1

Growth of Modern America:

Cities, Big Business, Immigration
1870s-1890s

Social Studies Grade: 6

Time Line: Start Wednesday and
end Thursday of the following
week

Class Time: 45 minutes

Katie Miller






2
Table of Contents


Rationale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pages 3-4
SOLs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 5
Complete Introductory Lesson Plan . . . . . Pages 6-11
Abbreviated Lesson Plans Days 2-6 . . . . . Pages 12-19
Subject Matter Content Outline . . . . . . . . . Pages 20-23
Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pages 24-25
Annotated Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pages 26-27
Exit Sheet































3




Rationale

Our goal for this unit is to plan a variety of engaging activities on the increase in
immigration, growth of cities, and the challenges in the 1800s. We will allow our
students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of this unit. In our unit we
discussed where the immigrants arrived once they made it to America along with the
significance that the Statue of Liberty holds, the importance and role of the assembly line,
the rise of big business, and the challenges that took place during this time. We
incorporated geography during this time era, literature to enhance the students knowledge
on this time period, and different look on life as they view what these immigrants had to
endure.
We believe that it is important for our students to learn and know about what took
place in our history; the positives and negatives. As we learn about our history it teaches
individuals the importance of learning about such things in order for it not to be repeated
in the present. History also includes cause and effects of various situations and issues
throughout the years. Our history helps up to appreciate the way of living that we have
today and the freedom that comes with it. Although our history has had its ups and downs
we should always remember what occurred and continue to educate everyone about it.
Being educated on our history helps the people of this nation to become better citizens, to
make moral and ethical decisions, and help spread democracy.
After learning about immigration, growth of cities, and the challenges that took
place in the 1800s, it will teach children about how people can adapt to new surroundings
4
and move to different places in order to better their lives. This unit also teaches children
about teamwork and the coming together of various backgrounds and ethnicity to make
one great nation.
Our classroom consists of twenty-three students, 13 females and 10 males, in
which includes African Americans, Caucasians, Hispanic, and Native American. Four of
our students have disabilities; such as ADHD, dyslexic, ESL, and impaired hearing. The
other nineteen students are working at grade level, however 4 of these students are
uncomfortable to read out loud or participate in front of the entire class.















5


SOLs

History and Social Science Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools:

Reshaping the Nation and the Emergence of Modern America: 1877 to the Early
1900s
USII.4 The student will demonstrate knowledge of how life changed after the Civil
War by
b) explaining the reasons for the increase in immigration, growth of cities, new
inventions, and challenges
d) explaining the impact of new inventions, the rise of big business, and the growth
of industry

Reading Grade 6:

6.6 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of nonfiction
texts.
b) use prior knowledge and build additional background knowledge as context for
new learning
1) use reading strategies to monitor comprehension throughout the reading process


Writing Grade 6:

6.1 The student will participate in and contribute to small-group activities
a) communicate as leader and contributor
b) evaluate own contributions to discussion
c) summarize and evaluate group activities
d) analyze the effectiveness of participant interactions













6
Unit: Growth of Modern America 1870s-1890s
Lesson Topic: Immigration
Grade: 6

Rationale:

The main purpose of this unit is to help 6th grade students learn about the Growth of
Modern America and the immigration that took place in 1870-1890 era and further
students knowledge of the impact immigration had on the Statue of Liberty in New York
City.

Objective:

SWBAT identify the importance of the Statue of Liberty and its significance to the
immigrants.

Lesson Opening: 8-9 minutes total

The students will enter the class and will create a replica crown of the Statue of Liberty
that will already be placed on their desks with a KWL chart that will be used later in the
lesson. These materials will be on their desk prior to entering.
There will be a projection on the white board of the Statue of Liberty on Elis Island.
A song playing that has the inscription of the Statue of Liberty as the lyrics as they create
their crowns. [http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/games/songs/patriotic/libertymp3.htm]

Begin Instruction: 2 minutes
Begin with questions about the Statue of Liberty; if any student knows what it is or have
ever been to the statue.
Await for answers

Connection: 3-4 minutes
Relate to any prior knowledge they may know about the Statue of Liberty from previous
grades, movies, or family experiences.
The students will fill out the K and W sections of the KWL chart.

