Social Studies Lesson: Industrial Revolution & Climate
Lesson Plan
1 hour 30 minutesGrades9, 10, 11, 12Social Studies
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Written by Adrienne Vitiello
About this lesson
Students analyze how energy choices during the Industrial Revolution contributed to long-term environmental and social impacts, including today’s climate crisis, then use historical sources and modern data to develop an evidence-based policy brief proposing solutions to current energy challenges.
Inquire: Students analyze historical and modern images to identify connections between early industrial energy use and today’s climate challenges.
Investigate: Students examine primary and secondary sources to analyze how industrialization shaped environmental and social conditions over time.
Inspire: Students use data and historical connections to develop an evidence-based policy brief proposing solutions to modern energy challenges.
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Suggestions
- This lesson is aligned to New York Standards but easily adaptable to Common Core Standards.
- This lesson can be taught as an introduction, midpoint, or culminating task in an Industrial Revolution unit. Additionally, it can be adapted to fit a United Nations-style resolution for a Model UN unit or club.
- The Investigate and Inspire sections can be taught on separate days or class periods. Teachers can print out the Student Document or assign it digitally.
- For shorter class periods, stations can be extended and split across two days or assigned as jigsaw activities.
- Teachers can assign one essential question to the whole class or select two of the four for exploration.
- The policy brief can be completed in class, as homework, or as a multi-day assessment task.
- Depending on classroom context, students can further explore other charts featuring similar data in the Investigate sections.
- Teachers can model how to read one chart together before students begin independent analysis.
- Teachers can adjust the writing requirements and length to target specific skills or practice for specific exam contexts.
- Students can engage in peer feedback and revision of their policy briefs to encourage iteration and improvement.
- Teachers can invite local guest speakers to share how climate change intersects with their work and how they use evidence to make decisions or advocate for change. Examples include a sustainability manager, climate scientist, environmental lawyer, or local government official.
Prerequisites
- Students should have a basic understanding of the Industrial Revolution, specifically the focus on coal and energy development.
- Teachers should set up the four stations in the Investigate section with printouts or a computer display of the selected documents. Alternatively, teachers can display each station’s documents one at a time using the Teacher Slideshow, and students can discuss with a partner, as a class, or in writing on their Student Document.
- Teachers should preview The Saddler Report for sensitive content and adjust as needed. Note: Beyond page 2, there is mention of beatings on each page of the report.
- Teachers can preselect specific data and charts from Our World in Data.
- Teachers should prepare examples of local laws or policies that students can recommend in their policy brief.
- Teachers should be mindful that discussions of environmental impact and inequality may connect to students’ lived experiences.
Differentiation
- The data analysis in the Inspire section can be done independently or in small groups of 2-3.
- Sentence starters for the policy brief are included in the Student Document for students needing additional support.
- Students can write a longer policy report instead of a one-page policy brief.
- Students can be challenged to include a counterargument or an additional perspective in their policy brief.
- Students can extend the lesson by researching specific countries or energy policies in more depth.
- Students can explore our continued dependence on coal using Fast Facts about Coal, which includes charts, key facts, and videos.
- As an extended project, students advise a 19th-century city on energy choices based on energy options in the 1750s-1850s. Students can recommend a combination of available energy sources and acceptable trade-offs. Ideas could include animal and human labor, early steam power, wind power, wood, and water power. Then, students identify similarities between their 19th-century city and modern applications for their local context.
- Students can watch “These United States: George Washington and climate change” (5:04), which connects the crossing of the frozen Delaware River to climate change with its roots in the Industrial Revolution.
From the scientist review
This lesson presents a wealth of sources, all of high quality. Some are primary sources, such as period photographs and the 1832 Sadler Committee Report, and some are secondary sources, largely from Our World in Data. All figures from Our World in Data have a comprehensive list of references linked below each figure. All resources are well-curated to illustrate the history of energy use and global climate change from the dawn of the Industrial Revolution to the present. This lesson is recommended for teaching.
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About the teacher writer
Adrienne Vitiello
Adrienne Vitiello has been teaching for over a decade in New York City schools as a special education/social studies teacher. She received her Bachelors degree in Sociology from Hofstra University and Masters degree In Special education & Social Studies education from Dowling College. When she isn't teaching she enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, and zumba fitness.
