Geography
Unit
*Student Activity Worksheet 1 (we will
use these during the live VFT)
Download the Cotton Belt
map and duplicate for student use. Students will identify states that
make up the Cotton Belt {National Geography Standards; Standard 1, http://www.ncge.org/publications/tutorial/standards/}
Teacher Activity Worksheet
1 Key Cotton Belt map color coded as key for student map.
*Student Activity 1B
Using the same map where you colored the cotton belt states, put a big
X on each of the seven states that initially seceded from the Union.
Then put a XX on the four states that later joined them, making up the
11 Confederate States,
*Student Activity 1C (we will use these
during the live VFT)
Read and discuss together the resources below related to the Eonomics
of the Confederate States. Discuss why cotton was King in the south
before the war and how the war impacted the economy in the South and
what the war's impact was on the production of cotton in the South.
Students should discuss what caused the change in production and how
it impacted the economy of the South and ultimately how that impacted
the outcome of the war.
In the resource for King Cotton, you'll find the data
for the number of cotton bales produced each year by the Confederate
States.
We have prepared a spreadsheet activity to chart the cotton production
during the war. Students can either complete the activity by hand or
you can provide them with the Excel version of the form to use if you
want to complete the activity on the computer.
Download the Cotton
Production Form in PDF form to print out for students to prepare
by hand. They need to locate the number of bales produced each year
and then complete the bar chart by drawing bars to compare cotton production
during the civil war years.
Right-click the Cotton
Production Excel Form and choose "Save Target As" if you
want to make the spreadsheet template available for students to use.
When opened in Excel, adding the number of bales for each year will
automatically complete the chart.
Click HERE
for the PDF version of the Teacher's completed form,
and HERE for the Excel
version of the completed form.
Science
Unit
Life Cycle PowerPoint (Right-click
the link and choose "Save Target As" and save to your computer)
Download the presentation
file and use as a teaching tool for teaching the life cycle of the cotton
plant.
Life Cycle Vocabulary Worksheet.
Download and duplicate for
students to fill out during the Life Cycle PowerPoint presentation.
Teacher Life Cycle Vocabulary
Worksheet Key
*Student Activity Worksheet 2
Download the life cycle stages
file and duplicate for student use. Students will color and cut the
squares out then arrange the squares in the order of the cotton plant's
life cycle.
{National Science Education Standards K-4, Content Standard C, "Life
Cycles of Organisms" http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/6c.html}
Teacher Activity Worksheet 2
Key
*Extended Student Activity
Download "How to Grow your own Cotton Plant" In this activity, students will be able to grow their own cotton plant. After the cotton program, students can continue learning about the life cycle of cotton.
History
Unit
*Student Activity Worksheet 3 "Cotton: The Perennial Patriot"
Download the
pdf handout file which traces cotton's history in the United States
from the first planting by Virginia settlers to the present. Make copies
for each student.
Download Student Activity 3.
Duplicate for each student. They will use the Perennial Patriot handout
to locate answers for the word search activity.
Teacher Activity Worsheet
3 Key
The following resources will not be referred to directly
in our live virtual field trip, but are included to help the teacher
provide a better understanding of the story of cotton.
Visit the Eli Whitney Museum online at
http://www.eliwhitney.org/main.htm
This website contains much interesting information about the man, his
invention, and its impact on American history.
{National Standards for History, K-12; Standard 1, Chronological Thinking,
Standard 2, Historical Comprehension; http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/nchs/standards/thinkingk-4.html}
|
Field to Fabric PowerPoint. (right-click
and "Save Target As" and then run from your own computer)
Download the presentation
file for use as a teaching tool about the journey of cotton from
field to fabric.
The Many Faces of Cotton handout brochure.
Download the brochure
which includes some frequently asked questions and general information
about cotton.
(Special thanks to Cotton
Counts for allowing us to use resources from your website) |
(Pre-VFT activities)
Introduction: Tell the students that they are going to learn a little
about how and where cotton is grown. Explain to them that some high
school students in Stamford Texas are preparing a field trip for them
to visit Texas through the interactive television equipment. They will
be able to see and talk to the Stamford students on the day of the field
trip. Help them locate Stamford on a map of Texas. (See star on the
map below) Allow students to look at the pictures of our town and school
posted on our website.
2. Science discussion about life cycles and the life cycle of the
cotton plant.
Duplicate and distribute the vocabulary worksheet. Discuss any prior
learning students have had with respect to plant life cycles. Read over
each question to see if students can answer any of the questions. Tell
students to be watching for answers as they view the slide presentation.
Show the Life Cycle PowerPoint and discuss each slide with the students,
pointing out the images that illustrate each phase of the life cycle.
Encourage students to point out answers they notice as the slide presentation
progresses. Check that all students are filling out their worksheets
as they go. (Answer key for vocabulary worksheet is included)
Duplicate and distribute the Student Activity Worksheet #2. Have
students color the various parts of the cotton plant life cycle and
cut each block apart. Then have students glue the blocks back into order
onto another sheet of paper to demonstrate their understanding of the
order of the plant's life cycle. (Teacher key is included)
Life Cycle of Organisms:{National Science Education Standards K-4, Content
Standard C, "Life Cycles of Organisms"
http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/6c.html}
3. History discussion about Eli Whitney's
invention.
Download and print out the
picture and diagram of the Whitney gin. Discuss the process with
the students so they understand how the cotton moved from the hopper
through a grate and brushes to separate the seed from the fiber.
Visit the Eli Whitney Museum online at
http://www.eliwhitney.org/main.htm
Have students pay attention to the process of the simple gin and
be ready to compare that to the modern day gin operations shown
in the Field to Fabric PowerPoint. |
|
Other related online resources:
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blcotton_gin.htm
http://sc.essortment.com/cottongin_rciv.htm
3b. Discussion about the journey of cotton from the farm to the
department store. Show the Field to Fabric PowerPoint to generate student
discussion about the farming process (life cycle), the various byproducts
of cotton, the importance of industrialization and how it has impacted
history and economy in the United states, etc. Encourage students to
think of and write down questions they might like to ask Stamford students
during the upcoming VFT. (please pre-screen questions to make best use
of our time)
Download "The Many Faces of Cotton" pdf file which gives facts
and answers some frequently asked questions about cotton.
{Activity 3, National Standards for History, K-12; Standard 1, Chronological
Thinking, Standard 2, Historical Comprehension;
http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/nchs/standards/thinkingk-4.html}
Interactive Student Tutorials
We have created some interactive PowerPoint tutorials that allow students to review the instructional objectives we've covered in our cotton unit. We hope your students enjoy these projects. Right-Click an image below and download the PowerPoint to the desktop for students. Please give us feedback on any problems you encounter with any of the tutorials.
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