Copper Traces Online - Technology Through Time - Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan

 
 
Black and white photo of the Copper Country Firefighters History Museum

NPS Photo

Copper Country Firefighters History Museum

Background

Not familiar with the Copper Country Firefighters History Museum or the Keweenaw Peninsula? Start here: This is the Copper Country Firefighter Museum lesson plan in the Copper TRACES online program for fourth graders and equivalents. In this lesson, students will learn about how firefighters fought fires before modern technology. The main takeaway from this lesson is that firefighters from the early 1900s faced much different challenges than firefighters today and used much different equipment.

More than a century ago, firefighters used systems such as the bucket brigade to put out fires which is much different than the high-pressure hoses used today. In the late 19th century, bucket brigades were replaced by horse drawn fire fighting vehicles. Able to carry ladders and manual water pumps, this was a much more efficient approach than bucket brigades.

Then, in the early 20th century, gas powered fire trucks were used. These trucks proved to have a much faster response time and larger carrying capacity than the previous horse drawn approach. Gas powered trucks were not only able to carry more equipment, but they were also able to carry a lot more people than before. This improvement was a significant upgrade in firefighting technology.

In this lesson, students will learn about historic firefighting equipment and the ways the equipment was used.
 

Introduction Video:

Activity Objective
Introduce the learning concepts for this lesson in an engaging video to segway into the virtual and in person activities. This activity uses spatial and interpersonal learning.
  1. Play introductory video to the entire class.
    1. Video will introduce the ideas of how fires were put out 100 years ago and how it differs from today.
    2. Highlight showing resources from the Firefighting Museum.
  2. Ask questions to the students that reflect the information display in the video.
    1. What were the ways firefighters put out fires in the late 1800s and early 1900s?
    2. What were some of the challenges using a bucket brigade? How is a bucket brigade different from a hose?
    3. What do you notice is similar (or different) with today’s firefighters?
    4. Would you have wanted to be a firefighter back in the 1900s?
 
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Duration:
3 minutes, 17 seconds

Tour Video of the Copper Country Firefighters History Museum

 

Spot the differences between fire trucks:

Activity Objective
To compare and contrast past experiences and technology with the present day using historical photographs and resources. This activity uses spatial and interpersonal learning.
  1. Using slider images, students will team up in groups and compare and contrast firetrucks throughout the century featuring the collection at the museum.
  2. Students will discuss in groups what features they notice have changed such as the kind of wheels, the type of equipment of the trucks, etc.
 
Lafrance Foamite Passengers Fire Truck from 1951 Lafrance Foamite Passengers Fire Truck from 1951

These trucks were made by the same company, but the one on the left was made about 30 years after the one on the right. What do you notice? Does one look like it would work better or worse? Why do you think so?

 
Fire Wagon from 1890 Fire Wagon from 1890

What are the differences between the wagon and the truck? What would you rather use?

 
La France fire truck from 1919 La France fire truck from 1919

What are the differences between the wagon and this truck? Do you think one worked better than the other?

 

Photo Gallery:

Activity Objective
To teach students how the firehouse and firefighting equipment operated. This activity uses spatial, interpersonal, and intrapersonal learning.

  1. Once again in groups, students will view a variety of images. These images will include:
    1. Close up photos of the equipment the firemen used including but not limited to extinguishers, hoses, safety mats, water buckets, and masks.
    2. Shots of the firemen quarters and living arrangements
  2. The student groups will use the images to answer questions such as:
    • What equipment was most interesting to you and why?
    • Why was this equipment used?
    • When was the equipment needed?
    • Do you think firefighters today have similar equipment?
 
Two small beds with a firepole between them.
This is where firefighters stayed in the fire station. They had small beds and the firepole was nearby in case there was a fire.

NPS Photo

A bucket that was used in a bucket brigade.
This is a bucket that was used in a bucket brigade. Notice the rounded bottom that allowed water to be thrown further.

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A smoke mask in a wooden box.
This is a smoke mask that allowed firefighters to go into buildings and not breath in a bunch of smoke.

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Seven historic fire extinguishers.
These are fire extinguishers that were once used.

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A large circular jump mat.
This is the mat that people would jump onto if they had to escape a fire out of a window.

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Hoses and nozzle attachments.
These are some of the hoses and nozzle attachments firefighters used.

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A cart used to transport hoses.
Hoses were transported in carts like this.

NPS Photo

 

Mock bucket brigade with cups and ping pong balls (or other material)

Activity Objective
Students will learn about a fire bucket brigade. This activity uses linguistic, logical, spatial, and bodily-kinesthetic learning.
  1. Students will work together to put out a fake fire by filling up buckets of either water or ping pong balls.
  2. 20 feet away from each other, there will be two 5-gallon buckets. One will be filled, the other will be empty
  3. Without moving wither of the 5-gal buckets, the students will be provided small cups and try to move the contents of one bucket to the other by creating their own bucket brigade.
Alternative ideas for this activity
  1. For a different start to the activity, give the students a certain amount of time to attempt getting the contents from one bucket to another using their own ideas and working together. The afterwards have them, if having not already done so, show the bucket brigade method.
  2. To create competition, have two bucket setups and have two groups of students compete to see who can move more in a certain amount of time, or who can move all of the water/ping pong balls first.
  3. Another competitive alternative, have a team of students try and fill the empty bucket while having the other group try and keep the content of the other bucket empty by putting the water/ping pong balls back in the original bucket.
 
Letter writing template

Alternative Activity Ideas:

Write a letter to a current firefighter

*Try to find a local fire department to send these letters to! Maybe even reach out and see if any firefighters would be willing to come in and talk!

Activity Objective
Students will communicate and engage with a real firefighter process and putting out fires and their lifestyle. This activity uses linguistic and interpersonal learning.
  1. Students will be given a letter template provided below (you may also use a blank sheet of paper) and asked to write to a firefighter about their experiences of fight fires.
  2. Students can ask question such as, but not limited to:
    • What tools or equipment do you use to put out fires?
    • Do you sleep at the fire station?
    • What made you want to become a fire fighter?
    • What do you think is the most interesting part about the history of fire fighting?
  3. After all the students have written their letters, they will put them into envelopes and mail the letters.

Letter Writing Template

 

Make a comic strip

Activity Objective
Students will draw their own comics to artistically and visually explore fire fighting over 100 years ago. This activity uses spatial and interpersonal learning.

Students may use the comic strip template provided and create their own short comic about firefighting in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The top should be historic firefighting and the bottom current day.
  • Students may include topics such as the trucks, handheld equipment, or anything else they mind find interesting and draw the use of the equipment in action.
  • They could also draw a day in the life of a firefighter and/or highlight how the technology has changed over time.
  • Students may also choose to be more informational by drawing their favorite pieces of equipment or what they find most interesting about firefighting and explain why.

Comic Strip Template

 
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For Teachers

Teachers click here for Copper TRACES Online lesson plans.

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Copper TRACES Online

Digital learning resources for 4th grade educators.

 

Additional Student Learning Opportunities:

Field Trip – Visit the Copper Country Firefighters History Museum
Call the Copper Country Firefighters History Museum at (906) 281-8822 or contact the museum on facebook.

Last updated: December 17, 2024

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25970 Red Jacket Road
Calumet, MI 49913

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906 337-3168

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