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Teach PA History
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Vanished Occupations: Life on an Iron Plantation
Extensions

1. Have students discover other occupations on an iron plantation such as clerk, filler, gutterman, keeper, blacksmith, and mansion cook. Ask students to compare the salaries and responsibilities of each. See laborer chart under student references. 2. Students could make a three dimensional model of the process of making charcoal by the collier. Have students label each step in the process and give an oral report to the class. 3. Have students find iron markers using Explorepahistory.com and create a map of Pennsylvania showing the locations of old iron works across the state. Using geological and transportation maps, students could explore the correlation between available natural resources and available transportation and the creation of iron works.

Field Trips

Cornwall Iron Furnace Rexmont at Boyd Street P.O. Box 251 Cornwall, PA 17016 Phone: 717-272-9711
This site, administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, is part of a National Historic Landmark District, and is said to be the only 19th century charcoal furnace in American to survive completely intact. The site offers a tour for students in grades 3-5 to learn about the different jobs of people on an iron plantation. Cornwall also offers other educational resources, such as classroom outreach programs and worksheets on relevant vocabulary and word games.

Hopewell Iron Furnace 2 Mark Bird Lane Elverson, PA 19520 Phone: 610-582-8773
Hopewell Furnace is a 19th-century iron plantation which consists of 848 acres, 14 restored structures, and 52 classified structures. Among the buildings are the ironmaster's mansion, blast furnace, and auxiliary buildings. The map used in this lesson for students to identify where certain jobs took place is of Hopewell Furnace. The site offers a Junior Ranger Program to challenge students who visit. To find out additional educational opportunities, an educational coordinator may be reached at 610-582-8773.

Centre Furnace Mansion 1001 East College Avenue State College, PA 16801 (The corner of College Avenue/Route 26 and Porter Road) (814) 234-4779
Centre Furnace Mansion, also the home of Centre County Historical Society, offers well-organized and tailored educational programs. An educational coordinator will contact you to see how the tour will fit into your students" current course of study. Explicit instructions are provided for arranging a tour at http://centrecountyhistory.org/education/scheduletour.html. Educational packets are available and provide pre-visit, tour, and post-visit activities. Explore the website to discover previous student's reactions to their visit, and note a whole section provided for teachers on tour information and activities.

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