources the character used in the book. Students participate in a simulated factory...
Curated OER
Tortilla Factory
Students identify productive resources and intermediate goods used to produce corn tortillas. In this productive resources lesson, students listen to the book Tortilla Factory and classify resources used to make paper tacos.
Curated OER
Production Consumption Worksheet
In this environment worksheet, students answer the 12 questions related to the concepts of manufacturing and consumption of real products.
Curated OER
Frightening Factory Farms
Students discuss existence of and conditions on factory farms, and identify alternatives to factory farms that provide sustainable solutions for food production and environmental safety.
Curated OER
Getting to Know the Products from Trees
In this tree products lesson, young scholars read the book Tell Me,Tree: All About Trees for Kids, discuss how people make products from wood, define producers and consumers and then go on a treasure hunt for wood products at home and...
Curated OER
Understanding Chemical Equations
In this chemical equations instructional activity, students identify the reactants and the products, state what phase each is in, and state the mole ratios of all the products and reactants. Students complete 10 problems.
Curated OER
A Timely Occupation
In this Gold Rush learning exercise, students fill out a chart for the job or business, the products or services provided, what we have today, and the services it provides. Students complete this for 14 jobs during the Gold Rush.
Curated OER
Child Labor
Students examine how how groups and institutions work to meet individual needs and promote the common good, and identify examples of where they fail to do so. They describe how workers with specialized jobs and the ways in which they...
Curated OER
The Miracle Resource - From Forest to Products
Young scholars create a collage of wood products labeled by type of wood product. In this product engineering lesson, learners work in groups to find pictures of solid wood products, engineered wood products, wood pulp, paper products,...
University of Wisconsin
Why Did the Triangle Fire Occur?
An investigation of the 1911 New York City Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire leads class members to examine primary and secondary source materials related to the event and apply what they learn about the working conditions at the time to...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Creating and Testing Silver-Nanoparticle Socks
Antibacterial socks are a product of nanotechnology. An inquiry-based lesson asks collaborative groups to create their own antibacterial socks and then test them against other products on the market. The sock with the least amount of...
Curated OER
Industrialization: A New way to work
Many shifts in culture, life style, and production changed with the onset of the Industrial Revolution. Basic facts regarding factory work, urbanization, and the effects of industrialization are covered in this presentation. If you're in...
Curated OER
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Students read "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." After observing the illustrations and previewing chapter titles, students predict what will happen in the story. They research and contact chocolate companies to gather information on...