Unit 4: America’s Economic Revolution, 1800-1860
Focus:
Eli Whitney’s cotton gin and its role in the split
between the north and the south
Lesson:
#3 Eli Whitney Starts a Revolution
TEKS:
13B, 13C, 28A, 28C, 30B, 30C
Supplies: LCD projector w/ computer cart, Eli Whitney
Power Point Presentation, Eli Whitney handout,
2 copies of placard chart/student, placards,
transparency of placard 1
Hook:
Answer the following question on the left side of
your notebook:
What should Whitney do to solve this problem?
Line:
(Staple placard chart here)
Sinker:
Create 4 images that shows how life was in the North
and South before the cotton gin/interchangeable
parts AND after the development of these 2 ideas.
Instructions:
1. Set-up the room for partner work.
2. Students will need their ISN and a writing utensil to
start.
3. Students will look at the picture of Eli Whitney and read
the passage.
4. They will then answer the “Hook” question on the left
side of their notebook.
5. Discuss and share answers to the question.
6. Show Eli Whitney PowerPoint presentation and discuss.
(Avoid telling students about the far-reaching results
of the invention. They will discover that in the next
part of the lesson.)
7. Pass out the placard chart for the “Line” part of the
lesson. Tell students that they will attempt to figure out
how Whitney’s inventions helped change the entire future
of the US. Show Transparency #1 and the placard chart
transparency on the overhead. Guide students through
the first one.
8. Put students in groups of 2-3 by numbering students 2-11
with 10 total groups. (1 will be the example you do with
the students, so they will do 2-11.) Give each group a
number and explain the instructions. Students will start
with the placard number they have been given. They will
work with their group to answer the information on the
chart about the particular placard they are viewing, as
demonstrated by the teacher. Give the students about 5
minutes per placard to begin and adjust time as
necessary. Tell students that they need to stay with
their group until it is time to move to the next placard.
9. When all placards have been analyzed, have groups meet
up with another group to check answers. Give students
about 10 minutes to share and discuss.
10. Place the answer key transparency onto the overhead
and clarify information that the students did not get on
their own. Guide them through the information so that
they may make the connection between the cotton gin
and developments in history.
11. For the “Sinker”, the students will create a 4 square
chart, which will depict the 4 possible scenarios for the
changes before and after the cotton gin and
interchangeable parts in the North and the South.
For example:
North Before Cotton Gin &
Interchangeable Parts
North After Cotton Gin &
Interchangeable Parts
South Before Cotton Gin &
Interchangeable Parts
South After Cotton Gin &
Interchangeable Parts
Cotton Gin & Interchangeable PartsBefore & After
North Before Cotton Gin &
Interchangeable Parts
North After Cotton Gin &
Interchangeable Parts
South Before Cotton Gin &
Interchangeable Parts
South After Cotton Gin &
Interchangeable Parts