Triangle Factory Fire

In this lesson plan students are introduced to the tragic fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory on March 25, 1911, in New York City. Students read a short background piece, then analyze not only primary sources covering the fire itself, but also sources on factory conditions for workers before the fire, and the social and political aftermath of the disaster. Groups of students prepare presentations on their assigned topic for the class, contributing to a class-wide understanding and allowing students to develop questions to direct further research.

Weblink address (URL):

Home Page- source

Standards & Objectives

Learning objectives:

Learners will:

Analyze a number of primary sources related to the Triangle fire
Help create a presentation for the class based on their group’s assigned sources

Essential and guiding questions:

What is important about the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire and how does that event fit within the larger context of immigrant and labor history?

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level:

Applying

Extension suggestions:

Have students select one or two of the research question from class—or develop their own—as the first step in writing research paper on some aspect of the Triangle fire or a related topic. They should use the source lists and contextual resources from this lesson as a foundation. The papers should use a number of primary sources as evidence for the student’s argument.

Helpful Hints

MATERIALS:

Computer access for students
Before the Fire source list
The Fire source list
After the Fire source list
Interactive Primary Source Analysis Tool