Title III Learning Experience

Learning Context | Procedure | Instructional/Environmental Modifications | Time Required | Resources | Assessment Plan | Student Work | Reflection

LEARNING CONTEXT

Purpose or Focus of Experience

 This year, 2000, is an important year for citizens of the United States, because it is a year when all the residents will be counted for the census. Studying an old census can help students understand the purpose of a census, as well as how to derive information from one. In addition, much local history can be gleaned by studying the old censuses.

Connection to Standards

ELA 3

Use historic documents to analyze information, and draw conclusions.

SST 1, 2

Listen and participate in classroom debates and discussions of important events in local history.

Use historical documents to gather information.

Identify and locate countries listed on census information.

Essential Question

What changes have occurred in families and in occupations since the census was taken in 1905?

Content Knowledge: Declarative, Procedural

 Materials needed:

• Selected pages of the Lyme Census of 1905
• Sheet and hand-held magnifiers
• Student journals

• Overhead projector

Activity Directions:

The teacher will select one page of the 1905 census to place on the overhead projector. As this is a new experience for most students, the concept of a census must first be addressed. One way might be to actually take a brief census of a few classmates.

After introducing the concept, the teacher will explain the categories on the census of 1905. A whole group guided practice will occur with the teacher asking questions and then helping students find the answers, if necessary. When the students are comfortable with the reading of the census, the teacher will hand out the worksheet and have the students work in pairs.

Magnifiers should be available, as census information can be difficult to decipher.

Using the Census of 1905

1. List the members of the Ezra Thompson family from the Lyme Census of 1905. List the family members in the order in which they appear on the census.

2. Work with a partner. You may need to use a magnifier too help read the census information. Your first job will be to make a list of occupations that you can identify from the census pages. After you have completed your first list, make a second list that contains jobs that you have never heard of or that no longer exist. While you are working, keep in mind the following questions, which will be used for discussion questions later.

1. What changes have occurred in families since 1905?

• What do you notice about the jobs and who held the jobs in 1905?

• You will see servant listed as a relation in a few places. What did that mean?

D. Other than the United States, which countries were Lyme residents from in 1905? How do you suppose that would compare to today?

ASSESSMENT PLAN

Part of the assessment will be done informally by the teacher as the lesson wraps up during the group discussion. The students will individually address at least two of the four discussion questions in their student journals. After writing in the student journals, the students will word process their response, and take it home to share with their parents.

Journal Writing Rubric

4

Writer focuses on the assigned topic.

Writer includes a well-constructed topic sentence.

Writer clearly communicates using many details and examples.

Writer goes above and beyond what it required.

3

Writer mostly focuses on the assigned topic.

Writer includes a topic sentence.

Writer communicates using many details and examples.

Writer completes assignment.

2

Writer attempts to focus on the assigned topic.

Writer may include a topic sentence.

Writer communicates using few details and examples.

Writer may not fully complete assignment.

1

Writer does not focus on the assigned topic.

Writer does not include a topic sentence.

Writer communicates using few if any details and examples.

Writer does not fully complete assignment.

INSTRUCTIONAL/ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATIONS

The teacher may pair up students to accommodate differences in learning styles. Additional help in the classroom from Remedial and Resource teachers would help facilitate in the reading and understanding of the census.

TIME REQUIRED

 This learning experience could be completed in three to four class periods.

RESOURCES

In addition to the materials and supplies listed above, the teacher can locate local materials on the census and other local history information at the following locations: city, county, and village clerks’ offices; local and school libraries; local and county museums and historical societies; and the archives at local newspapers. Other great resources are town or village historians, or elder members of the community.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES

A field trip to the county clerk’s office would be a wonderful activity that would enhance this learning activity. The students would be able to see the oversized books where these census records are actually kept. They would be able to search different townships and try to locate some of their ancestors.

Another activity would be to invite the village or town historian to come into the classroom and share their local history information on the census with the students.

.