Instructional Strategies/Process: (30 minutes total)
Have students watch two virtual tours of the Statue of Liberty. One being the areal view
of the entire statue and the second being its creation.
[http://www.nps.gov/featurecontent/stli/eTour.htm]
The class will read the book Naming Liberty. The teacher will spilt the class into two
groups by counting them off by twos. Followed by group one will read the left side
which tells the story about the journey of a Russian family to America. Group two will
read the right side which follows a timeline of the creation and construction of the Statue
of Liberty. This will take about 15-20 minutes to read and fill in the learned section of the
chart. Teacher walks around to monitor.

7
Write what each group has learned on the board: 5-7 minutes
Have students discuss as a class what was written on the board and add any information
that the students may have left out. During this time the students will also write in the L
section what the other groups have written on the board.
Notes Page
Pull up PowerPoint
Instruction for PowerPoint and note page 2-3 minutes

Present PowerPoint
Have the students complete the notes page and turn in to be reviewed and graded

Products:
KWL chart on immigration reading
Note taking
The Statue of Liberty Crown

Assessment:
Graded (formal)
1. Notes Page

Ungraded (informal)
1. KWL chart
2. Group discussion on the reading (participation chart)
3. Discussion on the video and pictures (Participation chart)

Closure: 10 minutes
Students will turn in their completed work. Tell the students that tomorrow we will be
talking about the assembly line and its impact.

Homework: None

Differentiation:
Lesson Clarity:
1. Asking questions , notes page/ assessment, graphic organizers, PowerPoint,
manipulatives
Instructional Variety:
1. PowerPoint, Worksheets, Comprehension/discussion questions,
Student Engagement:
1. Questioning, notes page, asking for participation during the lecture, sharing ideas and
thoughts; providing feedback, decorations around the room from the time period
Student Success Rate:
1. Medium success rate-Mistakes are allowed throughout the unit
2. High success rate- Assessments worksheets
Using Student Ideas/ Contributions:
1. Sharing with class- Statue of Liberty reading
2. Assembly line reactions and remarks
8
3. Asking the students what they will like to learn throughout the unit (KWL chart)
Questioning/Probing:
1. Questioning for discussion and comprehension, notes page, activities with questions
following
Product Changes:
1. More time to take quizzes and complete final assessment
2. Changing in terms of format- bigger font, size of directions,
3. If gifted we will change up the unit assessment and have the student(s) do a project in
which they will have to do research.

Materials:
1. PowerPoint Presentation
2. KWL chart
3. Book
4. Crown instructions- glue, scissors, markers
5. Virtual tour website





























9
10
Notes Page

Name: ______________________________

Date: _______________________________

Answer the questions completely.

1. What was the reasons for immigration?







2.Name two POSITIVE outcomes of immigration.






3.Name two NEGATIVE outcomes of immigration.






4. Describe the journey in which the immigrants had to make to reach the United
States.











11
Match the terms to its correct definition:





5. A place that provided food, health care, and classes for immigrants
_________________

6. Where the immigrants arrived in America ________________________

7. Crowded, poorly built apartments ______________________

8. The movement of people to another country or region ________________________

9. Founded Hull house in Chicago in the year 1889 _____________________________

10. A person who comes into a country to make a new life _________________________



















Tenements Jane Adams
Immigrants
Immigration Ellis Island Hull House
12
Lesson Plan 2

Objective: SWBAT identify the impacts the assembly line made on society during
the rise of big businesses.

