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From the title through the story, Carla McClafferty knows how to get readers interested. Young writers can learn a thing or two about good writing from this Minute, and their learning will make for easier reading for educators! |
English/Language Arts
Explore nonfiction narrative in expository writing
This Minute provides a great mentor text to show students how to make their expository writing compelling enough to read by adding a narrative element. Instead of writing a boring couple of paragraphs about radium poisoning, Author McClafferty takes the reader back in time and tells the story of the women who inadvertently uncovered the dangerous properties of this radioactive element. Ask your students to take a boring expository piece - think about pulling something from an encyclopedia - and make the information fascinating by looking for a story to tell.
Social Studies
Explore US History - labor laws
Individuals grow and learn when they practice reflection - looking back at past behavior and outcomes and using that to make decisions as they move forward. Societal growth happens in much the same way. Get your students to examine the this incident in terms of actions, consequences, and decisions moving forward. Have them create a timeline of occupational problems and look at how these problems have been addressed to avoid repeat potential disasters.
STEM
Explore Chemistry - periodic table
Have students investigate the properties and history of radium. Consider using an interactive periodic table like the one authored by the Royal Society of Chemistry to find out more about this toxic element. For older students, check out Hank Green's Crash Course on the Periodic Table of Elements.
Explore Science Safety Guidelines
Safety is important in the laboratory as well as the workplace. Use this minute to orient your students to the safety guidelines in the Stem classroom. This video on Lab Techniques and Safety is useful, or check out the safety guidelines on the Science Buddies site.
Research Skills
Explore occupational safety resource sites
Incidents like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and the deaths of the radium girls are part of a timeline of occupational hazards that eventually led to the creation of the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, or OSHA, by the US government in 1971. Have students take a look at the OSHA site, a division of the US Department of Labor. Make sure they look at the URL and notice the .gov domain extension. Have them explore other countries' to see if they can find similar workplace safety agencies. What are the similarities? Differences? How easy or difficult is it to find this information? Use this opportunity to point out the translate tool that Google offers when site are not in English (native language).
Explore nonfiction narrative in expository writing
This Minute provides a great mentor text to show students how to make their expository writing compelling enough to read by adding a narrative element. Instead of writing a boring couple of paragraphs about radium poisoning, Author McClafferty takes the reader back in time and tells the story of the women who inadvertently uncovered the dangerous properties of this radioactive element. Ask your students to take a boring expository piece - think about pulling something from an encyclopedia - and make the information fascinating by looking for a story to tell.
Social Studies
Explore US History - labor laws
Individuals grow and learn when they practice reflection - looking back at past behavior and outcomes and using that to make decisions as they move forward. Societal growth happens in much the same way. Get your students to examine the this incident in terms of actions, consequences, and decisions moving forward. Have them create a timeline of occupational problems and look at how these problems have been addressed to avoid repeat potential disasters.
STEM
Explore Chemistry - periodic table
Have students investigate the properties and history of radium. Consider using an interactive periodic table like the one authored by the Royal Society of Chemistry to find out more about this toxic element. For older students, check out Hank Green's Crash Course on the Periodic Table of Elements.
Explore Science Safety Guidelines
Safety is important in the laboratory as well as the workplace. Use this minute to orient your students to the safety guidelines in the Stem classroom. This video on Lab Techniques and Safety is useful, or check out the safety guidelines on the Science Buddies site.
Research Skills
Explore occupational safety resource sites
Incidents like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and the deaths of the radium girls are part of a timeline of occupational hazards that eventually led to the creation of the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, or OSHA, by the US government in 1971. Have students take a look at the OSHA site, a division of the US Department of Labor. Make sure they look at the URL and notice the .gov domain extension. Have them explore other countries' to see if they can find similar workplace safety agencies. What are the similarities? Differences? How easy or difficult is it to find this information? Use this opportunity to point out the translate tool that Google offers when site are not in English (native language).
© Karen Sterling, 2017 - May be used for educational purposes without written permission
