Sharecropping Simulation
Students will get to time travel and see what life of a sharecropper was like. Did they make the right choice making a deal with the landowner? Let them take a trip back and time and see what they think!
Duration
Less than 1 hour
Lesson Type
Traditional Lesson
Essential Question
EQ: What was life as a shcarecropper like during the Reconstruction Era?
Grade(s):
- 5
Subject(s):
Recommended Technology:
Computer
Other Instructional Materials or Notes:
Lesson Progression
Link prior knowledge:
- The teacher will ask students to think, pair, share about their definition of a sharecropper.
- Next, they will ask them what it is based on discussion and what they think it would be like to be sharecropper during the Reconstruction Era.
Instructional strategies-
- First, the teacher will play the PBS video about sharecroppers.
- Students will discuss the main ideas about the video with others at their tables.
- They will also discuss any new ideas they learned from the video
- Next, the teacher will pull up the “sharecropping cycle” image.
- Review the cycle and explain each of the different aspects of the cycle.-Try to use real-world relationships. Ex.) explain buying seed off credit and using a credit card in today’s world
- After, students will participate in the sharecropping simulation activity
Reflect and summarize-
- The teacher will tell students to begin thinking about how they felt about the activity and how life would be if they were a sharecropper.
- Students can write a reflection on how the activity made them feel as well as how their opinions and ideas about sharecropping have shifted.
Debriefing Questions
Possible questions that can be used to debrief after the lesson is completed
View ResourceStandards
- 5-1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of Reconstruction and its impact on the United States.