Activity: The class will be divided into two sections. One group will be individual
workers and the other group will be assembly line workers. Then everyone will get
the same materials to construct edible cars.
-Graham Crackers
-Frosting
-M&Ms
-Starbursts
-Paper Plate
-Plastic Knife
Then the teacher will give instructions on how to construct the cars verbally and
written on paper. The assembly line group will have different instructions than the
individual workers group. Next once everyone knows his or her duties, the time of 6
minutes will begin and the students will start making the edible cars. The teacher
will walk around the room observing the students. After the time ends, the students
will share what worked well and what did not during the construction. The teacher
will write the main concepts on the board. As a class, they will also discuss how the
assembly line made an impact on big businesses, cities, and the workers. The
teacher will also write the main points on the board. The teacher will also discuss
other new invention and the people who contributed to them (Phonograph, The
Electric Light Company, Incandescent Lamp, First Motion Picture System, First
Practical Light bulb: Thomas Edison, Telephone: Alexander Graham Bell,
Automobile Industry in United States began).

Assessment: Each student will complete graphically organized notes by drawing an
assembly line and writing the impacts the assembly line made on the big businesses
that were discussed in class.














13
Graphically Organized Notes Assembly Line

Name: _________________________________________________ Date: _______________________________

Draw a picture of an assembly line.
Write the impacts of the assembly line on big businesses, cities, and the workers.
1. 2. 3. 4.
5. 6. 7. 8.
14
Lesson Plan 3

Objective: SWBAT discover the challenges immigrants had when they first arrived
to modern America.

Activity: A history professor from the nearby college will come to speak to the class
about what it was like when immigrants first arrived to modern America and
influential people of the time. Before the professor speaks, the teacher will have
given an introduction to the immigration section of the unit. They will have
discussed why immigrants wanted to move to America and where they came from.
The teacher will have also briefly touched on what it was like for the immigrants
when they first arrived, just so they students had some background knowledge for
the professors discussion. (Jane Adams, Ellen Gates, Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty,
Chinese Exclusion Act)


Assessment: The students will create a profile of a person who moved to America
and state the hardships they faced once they arrived, along with the benefits of
moving to America .


























15
Personal Profile

Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________________________

Directions: Create a profile for someone for migrated to America. Use the
information you learned for class and from the college history professor.
Name:
Gender: Male/ Female
Age:
Race:
Country travelled from:



Directions: Write the hardships your person may have faced once they arrived to
America. Also write the benefits of moving to America.

1.







2. 3.
4.







5. 6.
7.







8. 9.



16
Lesson Plan 4

Objective: SWBAT formulate the benefits and challenges of the growth of big
businesses during modern America.

Activity: The students will be divided into 4 groups and each group will have a
monopoly board game. The businesses will have already been changed on the board
to businesses relevant during the time period. The teacher will go over the
instructions with the class on how to play the game. Then the groups will play the
game and the teacher will monitor and talk to the groups as they are playing.
Afterwards each student will write a summary of their activity during the game and
if they used any strategies. Then students will share will the class interesting things
that happened during the game and the teacher will provide the actual challenge
and benefits that occurred during the time of the growth of modern America.
(Railroads: J.P Morgan, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Steel: Andrew Carnegie, Oil: John D.
Rockefeller)

Assessment: The students will write three I learned statements on a sheet of
paper they will turn in, about what they learned on the growth of big businesses.
One should contain a benefit and another a challenge the businesses faced. They will
also turn in their summary from the activity.
























17
Lesson Plan 5

Objective: SWBAT describe the growth of cities during the development of modern
America.

