Source: http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe30s/lrSocStud03.html
Objectives
Suggested grade level: 6th-8th.The student will:
• Describe life before the introduction of electricity
• Debate the implications of the introduction of electricity on society
Introduction
In this lesson, students will find folks in their community who can remember a time when flipping a switch to get heat or light was not normal or even possible in their home or farm. This lesson explores the thoughts of several who remember those days and can bring those days to life through their interviews.The Resources
Links from within the Wessels Living History Farm site. [Note that clicking on these links will open a new browser window. Just close it and you'll be back to this page.] Direct the students to these pages to learn more about migration and immigration.- Bringing Electricity to the Farm [http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe30s/life_08.html]
Other Links:
- Rural America Sees the Light http://www.basinelectric.com/history.htm
Worksheets in PDF format for handouts:
- Venn Diagram activity
- Four Panel Foldable instructions
- Debate Worksheet
The Process
Part 1Have your students complete the attached Venn Diagram activity that asks them to list as many examples of what life is like with electricity and then have them list as many examples what life was like without electricity. The challenge is to have them look for examples that might fit in both experiences.
Part 2
Have your students read the information and listen to the interviews provided on the Bringing Electricity to the Farm page and the pages following it. After they have gone through the information, have them create a Four Panel Foldable per the instructions provide on the PDF file. After they have created the foldable have your students label each panel as "Radio," "Lamp," "Refrigerator," and "Games." After the foldables have been labeled, have your students illustrate how people living during the 1930's might have dealt with life without electricity.
Part 3
Have your students continue their research about life before electricity and also have them explore life after electricity. Use the Bringing Electricity to the Farm page and the pages following it as a basis for their exploration. Divide your class into two groups identified as BEFORE and AFTER. Have your students use the Debate Worksheet to develop a position based on their research they have completed. Once they have completed the worksheet and are prepared to present their position have them discuss their individual positions within their group and develop some consensus. Have the groups select several spokespersons to represent their position in a classroom debate. The rest of the class needs to be completing their individual forms based on the discussion generated through the debate.
Learning Advice
This is a good opportunity for you to:- bring in guest speakers
- bring in items that have been used in the past
- visit your local historical society
- have a representative come from your:
- local historical society
- local power company
- local government representative
