Student Roles and Titles

Introduction

Quest(ions) and the Task

Conclusion

Evaluation

Resources

Picture courtesy of Polar Inertia

Title: Casa Grande and the 19^th Century Mining Boom

Developed by: Margaret Koral

Overview:

A 6th grade level interdisciplinary science and geography lesson which introduces the early history of the city of Casa Grande. Emphasizing the 19^th century mining boom and how it impacted the growth of the city. The exhibit, Fire in the Hole: mining, located in the Casa Grande Historical Society serves as a resource on which this lesson will be based.

Concept 4, PO1 Geography, Human systems

Concept 3, PO1, PO3 Science, Organisms and Environment

The use of maps of the state of Arizona, road and relief maps will help to locate the various mines located in the Casa Grande area. Various pictures, books and articles on historic Casa Grande will also be used.

Introduction:

The mining of various minerals in the state of Arizona were an important part of the history of the founding of the city of Casa Grande. The city of Casa Grande owed it’s beginnings to the introduction of the Union Pacific Railroad and its ease of transporting materials to either the eastern or the western parts of the nation. The railroad made it easier to move the mined ores and minerals to other states to be processed.

Picture courtesy of State of Texas/Railroad archive

Quest(ions) and the Task:

Task:

Learn the original name of the city of Casa Grande. To discover the types of minerals and ores which were mined in the state of Arizona and the areas around the city of Casa Grande and Pinal County. How they were mined and transported to the railroad for shipping. Describe the ease or difficulty of transportation.

Questions:

· What was the original name given to the city of Casa Grande?

· What types of minerals and ores were once mined in the state and areas around Casa Grande?

· What are two ways in which copper is mined?

· How were the mined materials transported to Casa Grande and the railroad terminal?

· How would you describe the transportation of mined materials in that time period?

Picture courtesy of Walker Pictures

Student Roles/Titles:

All students will be acting as historical researchers, becoming aware of the minerals and ores mined in Arizona, Casa Grande and Pinal County in the past. They will discover the original name of the city of Casa Grande. They will discover and learn of two ways in which copper is mined. They will research how the mined materials were transported to the railroad in the early days of Casa Grande’s history.

Directions:

Individually each of you will access the various websites, articles and pictures to find the answers to the questions.

You will record each resource you use in your quest.

You will take notes as to where you found the needed information, listing the website, article, or picture.

You will make note of the page of the website and the paragraph of the article.

You will write a two page essay which tells of the information you have found.

Presentation Options:

Once you have turned in your essay to the teacher you will present your information to the class in the form of any two of the choices below.

· Clay models of a copper mine.

· A diorama of how the materials were transported.

· A drawing of the means of transportation

Resources:

· http://www.azcu.org/economicprofile/1998.html

· http://www.azgs.az.gov/minerals.htm

· http://www.nwma.org/education/copper_facts.htm

· http://www.polarinertia.com/sept03/cuaz00.htm

· http://www.islmining.com/projects.htm

· http://www.fredlucasarts.com/paintingpages/azlifeline.htm

· Encyclopedias

· History Books

· Maps of Arizona

· Casa Grande Historical Society

· School or Public Library

Picture courtesy of Genealogy Rootsweb/Muletrain

Evaluation/Grading Criteria:

See evaluation rubric.

Conclusion:

What do you think of the original name for the city? Would you mind living in a city with that name today?

What information surprised you about minerals and ores mined here within the state and local areas?

Did the different ways of mining interest you?

Would you like to have taken part in this time in history?

Picture courtesy of Arizona Mining Corp.

Picture courtesy of Arizona Latinoculture.com