Activity: The students will be in partners and will walk around the classroom
looking at different pictures of cities and businesses that display the changes of life
and growth of modern America. They will talk to their partners and write down
what they see and think is happening in the pictures. Then everyone will share what
he or she thought (using a participation chart). Afterwards the teacher will make
emphasis to the major aspects of the growth of modern America. (Chicago,
Pittsburg, and New York were important places in immigrants lives, tenements,
ghettos, political corruption, middle class lived in comfortable houses, wealthy lived
far from the crowds)
Sources:
http://americanhistoryrules.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/les-1.jpg

http://theselvedgeyard.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/be002181.jpg?w=600&h=47
5

http://www.ushistoryscene.com/wp-
content/uploads/2012/02/Golden_Spike_ceremony_Promontory_Utah_May_10_186
9.jpg

Assessment: The students will create a graphic organizer with the major
aspects/contributing factors of the growth of cities in the development of modern
America. The participation chart will also be used.


















18
Graphic Organizer

Name: __________________________________________________ Date: _______________________________

Directions: Using the graphic organizer, write contributing factors for the growth of
cities during the growth of modern America from 1870s-1890s.







































19
Lesson Plan 6

Objective: SWBAT discuss the major impacts of the growth of modern America
during 1970s through 1890s.

Activity: The students will be placed in groups of 3 and will be given specific dates
during the growth of modern America. There will be a timeline on the wall around
the classroom. The students will write the major events, people, and inventions that
occurred during their given time period. The student will be given paper to write on
that will be clipped to the timeline. Once everyone has written at least one thing, we
will come back together as a class and the teacher will go around the room reading
what was put on the timeline and filling in missing features.

Assessment: A participation sheet will be used for the students and their
involvement in the timeline activity and class discussion.






























20
Content Outline (1870-1890s)
1870

February 3, 1870 The 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gave the right
to vote to black males, became law when the require number of states ratified it.
Cattle ranching became a boom industry in the 1870s. Ranchers shipped meat to a
growing population in the East.
John D. Rockefeller establish Standard Oil Company

1876

Nation League of Baseball League organized
Alexander Graham Bell patents the telephone

1877

B & O railroad worker strike
Phonograph was invented by Thomas Edison

1878

Thomas Edison Electric light company founded in New York City

1879

Thomas Edison perfects the incandescent lamp
Eastman patents process photographic plates

1880

James Garfield elected president

1881

James Garfield get assassinated; Chester A. Author becomes president
Booker T. Washington forms The Normal & Industrial Institute for Negroes (Later
named Tuskegee Institute)

1882

In 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act. This law excluded, or kept out,
all Chinese immigrants from coming to the United States for 10 years.
September 4, 1882 the electric power plant was created by Thomas Edison

1883
Brooklyn Bridge completed
21

1886

American Federation of Labor created by Samuel Goompers. Brought together trade
unions, which represented workers who were skilled in particular crafts. Some unions
used strikes to gain better pay.
Haymarket riot in Chicago. Police clashed violently with protesting workers. Public
officials in the court generally sided with factory owners.

1887

Interstate commerce commission established by congress to regulate railroads.

1888

Thomas Edison created the first motion picture system

1889

Jane Adams and Ellen Gates Starr open Hull House in Chicago. Hull house were the
first settlement house in the United States. It provided food, medical care, legal advice,
and english classes for immigrant families. Grew to 14 buildings as well as a summer
camp. Many women came to Hull House to work. They went on to be leaders in an
effort to help working families.
Jane Adams worked to change laws that hurt immigrants and poor people. She helped
start a group that worked for the rights of African Americans.

1890

Most immigrants came from countries in southern and eastern Europe, such as
Hungary, Italy, Greece, Poland, and Russia
Automobile Industry in the United States began.

