Last updated: July 24, 2019
Lesson Plan
Craft Production to Factory Production
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- Grade Level:
- Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
- Subject:
- Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 60 Minutes
- Common Core Standards:
- 5.RF.4, 6-8.RH.2, 5.RI.1
- State Standards:
- Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks: Social Studies
Grade 5
Topic 1. Early colonization and growth of colonies
Compare and contrast the living and working conditions of enslaved and free Africans in the colonies in the 18th century - Thinking Skills:
- Applying: Apply an abstract idea in a concrete situation to solve a problem or relate it to a prior experience. Analyzing: Break down a concept or idea into parts and show the relationships among the parts. Creating: Bring together parts (elements, compounds) of knowledge to form a whole and build relationships for NEW situations.
Essential Question
What advantage do factories provide in large-scale production?
Objective
Students will be able to:
• Differentiate the key components of craft production and factory production.
• Identify potential advantages and disadvantages of factory production and craft production.
Background
Before the Industrial Revolution, craftsmen made most tools, furniture, and other goods by hand. Craftsmen were classified into three categories: apprentice, journeyman, and master craftsman. A master craftsman was a person who had mastered all the techniques and skills of a given craft. After many years of practice, a craftsman was regarded as an expert who then passed along his knowledge and skills to apprentices, young boys who spent many years under his direction. A journeyman was a craftsman who had completed apprenticeship but did not yet have the experience or skill to be designated a master. A craftsman knew the whole process of creating an object; for example, each woodcrafter knew how to create a chair from raw material to finished product.
With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, the job of creating an object was broken down into many steps, each of which was done by a different person. In the case of the wooden chair, one person might lathe the legs, another would create the seat, yet another would make the arms and back, and all the parts would then go to yet another set of people who would assemble them. The advantage is that single tasks could be done over and over, faster than when one person did everything start to finish
Students may confuse the factory system in which each person has one task to do with mass production where machines are doing the work of people. This activity illustrates the potential advantages and disadvantages of breaking the work down into repeatable step even though the work is still done by people.
Preparation
Make copies of skate template.
Students will need scissors, glue, and markers or crayons for coloring.
For Craft Activity, you will need one in-line skate template to every student.
For Factory Activity, you will need a supply of templates for each team.
Materials
Inline Skate Template
Download Roller Blade Template
Worksheet for craft production data
Download Craft Production WOrksheet
Lesson Hook/Preview
What were some of the major differences between craft and factory production?
Procedure
Craft Simulation Activity
1. Distribute one in-line skate template to every student. Explain that they are each a craftsperson who will assemble a pair of skates start to finish. They must be cut out, blades glued on, and colored to the best of their ability.
2. On his or her worksheet, ask each student to keep track of the amount of time that it takes to complete the task.
3. After everyone completes their skate, compile and average the times it took all students to complete the task. This serves as the "standard" time it takes to produce in-line skates by hand.
4. Point out the differences in "quality" among the hand-created skates.
Why would hand-made items differ in quality or time from person to person?
Factory Simulation Activity
Divide the class into production lines of 5-8 students each. Give each group a supply of templates. Assign each student on the line a different task:
1. Cut out right blade
2. Cut out left blade
3. Cut out right boot
4. Cut out left boot
5. Glue blade to right boot
6. Glue blade to left boot
7. Color boots
8. Inspect final product, put aside rejects, keep line moving
Using the "standard" of time determined during the craft lesson, see how many skates can be created during the same amount of time.
Conclusion: Reviewing the Results – Class discussion
• What were some of the major differences between the two production methods?
• Why would the factory method be so attractive from a business standpoint?
• How would consumers be affected by the introduction of factory production?
• How do you think would workers accustomed to the craft method feel about the working in a factory? Why?
Vocabulary
Craft Production - An activity involving skill in making objects by hand.
Factory System - The system of producing goods made on a mass scale by more than one person, each with a distinct task, replacing goods made by individual craftsmen.
Mass Production - The manufacture of goods in large quantities by machinery and by use of techniques such as the assembly line and division of labor.
Division of Labor - The assignment of separate parts of a manufacturing process or task to different people in order to improve efficiency.
Assessment Materials
Have each student complete the Craft Production to Factory Production Worksheet.Each student completes the Craft Production to Factory Production Worksheet to compare craft to factory production.
Worksheet for students to compare craft and factory production from their activities.
Rubric/Answer Key
Have each student complete the Craft Production to Factory Production Worksheet.Craft Production to Factory Production rubric
| CATEGORY | 4 Above Standards |
3 Meets Standards |
2 Approaching Standards |
1 Below Standards |
| Sentence Structure | All sentences are well constructed with varied structure. | Most sentences are well constructed and there is some varied sentence structure in the essay. | Most sentences are well constructed, but there is no variation is structure. | Most sentences are not well constructed or varied. |
| Evidence and Examples | All of the evidence and examples are specific, relevant and explanations are given that show how each piece of evidence supports the author's position. | Most of the evidence and examples are specific, relevant and explanations are given that show how each piece of evidence supports the author's position. | At least one of the pieces of evidence and examples is relevant and has an explanation that shows how that piece of evidence supports the author's position. | Evidence and examples are NOT relevant AND/OR are not explained. |
| Accuracy | All supportive facts and statistics are reported accurately. | Almost all supportive facts and statistics are reported accurately. | Most supportive facts and statistics are reported accurately. | Most supportive facts and statistics were inaccurately reported. |
Supports for Struggling Learners
Adapting the Activity for Other Grades
For younger grades, you may want to have students do each task (craft and factory) a few times to get comfortable before timing them.
For older groups, challenge the groups to design additional improvements to the manufacturing process so they can fabricate the product faster and with fewer errors.