The Harvey Girls: Opportunity Bound
Grades 6-7
Lesson Plan Overview: The Harvey Girls were one of the first all-female workforces in the United States during a time when women themselves were considered property. From the 1880s until the 1970s, Harvey Girls worked in restaurants along the AT&SF railroad and proved that women could support themselves and lead independent lives. In this lesson plan, students will learn about the history of the Harvey Girls through videos, primary sources, and a secondary source reading. The lesson plans also include two assessments, one analytical writing assignment, and an art-based activity. There are also resources for teachers and extension activities available to dive deeper into the history of the Harvey Girls.
All materials available in Google Drive and PDF formats.
MATERIALS
Presentation for Lesson Plan
Examining Photographs of Harvey Girls
Video: Early History of the Harvey Girls
Secondary Source Reading: A Brief History of the Harvey Girls
Videos: The Story of the Harvey Girls
Primary Source Analysis: "Harvey Girls Tamers of the West"
Assessments: Research Project: Harvey Girls State-by-State & Art Project - Design a Harvey Girl Uniform
RESOURCES FOR TEACHERSWebsites with overviews and histories of the Harvey Girls:
Information about the Fred Harvey Company & Harvey Houses
Northern Arizona has a timeline of the Fred Harvey Company
Wheels Museum
An article about the Harvey House Restaurant at Union Station in Los Angeles with information about Mary Coulter, one of the early female architects.
ALIGNMENT WITH STANDARDS
ELA Common Core Standards:
9-10.W.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
9-10.W.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
9-10.W.5: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
9-10.L.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
9-10.RH.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.
C3 Social Studies Standards:
D2.His.3.9-12: Use questions generated about individuals and groups to assess how the significance of their actions changes over time and is shaped by the historical context.
D2.His.5.9-12. Analyze how historical contexts shaped and continue to shape people’s perspectives.
D2.Eco.5.9-12. Describe the consequences of competition in specific markets.
D4.6.9-12. Use disciplinary and interdisciplinary lenses to understand the characteristics and causes of local, regional, and global problems; instances of such problems in multiple contexts; and challenges and opportunities faced by those trying to address these problems over time and place