Lesson Plan

Industrial Revolution - History 10

This is a series of six lessons which are intended to give students the outlet to form opinions about the advantages and disadvantages of the current model of globalisation. Students will also be able to draw comparisons between the Industrial Revolution and modern globalization. The six lessons include:

  • Introduction: Context to Industrial Revolution
  • Cotton Industry: From Cottage to Factory
  • Urbanisation: Factories, Slums and Exploitation
  • Industrialisation and Globalization
  • Make Trade Fair
  • What can we do?
  • The purpose of Lesson 1, Context to Industrial Revolution, is to introduce students to the events and factors leading to the Industrial Revolution in Britain. It is also meant to give students the tools and facts they need to negotiate with the notion of progress and be critical of the effects, costs and underlying factors of industrialization.

    Lesson 2, Cotton Industry: From Cottage to Factory, serves to introduce students to the notion of progress in relation to the cotton industry; it is intended to show the social consequences of this. It is also meant to have students begin to think about modern connections to the garment industry. Note: This lesson uses literary passages from Silas Marner and Oliver Twist as well as paintings by Constable and Turner to examine conditions during the Industrial Revolution. Although the paintings are not difficult to find on the Internet, the specific literary passages needed are missing (though noted as "attached" on the lesson plan). Unless teachers are thoroughly knowledgeable with these texts, it would be impossible to identify the individual passages.

    Lesson 3, Urbanization: Factories, Slums and Exploitation, is intended to explicitly introduce students to the social repercussions of industrialization. It is intended to serve as a useful point of comparison to the current model of globalization and Oxfam's campaigns.

    Industrialization and Globalization, the lesson 4 topic, draws comparisons between the Industrial Revolution and the current model of globalization; it also introduces students to Oxfam's campaigns.

    Lesson 5, Make Trade Fair, is intended to give students the outlet to form opinions about the advantages and disadvantages of the current model of globalization. It is also intended to draw further comparisons with the Industrial Revolution.

    In Lesson 6, What can we do?, students are given the outlet to inform their fellow students about the injustices they have experienced and learnt about. It is also intended to tie in with World Food Day. It will also introduce students to a summative task-a 15 to 20 minute presentation on an industry of interest to them.

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  • Industrial Revolution Lesson Plan