ALEX Learning Activity

  

Avondale Mills: A Change of Life for Alabamians

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  This learning activity provided by:  
Author: Lesa Roberts
Organization:Whitesburg Christian Academy
  General Activity Information  
Activity ID: 2101
Title:
Avondale Mills: A Change of Life for Alabamians
Digital Tool/Resource:
Avondale Mills Encyclopedia of Alabama article
Web Address – URL:
Overview:

Students will annotate and analyze a secondary source about the industrialization, urbanization and cultural changes to Birmingham and Sylacauga, Alabama. Students will discuss in groups how the Avondale textile mills affected urban growth and the lives of mill employees. Groups will work together to summarize excerpts of the Encyclopedia of Alabama Avondale Mills article. 

This activity results from the ALEX Resource Gap Project.
  Associated Standards and Objectives  
Content Standard(s):
Social Studies
SS2010 (2010)
Grade: 6
United States Studies: The Industrial Revolution to the Present
1 ) Explain the impact of industrialization, urbanization, communication, and cultural changes on life in the United States from the late nineteenth century to World War I.

Unpacked Content
Strand: Economics, Geography, History, Civics and Government
Course Title: United States Studies: The Industrial Revolution to the Present
Evidence Of Student Attainment:
Students:
  • Explain the impact of industrialism, urbanization, communication, cultural changes on life in the US from the late 19th Century to World War I.
Teacher Vocabulary:
  • industrialization
  • urbanization
  • WWI
Knowledge:
Students know:
  • How industrialization, urbanization, communication, and cultural changes in the United States from the late nineteenth century to World War I have effected the lives of Americans.
Skills:
Students are able to:
  • Explain the impact of industrialism on life in the US from the late 19th Century to World War I.
  • Explain the impact of urbanization on life in the US from the late 19th Century to World War I.
  • Explain the impact of communication on life in the US from the late 19th Century to World War I.
  • Explain the impact of cultural changes on life in the US from the late 19th Century to World War I.
Understanding:
Students understand that:
  • Industrialization, urbanization, communications and cultural changes in the United States from the late nineteenth century to World War I have impacted the lives of Americans.
Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.6.1- Distinguish between the concepts of industrialization and urbanization; identify the importance of new resources and technological advancements on the United States, including petroleum and steel.
Learning Objectives:

  • Students will explain the impact of industrialization and urbanization on families in Alabama mill towns.

  • Students will explain the cultural changes that families in Alabama mill towns experienced. 
  Strategies, Preparations and Variations  
Phase:
During/Explore/Explain
Activity:

  1. Assign the students into four small groups (two groups will read about the Birmingham Mill and two will read about the Sylacauga Mill).

  2. Distribute the Avondale Mills article and tell the students they will complete a 5-4-3-2-1 graphic organizer. 

  3. Remind students that they should look for information that describes how the mill communities affected the cities (industrialization and urbanization) and families (cultural).

  4. On the board, make a five-column graphic organizer with the following labels:  COMMUNITIES (five facts), MILL FAMILIES (four facts), FINANCES (three facts), COMER INITIATIVES (two), and QUESTIONS (one or more).

  5. The Birmingham groups should read paragraphs #4-7; the Sylacauga groups should read paragraphs #8-11.

  6. Students should highlight and annotate their sections of the article, looking specifically for the facts to be discussed.

  7. Allow the groups time to discuss the readings. The groups should create lists of five facts about mill communities; four facts about the mill families; three facts about mill factory/community finances; two Comer initiatives that benefited the workers; and one or more questions that the group still has. 

  8. Allow time for each group to share their responses. The teacher or students may complete the group graphic organizer on the board as ideas are shared.
Assessment Strategies:

  • The teacher should monitor students while they are reading, encouraging and documenting annotations on the article.

  • The teacher should monitor/document group discussions.

  • Students/Groups should complete the 5-4-3-2-1 graphic organizers.

  • The class should be able to discuss how the industrialization of the mill factories affected the urbanization of Birmingham and Sylacauga and the cultural effects on the families that worked in the textile mills. 
Advanced Preparation:

  1. Print a copy of the Avondale Mills article from the Encyclopedia of Alabama.

  2. Number the paragraphs and make a copy for each student.

  3. Have highlighters for students for annotations.

  4. Be ready to create four groups.
Variation Tips (optional):

The teacher may print photographs of the Avondale Mills and workers from the Encyclopedia of Alabama and use them for further discussions (factories, Comers, families, child laborers).
Notes or Recommendations (optional):

Each student may be required to complete the 5-4-3-2-1 chart or each group may complete one together. 
  Keywords and Search Tags  
Keywords and Search Tags: