Sandra Trapp – Wishon Elementary

Lesson Summary:
CONTENT AREA:
Study of Cotton in relation to United States History.

OBJECTIVE:
To relate the significance of cotton to the Civil War period and to study the cotton industry in general and its history relating especially to the Civil War period specifically.

MATERIALS:
“Cotton’s Journey-A Field Trip In A Box” kit (includes video, teaching guide, “Clever Cotton” student booklet and samples of cotton and its products); “Story of Cotton” found on the website www.cottonsjourney.com, National Cotton Council map of cotton growing areas; world map; United States map.

PREPARATION:
Put map of cotton area in the United States (inside teaching guide) on an easel or copy on to transparency for easy viewing; watch video; read books on cotton; set out books on cotton for the students to read; set up large post-it chart.

MANAGEMENT:
Some work will be done with the whole class to introduce the study; some assignments will be done individually, as journal writing for example and some in small groups at stations. This will be a study done during our history of the Civil War period. Each station will cover a different aspect of cotton: some activity pages from the kit, viewing of the video, and art activity, a research activity on the computer, and a music activity.

PROCEDURE:
Introduce the cotton study with brainstorming map (see below) and by making a chart of what they know already and what they need or want to learn; show the video as an introduction (will view again at the stations); make a chart of vocabulary as we proceed; set out the station activities.

CLOSURE/EVALUTION:
Write a paragraph about what they learned about cotton and its histrory using the information gained from the stations, video, class discullion, books, charts, journal writing, and maps. Take a fill-in the blank test (modified form the one in the kit) and use the “Story of Cotton” sample questions found on the Website www.cottonsjourney.com.

EXTENSIONS:
Invite a cotton farmer to talk with the class; take a field trip to a cotton farm, textile or cottonseed oil mills, and/or cotton gin.

BRAINSTORM MAP

1. Theme-Cotton in U.S. History.

2. Reading-Read “The Story of Cotton”, www.cottonsjourney.com; “Unraveling Fibers”, by Patricia Keeler; “Cotton”, by Millicent Selsam; “Mr. Blue Jeans”, by Mary Ann Weldt.

3. Written Language-Keep a journal of responses to each area of the study. Research report on the computer on various aspects of cotton. Report could be in different forms: paragraph, news report, diagram, question/answer.

4. Oral Language-Present research report to the class.

5. Geography-Map of U.S. showing cotton growing areas. Identify the states. Identify the countries on a world map where cotton is grown.

6. Art-Draw a cotton branch. Draw a diagram of the cotton process from beginning to end. Make a picture using cotton for part of the picture. Draw a picture of something(s) made from cotton or a collage.

7. Science-Use “Cotton’s Journey-A Field Trip In A Box” kit.
Social Studies/History: Tie in cotton study with significance and importance of cotton during the Civil War.

8. Music-Sing “Pick a Bale of Cotton” song. Some may make up a rap about cotton if they’re so gifted.