University of Northern Iowa
Clothing
As part of an investigation of the folk traditions of their area, class members research the articles of clothing worn at earlier times, the fibers and materials, and the machinery used to produce these items. In addition, class...
Curated OER
Paper Production
Young scholars compare paper making by hand and by assembly line. In this manufacturing lesson, students compare and contrast the two main ways to make paper, by hand or by machine. Young scholars research paper making and have a...
Curated OER
Made In...
Students investigate where their own items of clothing were manufactured. They read their clothing labels and identify the countries, and plot the locations with pins on a large world map.
Curated OER
Students as Consumers: The Relationships Between Communities
Students survey the clothing they are wearing to determine where it was made. They work in groups to locate the countries where the clothing was manufactured, develop questions about what makes a good purchase and work with a buddy class...
Global Oneness Project
Rethinking the Fabrics We Wear
What are fibersheds and what what do they have to do with environmental protections? A photo essay and audio recordings about Mimi Luebbermann, and her sheep, cause consumers to reflect on how their clothing choices can support local...
Oxfam
Sweatshops - Exploitation Is Never in Fashion
Here's a resource that brings home the idea that we are all part of a global community, that our actions have far reaching consequences. Class members examine the labels in their clothes, create a list of the manufacturers, the countries...
Curated OER
Labeling the World
Sixth graders conduct research on the countries found on the labels on their clothing. They locate the countries on a map, research the labor practices on countries that export clothing to the U.S., and create a graph using the information.
Curated OER
Telling Tales About Textiles
Students analyze the different types of textiles, processes for creating cloth, and inventions utilized to manufacture industrial goods. In this Telling Tales About Textiles instructional activity, students weave on a card loom to create...
Curated OER
Wages, Earning Power, Profit, and Responsibility: International Lessons
Students participate in an interactive activity to determine where their clothers were made. They examine the lives of children from Latin America who harvest crops in the fields or manufacture apparel in factories.
Curated OER
Clothesline Sleuth
Third graders discover the origin of an item of clothing. In this clothing lesson, 3rd graders navigate the net to locate information related to various fabrics. Students answer questions and define vocabulary about...
Curated OER
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Mill
Students participate in a simulation of wool trading in the 1800's. They pass around a ball of yarn at various stations to simulate the interdependence of each stage of the wool trade, discuss what happens when there is a problem in the...
University of Wisconsin
Why Did the Triangle Fire Occur?
An investigation of the 1911 New York City Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire leads class members to examine primary and secondary source materials related to the event and apply what they learn about the working conditions at the time to...
Curated OER
Assessing the Labour Behind the Label
Twelfth graders examine the labor conditions in different companies and corporations. In groups, they use the internet to locate the conditions of the companies of the clothes they are wearing. They share their information with the...
Curated OER
The Importance of Trade
Students discuss how trade affects the products they use everyday. In groups, they identify the clothes they are wearing, the food they eat most often and the cars their families drive. Using the internet, they research how these goods...
Council for Economic Education
Satisfaction Please! (Part 1)
The topic of consumerism seems easy to those who participate actively in the US economy, but pupils who are new to economics may see the idea as foreign. Help them understand their rights as consumers and what to expect when interacting...
Curated OER
Do I Have What it Takes to be an Entrepreneur - and is My Community Ready?
Discover the attributes of entrepreneurs and define what entrepreneurship is while examining data based on local businesses. Learners determine whether their community is supportive of entrepreneurs as they research economic development...
Curated OER
Tobacco: Promotion Tactics and the Law
Youths aged 13 & 14 are most likely to notice and remember in-store tobacco promotions. Class members dissect tobacco advertising tactics and learn about relevant legislation by participating in guided discussion. Assessing...
Curated OER
Celebrate Make a Difference Day on October 26, 2013
Join millions of volunteers around the world by uniting for a common mission to improve others' lives.
Curated OER
Mastermind
Students observe the differences and similarities between "masterpieces" and mass-produced objects. They analyze the value of masterpieces and mass-produced items. Students persuade panel members to accept items that they recommend into...
Curated OER
Intermediate Activity: Energy Guide Labels
Students explore energy efficient appliances. In this economics and ecology activity, students compare and analyze EnergyGuide labels of various appliances. Students discuss federal government involvement with consumer...
Curated OER
U.S. History: The Progressive Era
Students examine the Colonial Revival Movement as a response to industrialization and immigration. focusing on Deerfield, Connecticut, they create a documentary artifact reflecting the period.
Curated OER
The Gift Drawings of the Shakers
Learners create their own "gift drawings" that are inspired by the dreams and visions of the Shakers. In this gift drawings lesson plan, students learn the history of the Shakers, make their own drawing, and practice elements of design...
Curated OER
Outsourcing Jobs to Other Countries: Is Globalization a Threat to American Workers?
Students analyze the effects of outsourcing. In this globalization activity, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the outsourcing of American jobs to other countries. Students respond to discussion questions...
Curated OER
Boycotting Baubles of Britain
Students examine the role of British commodities in the Revolutionary War. In this American Revolution lesson, students discover the British commodities that colonists needed and investigate the success of the boycotting campaigns by...