West Virginia Coal

Beth Anderson

Mini-Unit Overview

This mini-unit is intended for fifth graders. In this mini-unit, we will study the Appalachian region of the United States. Specifically, we will discuss coal mining in West Virginia. I chose this topic not only because the study of states is included in the curriculum, but because it is an area of the country that I am interested in and would be able to offer expertise in. It is important for the students to understand why this issue is important. I hope to put a more personal side on the issues involved with coal mining. In the first lesson, we will discuss what they want to learn. It will give them a place to go from that concerns issues they are interested in. It will also provide them an opportunity to see if there are other students in the class that may already have knowledge we can use. In the second and third lessons, we will be exploring what it is like to live in that situation by letting the students experience what coal families experience. In the fourth lesson, we will let them explore their questions even farther by establishing personal contacts. This pen pal lesson will teach them about children of a rural, low-income/ poverty area that is very dependent on mining. Even though we may have discussed some of the reasons why coal is bad, I want the children to understand that mining is necessary in other parts of the country and can have positive effects on families and communities as well.

Lesson 1: K-W-L
In this lesson, we will construct a K-W-L chart about coal and mining. We will discuss things we would like to learn. I will also set up a "Coal Library" near the back of the room by my desk. If children are interested in looking at the books, they will be required to check the books out. The collection will include picture books, collections of short stories, and novels about families who live in the region that are involved with mining issues.

Lesson 2: "In Coal Country"
I will read "In Coal Country" to the class. We will then create pictures with charcoal that represent a part of their life. We will discuss what it would be like if they had to live with coal all around them and they were constantly covered with the dust. This will lead into our next lesson, talking about black lung disease.

Lesson 3: Black Lung Disease
In this lesson, we will discuss the fight for benefits from the company and the government for suffering from black-lung disease. The students will then write in their journals from the perspective of company owner, coal miner, or family member.

Lesson 4: Pen Pals
The final lesson will lead into extensions if the class decides to take them. We will be writing letters to a fifth grade class in Panther, West Virginia. It is in McDowell County in the southern part of the state, deep in the coal mining area. As a class we will discuss proper format of a letter. We will also discuss the kinds of things that they could include in their letters, as well as topics that are probably not very appropriate to discuss. Each student will be required to ask one question about West Virginia that they think their pen pal could answer. This will hopefully lead into further discussions of mining issues, as well as additions to our "What we learned" chart.

Resources Used