The Push and Pull from Rural to Urban Life Grade Level/ Course: 4 th and 7 th grade Texas History Time Allotment: One 55 minute class period Author: Tina Melcher, Social Studies Specialist ESC Region 13, Austin, TX Contact Information: tina.melcher@esc13.txed.net Enduring Understands There are political, economic, social, and geographical factors that have caused Texas to change from a rural/agrarian to urban society. Urbanization has changed the types of job and occupations people have. Concepts Change, movement Essential Questions What are the factors that have caused Texas to change from an rural/agrarian to urban society? What trends have occurred that have caused Texas to change from an rural/agrarian to urban society? Social Studies TEKS 4. (5) History. The student understands important issues, events, and individuals of the 20th century in Texas. The student is expected to: (A) identify the impact of various issues and events on life in Texas such as urbanization, increased use of oil and gas, and the growth of aerospace and other technology industries; 4. (8) Geography. The student uses geographic tools to collect, analyze, and interpret data. The student is expected to: (B) pose and answer questions about geographic distributions and patterns in Texas during the 19th and 20th centuries. 4. (13) Economics. The student understands patterns of work and economic activities in Texas. The student is expected to: (C) analyze the effects of immigration, migration, and limited resources on the economic development and growth of Texas; (D) describe the impact of mass production, specialization, and division of labor on the economic growth of Texas; 4. (8) Geography. The student understands the location and patterns of settlement and the geographic factors that influence where people live. The student is expected to: (B) explain patterns of settlement at different time periods in Texas; (D) explain the geographic factors that influence patterns of settlement and the distribution of population in Texas, past and present. 4. (22) Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of sources including electronic technology. The student is expected to: (B) analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect
relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusions; (C) organize and interpret information in outlines, reports, databases, and visuals including graphs, charts, timelines, and maps (24) Social studies skills. The student uses problem-solving and decision-making skills, working independently and with others, in a variety of settings. The student is expected to: (B) use a decision-making process to identify a situation that requires a decision, gather information, identify options, predict consequences, and take action to implement a decision. 7. (10) Geography. The student understands the effects of the interaction between humans and the environment in Texas during the 19th and 20th centuries. The student is expected to: (B) explain ways in which geographic factors have affected the political, economic, and social development of Texas. 7. (11) Geography. The student understands the characteristics, distribution, and migration of population in Texas in the 19th and 20th centuries. The student is expected to: (C) analyze the effects of the changing population distribution in Texas during the 20th century; 7. (12) Economics. The student understands the factors that caused Texas to change from an agrarian to an urban society. The student is expected to: (A) explain economic factors that led to the urbanization of Texas; (C) explain the changes in the types of jobs and occupations that have resulted from the urbanization of Texas. 7. (21) Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of sources including electronic technology. The student is expected to: (B) analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusions; (C) organize and interpret information from outlines, reports, databases, and visuals including graphs, charts, timelines, and maps; (E) support a point of view on a social studies issue or event; 7. (23) Social studies skills. The student uses problem-solving and decision-making skills, working independently and with others, in a variety of settings. The student is expected to: (B) use a decision-making process to identify a situation that requires a decision, gather information, identify options, predict consequences, and take action to implement a decision. Objective: The student will analyze the push-pull factors that changed Texas from a rural/agrarian to urban society. Procedure: ANTICIPATORY SET Students will form a line. You will make a statement about rural and urban life. If they agree with the statement they will take one step forward. If they do not agree with the statement, they will stay where they are at. After each statement or when you are finished, go over each statement and asked students why they agreed or disagreed with the statement. Questions 1. Life is better in a small town than in a big city. Answer: Opinion 2. Texas has three of the ten largest cities in the United States. Answer: Houston, San Antonio, Dallas 3. There are more college educated people in rural areas. Answer: False 4. Farming is a characteristic of rural areas. Answer: True 5. Technology has changed life in rural and urban areas. Answer: True 6. Parking lot attendant is one of the fasting growing occupations in Texas. Answer: True 7. The population in Texas has stayed stable since 1950. Answer: False 8. It is easier to find a job in a rural/agrarian area than an urban area. Answer: Opinion 9. Rural counties in Texas have a larger share of older citizens than urban counties. Answer: True 10. There are more suburban counties in Texas than urban or rural counties. Answer: True
