Slater Mill, Pawtucket RI

Ranger Chuck Arning and World History teacher Jesse Garcia presented a slide show that highlighted the lives of workers in the Industrial Revolution. The slide show was a precursor to a field trip to the Slater Mill in Rhode Island.

Students watching the slideshow

With the help of the National Parks Services, rangers and museum guides presented a movie highlighting industrial life along the Blackstone Canal. Students were then led through two museums; Wilkinson Machine and Slater Mill. Students walked along the Blackstone Canal, observing water control methods that powered the factories. Finally, students traced the Blackstone Canal from Worcester to Providence on a giant floor map in the visitor's center.

A side view of Slater Mill

Students said:

• "We took a tour of the former mill and a house that Samuel Slater once stayed in." 
• "We looked at all [the] machines and buildings at Slater Mill." 
• "We learned more about the Industrial Revolution."
• "We looked at the mills, and watched a movie of Slater Mill before and after."
• "We toured Slater Mill and learned about its functions."
• "We walked around the first factory in Rhode Island." 
• "We saw old mills and a presentation." 
• "We followed guides and they explained how certain things are historical."

Students looking at a piece of machinery

What they learned: 

• "...how they made cotton."
• "How [the workers'] food was prepared."
• "How bad of a living [people] had."
• "How long the canal was."
• "One water wheel powered all the machines."
• "Houses were jammed with people."
• "How cotton was packaged and shipped and transported."
• "How cotton was made into thread."
• "How young kids were when they started working in the factories."
• "How young [people] died."
• "People who worked in mills got more money."
• "The Industrial Revolution promoted slavery." 

Learning Fair 2015

December 16th, 2015 was the ETA's 7th annual Blackstone Canal Learning Fair. It was a resounding success. The evening opened with three students, Daria Soto, Kyle Monfredo, and Nicole Canizares. They spoke about the project, highlighting the process, stressing the importance of organization, and what the field trips added to the experience. All three students did a great job presenting.

The student speakers

Mr.Garcia opening the night

Mr. Garcia explained the process for documenting the dialogue between participants and guests, with raffle cards. Students and guests autographed each others raffle cards after each interaction, and once a card was filled they entered their card into the raffle box and they could get another one.

Parents and teachers looking around

A view of the canal

Parents and guests then had an opportunity to view the work from all students. The students' models were arranged in the center of the room as a recreation of a possible future for the canal district. Teachers, administrators and other school staff mingled with parents, learning about the engineering process, and the once and future canal. At the end of the learning fair, a student raffle card and a guest raffle card were drawn by a brave volunteer to award a gift certificate to Barnes and Nobles.

The brave volunteer

Students reported the next morning that the night went better than they could've expected and they were eager to receive their extra credit.

The freshmen ETA teachers, who worked just hard as the students.
A big thank you to them!