In the state of Michigan the Fourth Grade Social Studies Curriculum is based on the

study of Michigan History. The Lumbering Industry and the individuals who took risks
during the Lumbering Era played a major role in helping Michigan become a state. It is this
future teachers belief that students become more engaged in their learning if they can
relate and/or understand the people they are studying.

For these reasons this future teacher has chosen to break up the topic of
Lumbering into two units. This first unit focuses on introducing students to the broad topic
of lumbering and the different types of people who helped make Michigan an industrial
state.

This unit will incorporate the following benchmarks:

SS.I.2.LE.2: Use narratives and graphic data to compare the past of their
local community, the state of Michigan and other parts of the United States
with present day life in those places.
SS.I.2.LE.3: Recount the lives and characters of a variety of individuals
from the past representing their local community, the state of Michigan, and
other parts of the United States
SS.I.3.LE.3: Compose simple narratives of events from the history of the
state of Michigan and the United States
SS.II.1.LE.2: Locate and describe diverse kinds of communities and explain
the reasons for their characteristics and locations
SS.V.1.LE.1: Locate information about local, state and national communities
using a variety of traditional sources, electronic technologies, and direct
observations
SS.V.1LE.3: Interpret social science information about local, state, and
national communities from maps, graphs, and charts.
FA.III.4.E.1: Identify and compare similar characters and situations in
stories and dramas from and about various cultures, illustrate with
classroom dramatizations, and discuss how theater reflects life

This Unit is designed to give an over view of the Lumbering Industry in Michigan, which
occurred from about 1830 to 1900 and act as an introduction to future units on the
Economics of Lumbering and the Events that allowed Michigan to gain statehood.
Contents of Unit:

Lesson 1: Paul Bunyan: An introduction to Lumberjacks and the Lumber industry in Michigan
Topic-introduction/kick off using arts and literature
Time span: 2 hours in one school day

Lesson 2: A Brief History of Lumbering In Michigan

Topic- Overview of Lumbering in Michigan
Time span: about 2 hours in one school day

Lesson 3: Green Gold

Topic- Lumber Camps and the people who worked there
Time span: about 2 hours and 15 minutes in one day
Lesson 4: Who are the Shanty Boys?
Topic- The People of the Lumber Camps
Time span: about 2 hours in one school day
Lesson 5: Research Project Introduction
Topic- Student Project
Time span: 2 hours for 2 to 3 school days
Lesson 6: Shanty Boy Camp and Meal
Topic- Presentation, authentic meal, and wrap-up of unit
Time span: 4 to 5 hours total in one school day.
Sources:

A Shanty Boys Meal- Lesson Plan (2003) Michigan Historical Department of History,
Arts and Libraries Retrieved on July 24, 2006 from
http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160-17451_18670_18793-53124--,00.html

Clark, L. (director). (2001) Disneys American Legends [animated feature].

United States. Walt Disney Pictures.

Gills, B.J(2004) They Worked in the Woods: Ojibwe and Wage Labor in the Upper
Peninsula of Michigan 1880- 1930 Presented at Great Lakes History Conference,
Grand Rapids, Michigan. Retrieved on July 7, 2006 from
http://www.public.asu.edu/~bolshoi/webC.V/They_Worked_in_the_Woods.pdf

Hay Paul (1958). On Disneys American Legends Soundtrack. [Compact Disk]. United
States: Walt Disney Records (2002).

Michigan EPIC (2006). A Brief History of Lumber.[interactive storybook]. Retrieved

July 17, 2006, from
http://www.michiganepic.org/lumbering/BriefHistory/BriefHist.html

Michigan Epic: Lumbering In Michigan 1840-1900(n.d.) Retrieved July 6, 2006 from

http://www.michiganepic.org/lumbering/lumbering.html

Michigan EPIC (2006). Lumbering Archive. [historical images]. Retrieved July 28,
2006 from
http://www.michiganepic.org/lumbering/photoarchive/archive1/index.htm

Michigan EPIC (2006). Where is the Green Gold? [interactive storybook(shockwave)]

Retrieved July 29, 2006 from http://www.michiganepic.org/greengold/
New website retrieved February 19, 2007
http://www.americanepic.org/greengold

Michigan EPIC(2006) Interactive Online Activities Based on Green Gold: [Shockwave]

Retrieved July 29, 2006 form
http://www.michiganepic.org/lumbering/lumbering.html

Orback, C. (nd). Paul Bunyan. Retrieved on July 31, 2006. from

http://www.craigorback.com

Overlease, E., & Overlease, W., (1973) A History of Logging in Benzie County, Michigan.
Retrieved July 7, 2006, from http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160-
15481_19268_20778-52079--,00.html

Quinlan, M. (2001). Lumbering in Michigan. Retrieved July 7, 2006 from

http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160-17451_18670_18793-
53133--,00.html