Exploring the Decades: 1850s

Exploring the Decades: 1850s

Objectives
After completing this lesson, students will:

Navigate the St. Louis Virtual City website
Identify the elements that make up a city
Identify some of the people living and working in the city
Make a T chart listing addvantages and disadvantages of city living
Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of city living

Show Me Standards 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.8, 2.1, 2.3, 3.1, 4.3

Process

Direct students to the 1950’s model. Explain that they will be entering each of the areas (Meachum’s Church, Varieties Theatre, Riverboat, Mercantile Exchange, Old Court House, Broadway) in the model to learn about the buildings and people. They will produce a time capsule with the information they uncover. Students are to:

Find one male person

Name
Date of birth
Date of death
What is important to know about this person
Draw a picture of this person-note clothes

Find one female person

Name
Date of birth
Date of death
What is important to know about this person
Draw a picture of this person-note clothes

Find one building in each of the four districts (total of 4 buildings)

Name of Building
Address
Construction date
Use
Draw a picture of either the exterior or what had been in the interior of the building

Find a residence

Address
Construction date
Description of the house
Draw a picture of the exterior or interior of the residence

Students will collect their data from the website through note taking and drawing. They will share their findings in a time capsule booklet or a Power Point presentation with the class.
After sharing their time capsules with each other, students create a T chart listing the advantages and disadvantages of living in St. Louis in the 1950’s
- Analysis

Directions for teachers

Make the appropriate number of photocopies for the your class. Note: make 4 copies of the building page and 2 copies of the people page for each student. (Link Here Black line masters folder for the 1950’s)