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Migration in Appalachia Lesson Plan 1 (PDF)

Summary

Students will research the settlement of Appalachia by various cultures.  Students will then be introduced to local (western NC) peoples, oral histories, and songs.  Students will research the settlement of a county in western NC and create a timeline based on their research.

Learning Outcomes

Students will:

  • Develop an appreciation for global and local cultural diversity
  • Analyze a primary and secondary document
  • Create a timeline or map based on information gained from document study

Teacher Planning

Time Required for Lesson [2-3 days]
Materials Needed:

Technology Resources Needed:

  • High-speed internet access and computers for each student
  • Stereo headphones for each student

Background Information / Pre-Activities

  • Introduce the terms “culture” have a brief class discussion about what culture means to each student. Introduced “dialect,” have a brief class discussion about examples of dialect. Talk about migration and the forms it takes immigration and emigration.
  • For homework, students will pick a cultural group (African, Cherokee, English, Scots-Irish, Highland Scots, Welsh, Irish, Dutch, German, French, Chinese, Mayan, Mexican) and create a timeline of their settlement, highlighting migration patterns and influence from different cultures. 

Activities

  • Students will share their timelines with the class.
  • Introduce the five piece appalachian string band. Discuss how the five piece Appalachian string band is an example of migrating cultures evolving with each other. Students will divide into groups and select an instrument to study,
  • Assessment: students will share their timelines and instrument research with the class.
  • Student groups will present their research to the class, they will show what changes if any the instrument has gone through since migrating to Appalachia.

Critical Vocabulary

  • Culture
  • Migration
  • Dialect 
  • Emigration
  • Immigration
  • Oral history
  • Ballad

See definitions

Supplemental Texts

  • "I Y'AM WHAT I Y'AM" - Bradley, R. (1995). I Y'am What I Y'am. In R. J. Higgs, A. N. Manning, & J. W. Miller (Eds.), Appalachia Inside Out: Volume 1 Conflict and Change (p. 240). Knoxville, TN: The University of Tennessee Press. (Originally Printed 1986).
  • "KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE" - Giovanni, N. (1995). Knoxville, Tennessee. In R. J. Higgs, A. N. Manning, & J. W. Miller (Eds.), Appalachia Inside Out: Volume 1 Conflict and Change (p. 314-315). Knoxville, TN: The University of Tennessee Press. (Originally Printed 1970).
  • "THE LAND OF APPALACHIA FROM ENCOUNTER TO PERCEPTION" - Hollingsworth, H. (1995) The Land of Appalachia: From Encounter to Perception. In R. J. Higgs, A. N. Manning, & J. W. Miller (Eds.), Appalachia Inside Out: Volume 1 Conflict and Change (p. 32-37). Knoxville, TN: The University of Tennessee Press.
  • "CHEROKEE HERITAGE AND FOLKLORE (AS TOLD TO KAREN FRENCH OWL)" - Lambert, C. (1995). Cherokee Heritage and Folklore (as told to Karen French Owl). In R. J. Higgs, A. N. Manning, & J. W. Miller (Eds.), Appalachia Inside Out: Volume 1 Conflict and Change (pp. 215-218). Knoxville, TN: The University of Tennessee Press.
  • "THE HILLBILLY ODYSEEY" - Laska, P. (1995). The Hillbilly Odyssey. In R. J. Higgs, A. N. Manning, & J. W. Miller (Eds.), Appalachia Inside Out: Volume 1 Conflict and Change (p. 319). Knoxville, TN: The University of Tennessee Press. (Originally Printed in 1977).
  • "CROSSING THE CUMBERLAND MOUNTAINS" - Muir, J. (1995). Crossing the Cumberland Mountains. In R. J. Higgs, A. N. Manning, & J. W. Miller (Eds.), Appalachia Inside Out: Volume 1 Conflict and Change (pp. 186-188). Knoxville, TN: The University of Tennessee Press. (Originally Printed in 1916).
  • "LIVING CITY, FEELING COUNTY: THE CURRENT STATE AND FUTURE PROSPECTS OF URBAN APPALACHIANS" - Obermiller, P. J., & Maloney, M. E. (1995). Living City, Feeling Country: The Current State and Future Prospects of Urban Appalachians. In R. J. Higgs, A. N. Manning, & J. W. Miller (Eds.), Appalachia Inside Out: Volume 1 Conflict and Change (pp. 320-329). Knoxville, TN: The University of Tennessee Press. (Originally Printed in 1991).
  • "RED AND BLACK IN SOUTHERN APPALACHIA" - Purdue, T. (1995). Red and Black in Southern Appalachia. In R. J. Higgs, A. N. Manning, & J. W. Miller (Eds.), Appalachia Inside Out: Volume 1 Conflict and Change (pp. 219-224). Knoxville, TN: The University of Tennessee Press. (Originally Printed in 1985).
  • "BORDER WARFARE AND CAPTIVITY" - Withers, A. (1995). Border Warfare and Captivity. In R. J. Higgs, A. N. Manning, & J. W. Miller (Eds.), Appalachia Inside Out: Volume 1 Conflict and Change (p.78-81). Knoxville, TN: The University of Tennessee Press. Originally Printed in 1895).
  • "ALIENS IN SOUTHERN APPALACHIA, 1900-1920: THE ITALIAN EXPERIENCE IN WISE COUNTY, VIRGINIA" - Wolfe, M. R. (1995). Aliens in Southern Appalachia, 1900-1920: The Italian Experience in Wise County, Virginia. In R. J. Higgs, A. N. Manning, & J. W. Miller (Eds.), Appalachia Inside Out: Volume 1 Conflict and Change (pp. 250-263). Knoxville, TN: The University of Tennessee Press. (Originally Printed in 1979).
  • "APPALACHIA: A HISTORY OF MOUNTAINS AND PEOPLE" - Ross, J., Spears, R., Spacek, S., Wilson, E. O., Kingsolver, B., Constantz, G., Eller, R. D., ... Public Broadcasting Service (U.S.). (2009). Appalachia: A history of mountains and people. Riverdale, MD: Agee Films.

North Carolina Essential Standards - SOCIAL STUDIES Grade 8

  • 8.H.1.1 Construct charts, graphs, and historical narratives to explain particular events or issues
  • 8.H.1.2 Summarize the literal meaning of historical documents in order to establish context
  • 8.H.1.3 Use primary and secondary sources to interpret various historical perspectives
  • 8.H.1.4 Use historical inquiry to evaluate the validity of sources used to construct historical narratives
  • 8.C.1.1 Explain how influences from Africa, Europe, and the Americas impacted North Carolina and the United States
  • 8.C.1.2 Summarize the origin of beliefs, practices, and traditions that represent various groups within North Carolina and the United States
  • 8.TT.1 Use technology and other resources for assigned tasks
  • 8.RP.1 Apply a research process to complete project-based activities
  • 8.G.1.1 Explain how location and place have presented opportunities and challenges for the movement of people, goods, and ideas in North Carolina and the United States
  • 8.G.1.2 Understand the human and physical characteristics of regions in North Carolina and the United States