Grade 5 Lesson at a Glance: Chapter 13, Lesson 3

Houghton Mifflin Social Studies
America Will Be

Lesson at a Glance
Chapter 13, Lesson 3: Economic Life of the New Nation (pp. 324-328)

The Big Idea
Framework Concept: Change As farmers began producing more goods for trade, economic inequality increased.

Read aloud the excerpt written by Frances Trollope on page 324. Discuss with students what life was like on a farm that was almost completely self-sufficient. Then have students imagine that that farmer decided to grow only one crop, such as corn. Ask students to discuss how the farming family's life might change if, after a year or so, the family had extra money but no longer had time to make everything else they needed, such as clothing, shoes, and sugar. Then have students decide which type of life might be easier for a farming family.

Lesson Outline
Use the Lesson Outline to preview the content of the lesson. You may wish to print it for your students as a guide during reading.

Check for Understanding

Divide the class into pairs of students to role-play the characters of Elias Derby and a young man or woman from a farm in Massachusetts who is asking Mr. Derby for work. Have the student playing Elias Derby prepare at least five questions and interview the other student to find out what his or her life was like on the farm and why he or she needs work. Later, you may want partners to switch roles.
Ask students to draw a picture illustrating the bustling activity in a port city. Students can use the illustration on pages 326 and 327 as an example.

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