Meghan Ryan
Dr. Kearn
EDC 448
Text Set
The Irish Potato Famine:
Guiding Questions:
 What caused the Great Hunger and what occurred as a result of the Irish Potato
Famine?
 How do you think the Irish Potato Famine changed the world?
 What do you believe the English could have done to lessen the death tolls?
Offline Texts:
 The Irish- The Great Hunger and Irish Immigration to America:
Hunter, Kathleen A., and Michal Yanson. The Irish: The Great Hunger and Irish Immigration to America.
[Hartford, Conn.]: Department, 2000. Print.
Section three creates a great background of important information that is crucial
to understanding the Irish Potato Famine. Section Four explains what the Irish Potato
Famine or better known as the Blight is and the causes and effects of it. I like this text
because it provides the basis and key points that are crucial to further exploration of
the Blight. The reading is also at the necessary level for an average eighth grade
student and the text provides reading guides and projects that would benefit a below
average eighth grader.

Nory Ryan’s Song by Patricia Reilly Giff:
Giff, Patricia Reilly. Nory Ryan's Song. New York: Delacorte, 2000. Print.
The text is helpful in that it will allow students to get a better idea of how hard
times were during the famine from the view of a child. I think that having the students
read excerpts from this novel will greatly benefit them. The reading is easy to understand
for an average and below average eighth grader.
Online Texts:
 BBC- Programme 3- Victorian Times
BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2012.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/4_11/pfocus/history/autumn2003/pr03.shtml>.
The background portion of this program discusses the changes that occurred in
rural Ireland as a result of the famine. This video is a great aid for the students who
benefit more from visual aids as a result of being visual learners.
 Tandy- Online Learning Resource- The Famine and Emigration:
BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2012.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/4_11/tandy/projects/famine/famine.shtml>.
Although this website is below an eighth grader’s level; I believe it can be a
useful tool to better clarify some facts for students who are more visual learners and for
those students who are below an eighth grade level. The site provides interactive
resources, pictures, videos, and games for students.

BBC- Irish In Ireland:
BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2012.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/int/hist/immigrants/irish_in_ireland/pictures_irish_ireland.shtml>.
This website would be used in print to show the students actual accounts from the
Irish during the Potato Famine using the primary resources and pictures provided on the
website. The statements and pictures are a great way to demonstrate primary source usage
while learning a new topic. As well as giving the students better understanding and
allowing the students to be able to take on the Irish people’s viewpoints.

“The Irish Potato Famine- 1847”:
"The The Irish Potato Famine, 1847." The The Irish Potato Famine, 1847. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2012.
<http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/irishfamine.htm>.
This text is a first hand account of the life of James Mahoney during the Potato
Famine as he traveled the country side of Ireland, reporting what he saw and experienced
to the Illustrated London News. The statements from James is demonstrates primary
source usage while learning about the famine. As well as giving the students better
understanding and allowing the students to be able to take on the Irish people’s
viewpoints.

“When New York Was Irish” by Terence Winch- 1987:
Winch, Terence. When New York Was Irish Songs & Tunes. Celtic Thunder Music, 2007.
CD.
http://youtu.be/5m2PFzCKEPg
This song depicts how the Irish immigrated to America at times of hardships in
Ireland during the famine. It also depicts how they had to adapt to their new lives in New
York.
 “Famine to Freedom: The Great Irish Journey”:
http://youtu.be/6jIVOgvZ6Ig
This video shows students the reality of the famine and the history of it by tracing
through lineage of Irish citizens today. This video allows students to learn through a
secondary source. From the history content it is important that students can establish the
different types of sources. The film is also very helpful to visual learners.
 “Monoculture and the Irish Potato Famine: Cases of Missing Genetic Variation”:
"Monoculture and the Irish Potato Famine: Cases of Missing Genetic Variation." Monoculture and the Irish
Potato Famine: Cases of Missing Genetic Variation. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2012.
<http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article//agriculture_02>.
This text explains how the lack of genetic variation in Irish potatoes contributed
to the severity of the Irish potato famine. The text also describes the history of the potato
in Ireland, from when the “lumper” potato was first planted to more present times in the
1970’s when people in California did not learn from the mistakes of the Irish in the
1830’s. This text connects two content areas together while connecting it to the present,
which I believe is very important and beneficial. This text allows students who are more
interested in science to connect to the topics that they are learning in history.

“What Caused the Irish Potato Famine?” by Mark Thorton:
"The Ludwig Von Mises Institute." What Caused the Irish Potato Famine? N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2012.
<http://mises.org/daily/2978>.
Not only does this article describe the causes of the famine but it also discusses
how Tony Blair (the Prime Minister of Britain) apologized in 1998 for something that
occurred in Ireland in the 19th century. This text connects more recent times to the past
and explains the causes in another fashion.
 “The Irish Famine” by Jim Donnely:
BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2012.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/victorians/famine_01.shtml>.
This text is a multi-part series detailing the famine that looks at ideological and
political issues of the day. This is another resource for the students, so that they have
another overview of the famine but, has a few more details than some of the other texts.