1892

Ellis Island Immigration center opened in New York Harbor.
Homestead Strike

1896

William McKinley elected 25th president

Big Business and Labor:
Network of railroads across the county
Inventions such as refrigeration, telephone, and electric street car changed both
business and daily life
22
Thomas Edison; first practical light bulb, electric power plant, phonograph, and motion
pictures.
In the late 1800s inventors in America and Europe built the first Automobiles

The Growth of Big Business:
Railroad bearings bought up smaller lines and build great railroad empires
Most powerful New York Central railroad owner was Cornelious Vanderbilt
Railroad owner abused power by fixing prices and bribing public officials
Railroads created jobs and spurred the growth of industry
Successful businesses were steal, banking, and oil
Steel-Pittsburgh
Meat packing- Chicago
Andrew Carnegie- Steal maker
gain control of all aspects of the business, from iron mines to steal mills, to shipping
lines. Believing the wealthy had a duty to society, Carnegie gave millions to charity.
Big banks grew along with industries.
Banks invested in cooperations allowing bankers to control company policies
J. P. Morgan
Bought railroad and steal companies.
He merged several companies to form US Steal, which was the first billion dollar
American business.
John D. Rockefeller organized a trust that controlled a stock of rival companies that
made standard oil a monopoly.
Challenges for big business
These business practices reduce competition hurting smaller companies and
consumers
Benefit
Brought lower prices and improved people lives

Rise of organized labor:
Growth of American industries created thousands of new jobs
Working conditions were harsh and dangerous
Man workers were immigrants women and children who labored for long hours and
low pay in crowded sweatshops.
The Knights of Labor wanted shorter hours and an end to child labor.
Factory workers earned less than .22 a hour
Average work week was 59 hours, meaning 10 hours per day except Sunday
Steel workers worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week
Assembly lines made a big impact on American labor


Immigration and the growth of cities:
Between 1860 and 1910, about 23 million immigrants arrived in the United States.
Immigrants arrived to American by steamships
Chicago, Pittsburgh, and New York were important places in the new Immigrant lives
Challenges faced by cities:
23
Tenements and ghettos
Political corruption (political machines)

The new immigrants:
Most people came from southern or eastern Europe; Italy, Poland, Russia, and other
countries.
A growing number of Asians, mainly Chinese, arrived on the west coast
Language, religion, and culture set newcomers apart from their neighbors
Usually the older immigrants kept their traditional ways and their children hurried to
learn English and become citizens
Many Americans opposed the flood of immigrants saying that new comers will never
fit in to American Culture.
Discrimination against immigrates that were Chinese and Irish

American cities grow and change:
United States was once a rural and farming nation, that changed as people flocked to
cities
The tenements in which the poor lived were very small, dark and crowned
In these unhealthy conditions disease like Tuberculosis spread easily
Fire was frequent and crime common
Middle class families lived in comfortable houses
Very wealthy built mansions far from the crowd


Vocabulary
2. Corporation- Sells shares of stock to investors in exchange for money or capital
3. Monopoly- a company that dominates an industry
4. Dominate- to rule or control
5. Immigrant- A person who comes into a country to make a new life
6. Immigration-The movement of people into another country or region to which
they are not native in order to settle there
7. Reformer- someone who tries to change society
8. Settlement House/ Hull House- a place that provided food, health care, and
classes for immigrants
9. Jane Adams- founded Hull House in Chicago in 1889
10. Tenements- Crowded, poorly built apartment buildings
11. Thomas Edison- Created the first motion picture, electric power plant,
phonograph, and light bulb
12. Ellis Island- Where the immigrants arrived and examined
13. Angel Island- Immigrants that came from Asia arrived there
14. Alexander Graham Bell- Invents telephone
15. John D. Rockefeller- Establish standard oil company
16. Assembly Line- A series of workers and machines in a factory by which a
succession of identical items is progressively assembled


24
Unit Test
Growth of Modern America 1870s-1890s


Name: __________________________________________________ Date:________________________________

Directions: Circle the correct answer. (5 points each)

1. When arriving to New York City, the immigrants arrived at ______________________.
a) Time Square
b) Ellis Island
c) The Brooklyn Bridge
d) 5
th
Avenue

2. Who created the Hull House in 1889?
a) Thomas Edison
b) Lillian Ward
c) John Rockefeller
d) Jane Adams



Directions: Write the correct response using the word bank below. (2 points each)

Tenements Immigration Assembly Line
Alexander Graham Bell Monopoly

11. _____________________________ were crowded, poorly built, apartment buildings.


