Lesson 6: Labor Unions and Strikes
Rationale:
This lesson will demonstrate to students the reasons why workers began striking. The lesson will teach students how workers reacted by beginning to strike against the authority of the factories. By striking, workers were eventually able to make changes in their work experiences. This lesson will demonstrate how workers were able to change the structures of power and authority.
Curriculum Frameworks:
· Massachusetts Frameworks: USI.28 Explain the emergence and impact of the textile industry in New England and industrial growth generally throughout antebellum America. (H, E)
A. the technological improvements and inventions that contributed to industrial growth
B. the causes and impact of the wave of immigration from Northern Europe to America in the 1840s and 1850s
C. the rise of a business class of merchants and manufacturers
D. the roles of women in New England textile factories
· NCSS Theme: Power, Authority, and Governance- “Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people create, interact with, and change structures of power, authority, and governance.”
Learning Objectives:
Students will understand why workers wanted to create change and uprising against their bosses and the factory owners. Students will understand the lifestyle of workers before and after the strikes. Students will understand how participating in strikes affect workers lives both positively and negatively.
Teaching Methods: Civic Engagement
Procedure:
1. Divide students into two groups of ten students each
2. Each group will have one ‘overseer’, 7 factory workers, and 2 replacement workers. Their roles will be verbally explained and written on the board for reference.
3. Each group will be given a stack of rollerblade paper cut outs. Each factory worker will be given a specific role (Cut out left blade, cut out right blade, cut out left boot, cut our right boot, glue blade to right boot, glue blade to left boot, and color boots). The overseer will be in charge of the workers and making sure they are efficient and follow orders. The replacement workers will be used to fill in for workers who quit, break rules, or work too slowly.
4. Instruct each group that they are going to simulate a factory work experience. They will the entire class to make as many pairs of rollerblades as possible. Without letting the students know, the simulation shouldn’t take more than ten minutes.
5. During the course of the 10 minutes, I will pass along rules to the overseers to implement in their factories. These rules include reprimands for: non-involvement, each instance of talking, leaning back in their chairs, slouching, giggling, and looking away from their work. The overseers can fire any worker who does not comply with the rules at their own discretion. The replacement workers would fill in their place.
6. As the ten minutes progress, the rules will become stricter. It should not take too long for a worker or group of workers to protest and strike.
7. Once the protests or strikes occur, tell students the activity is done since they have protested working.
8. Discuss and debrief the activity. Whey did workers begin to get upset and not want to work anymore? How did the overseer feel instructing the rules and firing people? How did the replacement workers feel? Did they accept the rules since they didn’t have a job right away? How did the workers feel knowing that they could be easily replaced? Did the overseers fear losing all of their workers? What was more important to the workers, keeping their job or changing the rules?
9. Give brief lecture on the historical content of the labor strikes during the Industrial Revolution.
10. Regroup students into three new groups and distribute one of the three quotes to each group.
11. In their group have students answer the corresponding question to analyze their quote.
12. Each group will present their quote and analysis to the rest of the class.
13. Students’ exit ticket will be to answer three questions to assess their understanding of the day’s lesson. Questions will include: List three reasons factory workers went on strike; What did factory workers risk upon protesting?; Explain two positive outcomes of the worker strikes.
Assessment:
Assessment will be based on their participation in the simulation and in their quotation analysis groups. Assessment will also be based upon their exit ticket responses.
Materials:
Rollerblade sheets, glue sticks, markers, typed up quotes, typed up questions, exit tickets
This lesson will demonstrate to students the reasons why workers began striking. The lesson will teach students how workers reacted by beginning to strike against the authority of the factories. By striking, workers were eventually able to make changes in their work experiences. This lesson will demonstrate how workers were able to change the structures of power and authority.
Curriculum Frameworks:
· Massachusetts Frameworks: USI.28 Explain the emergence and impact of the textile industry in New England and industrial growth generally throughout antebellum America. (H, E)
A. the technological improvements and inventions that contributed to industrial growth
B. the causes and impact of the wave of immigration from Northern Europe to America in the 1840s and 1850s
C. the rise of a business class of merchants and manufacturers
D. the roles of women in New England textile factories
· NCSS Theme: Power, Authority, and Governance- “Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people create, interact with, and change structures of power, authority, and governance.”
Learning Objectives:
Students will understand why workers wanted to create change and uprising against their bosses and the factory owners. Students will understand the lifestyle of workers before and after the strikes. Students will understand how participating in strikes affect workers lives both positively and negatively.
Teaching Methods: Civic Engagement
Procedure:
1. Divide students into two groups of ten students each
2. Each group will have one ‘overseer’, 7 factory workers, and 2 replacement workers. Their roles will be verbally explained and written on the board for reference.
3. Each group will be given a stack of rollerblade paper cut outs. Each factory worker will be given a specific role (Cut out left blade, cut out right blade, cut out left boot, cut our right boot, glue blade to right boot, glue blade to left boot, and color boots). The overseer will be in charge of the workers and making sure they are efficient and follow orders. The replacement workers will be used to fill in for workers who quit, break rules, or work too slowly.
4. Instruct each group that they are going to simulate a factory work experience. They will the entire class to make as many pairs of rollerblades as possible. Without letting the students know, the simulation shouldn’t take more than ten minutes.
5. During the course of the 10 minutes, I will pass along rules to the overseers to implement in their factories. These rules include reprimands for: non-involvement, each instance of talking, leaning back in their chairs, slouching, giggling, and looking away from their work. The overseers can fire any worker who does not comply with the rules at their own discretion. The replacement workers would fill in their place.
6. As the ten minutes progress, the rules will become stricter. It should not take too long for a worker or group of workers to protest and strike.
7. Once the protests or strikes occur, tell students the activity is done since they have protested working.
8. Discuss and debrief the activity. Whey did workers begin to get upset and not want to work anymore? How did the overseer feel instructing the rules and firing people? How did the replacement workers feel? Did they accept the rules since they didn’t have a job right away? How did the workers feel knowing that they could be easily replaced? Did the overseers fear losing all of their workers? What was more important to the workers, keeping their job or changing the rules?
9. Give brief lecture on the historical content of the labor strikes during the Industrial Revolution.
10. Regroup students into three new groups and distribute one of the three quotes to each group.
11. In their group have students answer the corresponding question to analyze their quote.
12. Each group will present their quote and analysis to the rest of the class.
13. Students’ exit ticket will be to answer three questions to assess their understanding of the day’s lesson. Questions will include: List three reasons factory workers went on strike; What did factory workers risk upon protesting?; Explain two positive outcomes of the worker strikes.
Assessment:
Assessment will be based on their participation in the simulation and in their quotation analysis groups. Assessment will also be based upon their exit ticket responses.
Materials:
Rollerblade sheets, glue sticks, markers, typed up quotes, typed up questions, exit tickets