This lesson is intended to provide 6th grade students with a background on one of the most important eras in Michigan history, the "lumber era". Although Michigan history is generally taught in the 4th grade in Michigan schools, several counties in the southern Upper Peninsula are yearly visitors to the Iron County Museum in Caspian and its excellent school visitation program. Since 6th grade visitors to the Museum are introduced to more involved aspects of logging than other grades, this lesson is designed with 6th graders in mind, although other grades would enjoy the lesson as well.
The lesson is subdivided into history, language arts, mathematics, and art/design. Since the history lesson is a PowerPoint presentation, it may be helpful to view this before attempting the other subjects.
A PowerPoint presentation provides a brief history on logging in Michigan, focusing on the lives of Upper Peninsula loggers. Several aspects of geography and geometry are included.
This lesson has several writing activities that students will hopefully find fun and educational. Students will select from categories of lumberjack jargon to complete one or more of the assignments. The pages (of jargon) are in pdf format to allow them to be printed, if desired. The lesson is intended to provide a novel, more interesting approach to learning some of the lumberjack's history, indirectly emphasizing the importance of language in communication.
Also, students will be able to access from this page a free e-book, Between the Lumber and the Pine, that was written by former Iron River resident Lewis C. Reimann. The book is out of print, but is still a good read with its fascinating tales of loggers (and miners) in the early days of the Upper Peninsula. This is a true copy of the original, page-by-page, photographs included.
MATH:
This lesson is intended to show students the importance of mathematics in everyday life, as it illustrates how the lumbermen had to use math in their work (i.e., applications of math). The lesson includes a worksheet and answers (pdf format).
This is a basic, informative lesson on the log marks carved or stamped on logs to given them an identity. An introduction to log marks is provided, then students may access a lesson at the website of the Michigan Historical Museum: Design Your Own Log Marks. Their printer-friendly lesson includes a brief introduction to log marks and a section where students may design their own (four total). A page of blank "logs" is available in pdf format.
CS255 Computers in El Ed Home Page
Northern Michigan University