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Chronological Reasoning and Causation

Got Milk? Milk Crisis in Upstate New York in the Early 1900s

Student View

About this Activity

  1. Load 1939 Milk Strike, Police Cars in Main Document Viewer
  2. Load 1939 Milk Strike, Truck with Strikers in Main Document Viewer
  3. Load 1941 Milk Strike in Delaware County, Milk Dumping in Main Document Viewer
  4. Load 1939 Milk Strike in Delaware County, strike barricade 2 in Main Document Viewer
  5. Load 1939 Milk Strike in Delaware County, convoy of milk trucks 2 in Main Document Viewer
  6. Load 1939 Milk Strike in Delaware County, People with State Police 2 in Main Document Viewer

Suggested Teaching Instructions

 

Lesson Plan Template

1. Title: Got Milk?  Milk Crisis in Upstate NY in the Early 1900s

2. Overview: This lesson will use various primary and secondary sources to investigate the crisis surrounding dairy farming in upstate NY.  While the focus is the milk strikes in Delaware County during the 1930s, it connects to more broad issues of scarcity, industrialization, and the Great Depression.

3. Goal: This lesson uses primary and secondary sources with a variety of text types to explore the milk crisis in upstate NY.  Students will use chronological reasoning to create a timeline after reading text, and will predict how communities are impacted by this larger issue after viewing photographs.  

4. Objectives: 

  • I can explain how industrialization changed the way milk is produced and transported.

  • I can create a timeline explaining the events surrounding the production of milk in the early 1900s in Upstate NY.

  • I can draw conclusions after viewing photographs.

5. Investigative (Compelling) Question:  

  • How do industries change over time and through innovation?

  • How do individuals further their wants or get their needs met?

  • How did this strike impact communities and individuals?

6. Time Required- 2 - 40 minute class periods

  • Day 1 Introduction and investigation of changes surrounding the milk industry

  • Day 2 creation of timeline and viewing of photographs

7. Recommended Grade Range

  • 6-8

8. Subject: Social Studies

9. Standards: 

8.5b The Great Depression and the Dust Bowl affected American businesses and families.  Students will examine the effects of the Great Depression on American families in terms of the loss of jobs, wealth, and homes, noting varying effects based on class, race, and gender. 

  • Students will explore the conditions in New York City and other communities within New York State during the Great Depression

RH7: Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.

10. Credits: Renee Stento

PREPARATION 

11. Materials Used: Student handout, powerpoint

12. Resources Used: 

Q1 How do industries change over time and through innovation?

https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/34034/20170714/early-milk-transportation-dairy-plants-from-the-1800s-to-the-1930s

Q2 How do individuals further their wants or get their needs met?

After reading the article “The Milk Strike Has Enlarged In Its Area” https://sidney.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?k=%22milk%20strike%22&i=f&d=01011882-12312010&m=between&ord=k1&fn=sidney_enterprise_usa_new_york_sidney_19330810_english_1&df=1&dt=10  and “The New York Milk Strikes” by Tom Kriger https://www.themilkhouse.org/the-new-york-milk-strikes/ 

Q3 How did this strike impact communities and individuals?

https://nyheritage.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16694coll7/id/843/rec/7

https://nyheritage.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16694coll7/id/838/rec/4

https://nyheritage.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16694coll7/id/872/rec/10

https://nyheritage.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16694coll7/id/851/rec/9

https://nyheritage.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16694coll7/id/831/rec/17

https://nyheritage.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16694coll7/id/848/rec/22

Powerpoint to guide lesson

PROCEDURE

13. Description of Procedure: 

  1. Do Now:  Think about all the things you like to eat that are made with milk.  Be ready to share out at least 2.  What would happen if you couldn’t get the milk you needed or wanted?

  2. Brief review of major economic and social impacts of the Great Depression

  3. Q1 How do industries change over time and through innovation?  Have students visit website and track 3 changes to the production and transportation of milk production

https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/34034/20170714/early-milk-transportation-dairy-plants-from-the-1800s-to-the-1930s  Use the site and describe 3 specific ways transportation or production of milk/ dairy changed from late 1800 to the first half of the 20th century.

  1. Give students time to share their responses.  Focus on unions, consolidation of individual farmers to influence price, increased production with industrialization, and changes in transportation.

  2. Q2 How do individuals further their wants or get their needs met?  After reading the article “The Milk Strike Has Enlarged In Its Area” https://sidney.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?k=%22milk%20strike%22&i=f&d=01011882-12312010&m=between&ord=k1&fn=sidney_enterprise_usa_new_york_sidney_19330810_english_1&df=1&dt=10  and “The New York Milk Strikes” by Tom Kriger https://www.themilkhouse.org/the-new-york-milk-strikes/ create a timeline of all events mentioned in the articles.  Circle any action you placed on the timeline that show something an individual or group did to gain rights or get their needs met.  Annotate if you believe this would be effective and why.

  3. Have students view the chosen pictures from the Milk Strikes and complete the chart on their paper.  

  4. Wrap up with a discussion based on the impact of individuals on their community.

14. Extensions (if applicable)  Look at more recent concerns for the dairy industry in upstate.  Draw similarities and differences https://sidney.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?k=%22milk%20strike%22&i=f&d=01011882-12312010&m=between&ord=k1&fn=tri_town_news_usa_new_york_sidney_19910904_english_2&df=1&dt=10

EVALUATION

15. Evaluation: Collect student work and evaluate participation in discussions.

RETURN TO RESULTS