Unit Plan: Social Activities in Mining Towns

Grade level: Appropriate for grades 7-9

Estimated Time Needed:Approximately two to three weeks

Objectives:

• Compare and contrast the social activities in mining towns to the activities in average towns of today.

• Evaluate the validity of a source of information.

• Use reading and writing as a tool for learning.

• Reconstruct a portion of social history.

Activities:

1. Have the students read the book Schafers of Cokedale to gather information.

2. Show the students how to browse the net to find additional information about mining towns. Show them the Cokedale Colorado web site. http://www.acu.edu/academics/history/cokedale

3. Introduce the activities in mining towns project. (Click on the attached handout).
   • Go over the evaluation criteria for the project, which will provide standards and a guide for the students while gathering research.

   • Identify specific due dates for each component of the project.

   • Assign students to work in groups.

Materials/Resources: Access to the internet; access to computers; access to adequate library materials; the book Schafers of Cokedale (email Dr. Vernon L. Williams to get access information); and project rubrics.

Author

For corrections and contributions regarding this World Wide Web page, contact Dr. Vernon L. Williams, ACU Box 28130, Department of History, Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas 79699.
E-mail vwilliams@nicanor.acu.edu
Fax (915) 674-2369
Telephone (915) 674-2150