Reformer Rap

This week we are learning about reform movements of the 1800s as well as the Progressive Era (a period of social activism and reform during the 1890s to 1920s).  Topics include the temperance movement, increased educational opportunities, improved working conditions, food safety regulations, improving city life, as well as political reforms.  

 For some reason, whenever I am getting ready to start this unit about reformers, I always think of the song Informer by Snow (a one-hit-wonder from the early '90s).  I decided I was going to write my own lyrics and create a rap about reformers!  As I've mentioned before, I am ALWAYS trying to find new and engaging ways to present information to my students and music is a really fun way to do this.  I used the GarageBand application on my Mac to record the song! Here is my version (you can follow along to the lyrics written below):

Reformer Rap Lyrics

Hey yo’ what’s up class? I’m Gold Rush and

I’m here to represent the U to the S to the History…

Reformer, society will never be the same

Because you fought for a change

Because of you I get minimum wage,

We've really got swag now (repeat twice)

You say you don’t need an education,

but Horace Mann he said you need one

He took land taxes and started a fund

so you can get schooled and have lots of fun

Reformer, society will never be the same

Because you fought for a change

Because of you, I won’t be treated like a slave

We've really got swag now (repeat twice)

You see that food that you’ve been eatin’

Well check out the label and get to readin’

The Jungle exposed meat inspection and the

FDA created for our protection

Reformer, society will never be the same

Because you fought for a change

Because of you, many peeps have been saved

We've really got swag now (repeat twice)

You work decent hours with heat and light

But some people didn’t and that wasn’t right

Labor unions formed and started to fight

Now you get over time for workin’ at night, reformer

(pause)

Reformer, society will never be the same

Because you fought for a change

Because of you, I get a minimum wage

We've really got swag now (repeat twice)

My girl, Dorothea Dix, conditions for the mentally ill she fixed

Jane Addams…helped people get up and at ‘em

Jacob Riis, his photographs create memories

Reformer, society will never be the same

Because you fought for a change

Because of you, my life won’t go down the drain

We've really got swag now (repeat twice)

 

The Future is History

As we enter into our Gilded Age unit (more lessons from this unit), we've been discussing technology and its impact on society. As a way to hook students into this lesson, we read a list of predictions about the future that were made by Americans in the 1950s.

Some of the predictions have come true, like the flat screen tv, but others have yet to happen.  Nonetheless, the list provides the basis for much discussion. For instance, we discussed the root causes of warfare as well as how people could in fact live to be 115 years old.  After discussing the future of yesterday, we took our discussion back to cutting edge technology of the late 1800s.

Steel production, oil refining, the telegraph (Samuel Morse), telephone (Alexander Graham Bell), and light bulb (Thomas Edison) were all part of our discussion.  I used video clips and digital resources to explain each item.

 To illustrate exactly how the telegraph operated, we took a virtual visit to the Museum of Obsolete Objects.
  It is fun to explore all of the items in the museum that have been replaced by more advanced technology.  The students really enjoy discussing both the technology of the past as well as what it is been replaced with today.

To end the lesson, the students were asked to choose an invention from the past, describe what current piece of technology does the same job, and then make a prediction about what will replace the technology in the future. Making predictions also brings the lesson full circle to where we began, which was reading other people's predictions about what American society would be like in their future!

Chat Time!

As part of our new unit on the Gilded Age and Progressive Eras, we just started watching the film Gangs of New York.  Instead of pausing the film every time I want to point something out or every time a student has a question, I create a private chatroom at TodaysMeet.com.

TodaysMeet is a really cool (and free) resource for teachers and presenters who want to encourage a backchannel chat amongst their students or audience.  Backchanneling allows conversations to go on while something is being presented.  In this case, we watch the film while having an online conversation.  I can also print out a transcript of our conversation to give to the students as notes.  How cool is that?  Most students seem to really like this activity because it takes something they love to do (chat online) and allows them to do it with a purpose!  This type of 21st Century activity would not be possible if it weren't for the 1-to-1 laptop initiative, so I am very thankful for that!  Check it out in action:

I'd also like to give a shout out to Mr. Richard Byrnes, whose blog I follow to get lots of cool ideas on how to integrate technology in my classroom.

5th Grade Field Trip

The day has finally arrived when we were able to share the American Revolution children's books with the 5th graders!!  This was the first time I did this project with my classes (I'm always trying to think of new and creative projects) and I think it went really well, overall.  The students seemed to enjoy their visits with the 5th graders and most books turned out great!  The skills the students used to complete this project were creative writing, editing/peer editing, historical research, blending history with fiction, and certainly cooperative learning because this was a group project.   Here is a video I created with pictures from the field trip...Enjoy!

Virtual Visit

Just a quick little video featuring some views of our classroom while the kids were working on peer editing their children's book chapters:

Technology

The laptops have provided a wonderful way for me to integrate all sorts of new activities into each unit of study.  One example is being able to bring classes together without having to leave our classroom!  This week each of my classes had Skype sessions (video chats) with the 5th grade students for whom they are writing their children's books on the American Revolution.  They introduced themselves to one another and sort of gave a preview of what their books are about.  We will be traveling down to the elementary schools in a few weeks but in the meantime, this was a great way to generate interest for this activity for both groups of students.