12. The Standard Oil Company is an example of a/an _____________________________.



Directions: Write True or False beside the statement. (2 points each)

6. ____________________ Immigrants wanted to move to America because their families
were there.
7. ____________________ Thomas Edison created the phonograph.







25
Directions: Match the vocabulary words to the correct definition by writing the
letter beside the vocabulary word. (2 points each)

________1. Sells shares of stock to investors A. Immigration
in exchange for money or capital

________2. To rule or control B. Assembly Line

________3. The movement of people into
another country or region to which C. Hull House
they are not native in order to settle there

________4. Someone who tries to change society D. Corporation

________5. A series of workers and machines in a E. Dominate
factory by which a succession of identical
items is progressively made F. Reformer

________6. A place that provided food, health care, G. Tenements
and classes for immigrants


BONUS: Write two people who made an impact during the growth of modern
America and what the impact was. (3 points)






















26
Bibliography

Berson, Michael J., Tyrone Caldwell. Howard, and Cinthia Salinas. The United States
Making a
New Nation. Orlando, FL: Harcourt School, 2007. Print.

"Prentice Hall America History of Our Nation Beginnings through 1877 Chapter 1 Book
Results." Prentice Hall America History of Our Nation Beginnings through 1877
Chapter 1. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.

Yolen, Jane, and Jim Burke. Naming Liberty. New York: Philomel, 2008. Print.


Music and video:
The Statue Of Liberty Song is about the statues significance and importance. It
describes the hardships in which the immigrants had to face while coming to American in
order to have a better way of living. It explains the parts of the statue and how each part
of her has a deeper than just the beautiful architecture.
http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/games/songs/patriotic/libertymp3.htm

This website providers many video clips and pictures of the Statue of Liberty. This
website also gives a virtual tour of the outside and inside of the beautiful Statue. It
provides calming music and wonderful highlights of this statue. This video also shows
how this huge piece of art was built, and explains that how it was shipped over after it
was finished being built.
http://www.nps.gov/featurecontent/stli/eTour.htm


Photos:
Tenements: Shows how a family of seven; two adults and five children has to live in a
one room apartment. They have to sleep, eat, and get dressed all in the same room. These
type of apartments were what immigrants had to live in; at times it was more than family
members living together. Many diseases would spread through these tiny apartments
causing illnesses and even deaths.
http://theselvedgeyard.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/be002181.jpg?w=600&h=475

Cities: This picture shows a busy street of a city. This street is filled with Americans as
well as immigrants buying and selling products. You can see small children as well as
elderly adults all taking place in this business environment.
http://americanhistoryrules.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/les-1.jpg

Big business: A town filled with businesses everywhere. Columns of smoke from the
factories is being distributed into the air throughout the town. The pollution from the
smoke is evident and thick. Also shows are men and horses and carriages; gathering
supplies for leaving or coming to work.
http://www.library.hbs.edu/hc/railroads/images/site/pictures/menu2/6_large.jpg
27
Businesses and Cities: This pictures shows many people standing together by a
railroad and train. In the center one can see two men shaking hands and above them
someone holding champagne. It is clear that the men are both sides are different and
main now be joining together from the handshake.
http://www.ushistoryscene.com/wp-
content/uploads/2012/02/Golden_Spike_ceremony_Promontory_Utah_May_10_186
9.jpg

Timeline: This lesson plan had a timeline that we used for more information on our
unit. It gave a break down the era with specific people, inventions, and events that
were important during the time.
http://www.teachamericanhistory.org/file/Manual%206.pdf

Edible Cars: This lesson provided the materials that were needed for the second
lesson. It told use what was needed to make the edible car and how they had the
students create it.
http://www.proteacher.org/a/91896_Henry_Ford.html