INFORMATION GATHERING 1. Have student form groups of 2-3 students. 2. Have students complete a Concept Map describing the word rural and urban. RURAL URBAN Definitions Rural Areas are sparsely settled and away from the influence of large cities and towns; areas with mostly farmland and little human population; the country (Census Bureau defines rural as areas not defined as urban and generally has a population less than 2500) Agrarian Society A society in which agriculture or faming is the primary means of subsistence. Urban - Areas occupied by buildings and related facilities used for residences, industrial sites, instructional sites, public highways, airports, and similar uses associated with towns and cities; a densely populated are; the city (Census Bureau defines urban as having a population density of 1000 person per square mile and a total population of at least 50,000)
3. Read the following to the students. Today, the Texas economy is thriving like never before. Urban areas such as Houston, Dallas, Ft. Worth, San Antonio, and other Texas cities are growing faster and are more dynamic and resilient than ever before. Even Austin, our state capital is known as the new Silicon Hills because of the growth of the high tech industry there. Texas has become one of the most urbanized states in the nation, with more than 4/5s of its residents living in urban areas. The same visitor in rural Texas would have to look much harder to see this economic change and growth. He would still see town squares, oil wells, crops, and pastures of livestock, but a closer look would reveal growth but in a state of turmoil. Some of these rural communities have few shoppers, thinning herds of livestock, and motionless pump jacks. Plus, the geographical factors of drought, hurricanes, and fires have affected the growth of these areas. So, what are the push-pull factors that have caused people to leave rural Texas and move to urban areas? We will see in this next activity. DEFINITION Push-Pull Factor - A factor that involves a force which acts to drive people away from a place and/or draw them to a new location. 4. Students will be given three charts to use to interpret and analyze the push-pull factors that have caused people to leave rural Texas and move to urban areas of Texas. CHARTS T-CHART: Texas-Rural Life/Urban Life TABLE: Fastest Growing Occupations in Texas TIMELINE: Texas in the 20 th Century 5. They will complete questions for each chart. Interpreting the push pull factors and analyzing the economic, political, social, and geographic factors that have caused people to leave rural Texas and move to urban areas of Texas. QUESTIONS T-CHART: Texas-Rural Life/Urban Life TABLE: Fastest Growing Occupations in Texas TIMELINE: Texas in the 20 th Century Definition Economic Characteristics that have to do with the production, development, and management of material wealth of a country, household, or business enterprise; how people make a living.
Political- Characteristics that have to do with the structures and affairs of government, politics and its institutions, or politicians Social Characteristics that have to do with the way people live together in communities or similar organized groups, language, religion, lifestyle, etc. Geographical- Characteristics that have to do with the earth, its features and the distribution of those features Processing Activity and Closure 1. As a group, students will circle the most important factor on each questionnaire that explains the reasons Texas has changed from a rural/agrarian to urban society. 2. They will then list them on a classroom push-pull chart. 3. Each group will pick a speaker and they will explain one of the factors their group picked. 4. In their notebook, have the students design a symbol explaining the most important factor for Texas changing from an agrarian to urban society.(examples might be a diploma, a dollar sign, a cloud (pollution), something to do with a type of job, etc.) Then inside the symbol have them answer this question in complete sentences following the classroom writing rules. Enrichment What is the most important factor that has caused Texas to change from a rural/agrarian to an urban society? Have students read the article Church in shrinking town closes on 100 th birthday or any other article describing the issues confronted by a small town. Then, have students research the economic, political, social, and geographical characteristics of Rochester, Texas to use to develop a plan to Save Rochester. Associated Press. Church in shrinking town closes on 100 th birthday. Austin American Statesman, July 10, 2006, B5.