Unit Plan: Company Towns in Southern Colorado
Grade level: Appropriate for grades 7-9
Estimated Time Needed: Approximately two weeks
Objectives:
Upon completion students should be able to;
- Give a definition of a company town
- Explain why company towns were built.
- List advantages and disadvantages of company towns for owners.
- List advantages and disadvantages for the miners.
- Describe the layout of a company town.
- Give three examples of company towns in Southern Colorado.
- Identify primary and secondary sources and use both types to research and interpret information pertaining to company towns.
- Use reading and writing as a tool for learning.
- Use technology as a means of gathering information.
Activities:
Select which ones to complete based on your time allowances.
- Introduce the concepts of primary and secondary sources of information by allowing students to examine several types of each. Discuss the differences and the types of thinking required when using each. Have the students identify source examples provided by the teacher
- Introduce the company town research project View Project
- Go over the evaluation criteria for this project, which will provide standards and a guide for the students while researching.
- Identify the due dates for each component of the project.
- Assign students to work individually or in groups.
- Schedule a day or two at the end of the project for students to present their research to the class.
- Build a Model Town This activity will help students understand the layout of a company town.
- Visit a mining town or other company town to compare the town sites on the web with one where students can walk the streets.
- Write a brief (1-2 page) essay comparing the advantages of owning a town to the advantages of working in one. Students should draw conclusions based upon evidence they have produced in their papers.
- Draw a map which shows the layout of a company town.
- Give a brief speech to the class describing three different towns and which you would have lived in if you lived at that time and had the choice.
Materials Resources:
Access to the internet; access to computers, word processing and presentation software; access to adequate library materials; and project rubrics.
For corrections and contributions regarding this World Wide Web page, contact Dr. Vernon L. Williams
ACU Station Box 28130, Department of History, Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas 79699.
Eİmail vwilliams@nicanor.acu.edu
Fax (915) 674-2369
Telephone (915) 674-2150.