While the academic focus of many CareerKit activities is on strengthening reading and writing skills, social studies content is also included. In the Manufacturing CareerKit, Unit 6, People, Products and Planet covers over a dozen topics on the HSE Social Studies exam, including Slavery and Reconstruction, World War II, Post-War Economy, Industrialization and the Assembly Line, Supply and Demand, Geographic Influence of Economics, and Renewable and Non-renewable Resources. It includes a jig-saw reading, videos, timeline and optional map activity.

Reading Activity

Students read about American history through the lens of the Manufacturing sector. We begin by discussing the production of arrowheads by ancient Americans 11,000 years ago. We move through the first textile mills established in the early American colonies, through Eli Whitney and the cotton gin and its impact on slavery and the Civil War.

We move to a discussion of the building of transport systems, through the railroads and the Erie Canal in New York State, to transport goods throughout the State.

Next we discuss the rise of factories and employment of women for wartime production, the Great Migration north, and ultimately the closing of factories, the post-war economy and rise of rust belt cities and towns.

Jig-Saw Reading Activity

Readings representing one period in Manufacturing history are assigned to groups, one period per group. Students in groups read about one period in Manufacturing history, while other groups read about other periods in Manufacturing history. In a jig-saw reading activity, groups then intermingle, with each reader sharing what they learned about their assigned historical period. They pool their knowledge to answer questions together about Manufacturing history as a whole. Jig-saw activities incorporate reading comprehension, presentation skills, listening comprehension, collaboration and writing.

Video Activity

A video activity is also included, with links to videos relevant to Manufacturing history, from the chocolate bonbon episode of I Love Lucy to a short documentary about the closing of the Bethlehem, PA steel mill. These videos bring to life the realities of industrialization and the people impacted.

Timeline Activity

As students learn about important moments in American history through the history of Manufacturing they add them to a timeline. Teachers may also choose to incorporate on the timeline other historical moments they are studying.

The history of Manufacturing truly is a great way to see a snapshot of so many periods in American history.