LESSON PLANS
It is hoped that teachers who work with the DEAL project will use the support materials to assist with the design of lessons. Therefore, few complete plans are offered in the series. However, at least one suggested activity, for a lesson per grade, will be included for each "learning event" in the series. Basically, these are given as suggestions from which a lesson could be designed rather than a plan intended for teachers to follow.Teachers are encouraged to share ideas they develop with others and post student work on the Communications Page
ELEMENTARY:
Ask students to compare the responsibilities and roles of Irish mothers at the time of the potato famine to their own mothers today.
For this activity students might use the weaving loom found under arts [found on Support Materials link]. Also, they could hear the lullaby, with words, under music [also found on Support Materials link].
MIDDLE SCHOOL:
Compare the economic issues of industry vs. farming. Most Irish people who immigrated to the U.S. during the great famine period had been farmers but preferred to work as labors rather then farmers in America. Think about why they might have not become farmers in America.
Photographs and graphs would be useful in facilitating discussion[found on Support Materials page]
HIGH SCHOOL:
Poverty and other social problems were common among the immigrants in America's cities. In 1870 there were twice as many Irish in New York City as in Dublin Ireland. Think about how a large Irish presence might have impacted on life in Yew York at that time. Do you think urban benefit from diverse ethic populations?
Irish Immigration factsand related links to outside sites could be useful for this inquiry.
