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Summary and Objective
Students will understand that child labor laws have evolved and that the National Child Labor Commission had a major impact on this evolution. Students will understand that many mills which used child labor were located in Massachusetts, some within their own towns.
Teaching Plan
Step 1.
Pre-activities: This lesson will take place in the middle of a unit on Industrialization. Students will already have an understanding of mill working conditions and that children were used for their cheap labor to work in the mills. Students will have completed a read aloud and discussion on the book "Counting on Grace" by Elizabeth Winthrop, giving them insight into the life of a young mill girl. In the room display images of local mills or factories. In a classroom within Franklin or Hampshire Counties I would suggest displaying images from the American Centuries website such as those of the New Home Sewing Machine Co., Russell Cutlery, Starrett Co, Minute Tapioca Factory, and the Sprague Co. In addition display the operating hours for the Hamilton Mill and review the mill schedule with the students. This will set the mood and tone of the lesson and allow for some discussion about the mills that existed in the towns nearby where many children were employed.
Step 2.
Have the students read the advertisements looking for girls to work in the mills and then examine the 1875 census to show how many children their age were working in the mills.
Step 3.
Next give each student a picture of a child working in the mills. Use pictures from the History Place or another site with photographs by Lewis Hine. Teachers should select pictures that they will be able to facilitate a discussion on.
Step 4.
Have the students brainstorm a list of ideas and thoughts about what it might have been like to do the job of the person in their photograph.
Step 5.
Next have the children write a first person story about the child in their photograph using their knowledge of mill work.
Step 6.
After the students have written and shared their stories, lead them in a brief discussion regarding the Child Labor Laws. Begin by showing them the pamphlet from the National Child Labor Commission from the American Centuries website. Discuss the meaning behind pamphlets such as these.
Step 7.
Finally, review the Child Labor Project's time line of child labor, stressing the importance of the Child Labor Commission and the Lewis Hine photographs, and how these two things impacted the child labor laws.
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