Last updated: November 18, 2024
Lesson Plan
Forging an Armory
Springfield Armory during Spring
NPS/Beekman
- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 60 Minutes
- State Standards:
- Massachusetts State History Standards; Grades 3-5
HSS.3.T2.01
HSS.3.T6.02
HSS.4.T4a.04
HSS.5.T4.04 - Thinking Skills:
- Understanding: Understand the main idea of material heard, viewed, or read. Interpret or summarize the ideas in own words. 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
Learn why Springfield, Massachusetts was selected to be the site for our first national armory.
Investigate how the number of workers in the armory impacted the amount of production over time.
Objective
1. Survey a familiar location and create a map of the area
2. Critique the accuracy of maps and evaluate its uses.
3. Assess what resources would be needed to build and sustain an armory.
4. Develop an argument about why an armory should be built in a specific location.
5. Graph the amount of armory workers and the production of firearms over time and make hypotheses about the causes for changes.
6. Develop a brochure to summarize the job opportunities and natural resource of the area.
Background
This lesson can be used as an introduction to Springfield Armory National Historic Site and the geographic and man-made features that led to Springfield, Massachusetts becoming the home of the first national armory. This lesson provides additional background on the role of Springfield Armory in the Industrial Revolution and gives students the opportunity to explore primary sources.This three-touch lesson contains a pre-field trip classroom activity and a post-visit extension activity.
Preparation
All lesson materials can be found and downloaded below. Please reach out to Springfield Armory National Historic Site to schedule a visit to our site or for a ranger-led virtual visit to your classroom.
Materials
Forging an Armory Teacher Guide
Download Forging an Armory Teacher Guide
Procedure
As a three-touch lesson, the first part of this lesson will be conducted in the classroom by the teacher. Teachers will use the activity found in the downloadable Teacher Guide to engage students in map-making and evaluating different types of maps and what they can be used for.
The second phase of this lesson will be a field trip to Springfield Armory National Historic Site for a ranger-led activity. This activity can also be a virtual visit to the classroom, or done independently by the teacher by requesting additional plans from the park.
The final part of the lesson asks students to summarize what they have learned about the resources available in Springfield, Massachusetts to develop brochure from the early 1800s to recruit people to move to Springfield.
Vocabulary
- Cardinal directions – the four main points of a compass: north, south, east, and west.
- Resources – things that can be used to help meet needs and wants. These can be man-made (such as money, possessions) or natural (water, wood, plants).
- Compass – a tool used to identify which directions are north, south, east, and west, using a magnetic needle.
- Landmark – a significant object or building in an environment.
- Map Legend – a collection of symbols used to read a map.
- Armory – a place where firearms or weapons are made and stored.
- Arsenal – a place where firearms are stored.
Assessment Materials
Springfield Brochure RubricRubric to evaluate post-visit brochure
Springfield Brochure Rubric