Historical Literacy Guide:

History

CRANBERRY HARVESTING

Table of Contents

Introduction

ObjectLiteracy...............................................................................................3

ThinkingLikeaHistorian................................................................................4

BackgroundInformation............................................................................................5

ImagesfortheClassroom.........................................................................................7

StudentActivity.....................................................................................................12

Teacher-ledStudentInquiryandAnalysisQuestions..................................................13

BibliographyandAdditionalResources.....................................................................14

Reflection..............................................................................................................15

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Object Literacy: Learning from ObjectsTheWisconsinHistoricalMuseum,aspartoftheWisconsinHistoricalSociety,has

developedthefollowingguidetoassistintheteachingofstandardsforsocialstudies.

Byfocusingonobjects,artifacts,maps,photographsandotherprimarysourcesfromits

collection,studentswillbeabletoredefinehowtheylearnfromobjectsandfromhistory.

Object-based learning is

•Usingavarietyofobjectsascentraltothedevelopmentoflessonconcepts

•Utilizingobjectsthroughposingandinvestigatingquestions

•Utilizingwell-thought-outinitialquestionstostimulatefurthercriticalthinking

•Usingstudents’naturalinterestandinclinationforquestion-posingtoguide

instructioninallsubjects

•Leadingstudentstotheirownanswersbyrespondingtoopenendedquestions

and/orreturningthestudents’focustotheobject

•Student-directedlearningfollowingpathscreatedbythestudents

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Thinking Like a Historian: Rethinking History Instruction

(TLH) inquiry-based educational theoryprovidesacommon

languageforeducatorsandstudents.Thetheoryallowsfor

theeducationalprocesstobecombinedwithcategoriesof

inquirywhichpromotehistoricalliteracy.

ItistheintentoftheWisconsinHistoricalMuseumthat

thisguideserveseducatorsandstudentsinproviding

object-basedlessonstobeusedaftervisitingand

experiencingthemuseumonafieldtrip.Ourfieldtrips

supportCommon Core English Language Arts Standards

forReading:InformationalTextandSpeaking&Listening

standardsaswellasCCSSforEnglishLanguageArts&

LiteracyinHistory/SocialStudies.

Educatorsshouldusethisguideasapost-museum

visitactivity.Itwillcontinuetochallengestudentsto

“ThinkLikeaHistorian”byencouragingthemtothink

critically,makepersonalconnectionswithhistory,andto

evaluateinformationbyasking“why”,“how”,andmost

importantly,“Howdoyouknow?”

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TLH CATEGORIES

CAUSE AND EFFECT

CHANGE AND CONTINUITY

TURNING POINTS

USING THE PAST

THROUGH THEIR EYES

Thinking Like a Historian: Rethinking History Instruction

and Common Core State Standards Initiative

Thinking Like a Historian: Rethinking History InstructionbyNikkiMandellandBobbie

Maloneisateachingandlearningframeworkthatexplainstheessentialelementsof

historyandprovides“how-to”examplesforbuildinghistoricalliteracyinclassroomsat

allgradelevels.Withpracticalexamples,engagingandeffectivelessonsandclassroom

activitiesthattietoessentialquestions,Thinking Like a Historianprovidesaframework

toenhanceandimproveteachingandlearninghistory.

Background Information

Thecranberry,Wisconsin’sofficialstatefruit,growsonvinesinpeatorsandymarshes.

Originallycalled“craneberries”becausethecranberryplant’sstemandblossoms

resembledtheneck,head,andbeakofacrane,cranberriesareoneofonlyafew

commercially-availablefruitsnativetoNorthAmerica.SomeNativeAmericansbelieved

thatthetartberryhadspecialpowerstocalmthenerves,andthefruitwasastaplein

theirdiets.NativeAmericansatecranberriesfreshandcreatedcranberrypoulticesused

totreatwounds.Theyalsousedcranberriesinmakingpemmican,amixtureofdried

meatandfruitpoundedtoapowderandmixedwithmeltedfat.

Onceintroducedtothecranberry,Europeansalsogrewtoappreciatethefruit.Early

FrenchvoyageurswhoexploredWisconsin’swaterwaysoftenbarteredforcranberries

withNativeAmericans.Sailorsbegantotakebarrelsofcranberriestoseawiththemto

providevitaminCforthepreventionofscurvy.Wildcranberrieswereconsideredsucha

valuablecommodity,infact,thatanoldWisconsinlawdoledoutapenaltyof$50for

theoffenseofpickingorhavinginone’spossessionunripecranberriesbeforethe20thof

September.

Intheearlydaysofcranberryharvesting,theberrieswerepickedfromthevinesbyhand,

atime-consumingandexpensivetask.In1872,oneBerlin,WIcranberrymarshalone

employed1,500pickersatacostof$52,000.Thatsameyearanengineerbythename

ofW.T.Cosgrainsuggestedanewmethod:floodthecranberrymarshesuntiltheberries

floatedontopofthewater,andthenuserakestoremovethefruitfromthevines.In

“rakingtheflood”thecranberryhandrakeisswunginaback-and-forthmotion,theteeth

oftherakecombingthecranberriesfromthevines.Usingthisnewmethod,eachworker

harvested15-20barrelsadayinsteadoftheusualeightorten.

Theearlymodelsofharvestingrakeswerepatternedaftersmallscoopsusedbygrowers

intheeasternUnitedStates.Thefirstcranberryhandrakeswereconstructedentirelyof

wood.Later,tomaketherakesmoredurable,theteethwerecoveredwithmetal.Through

theyearsadditionalminormodificationsinstructureanddesignweremade,untiltheuse

ofhandrakesbegantodeclineinthe1950sinfavorofevenmore-efficientharvesting

techniques.

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Floodingmarshestoharvestcranberriesisstillincommonpracticetoday.While

cranberriescanbeeitherdry-orwet-harvested,themostprevalentmethodisthewater

harvest.Toharvestinthis“wet”manner,thegrowingbedsarefloodedanda“waterreel”

agitatesthewater,dislodgingthefruitfromthevine.Thefloatingfruitisthencorralled

andloadedontotrucksfordeliverytoareceivingstation.Wet-harvestedfruitisusedfor

processedcranberryproductslikejuiceandsauce.Ittakesabout4,500cranberriesto

producejustonegallonofcranberryjuice.

DryharvestingusesmechanicalharvesterswhichweredevelopedbyWisconsingrowers,

withteeththatlifttheberriesfromthevines.Theberriesarethenloadedintobinsand

shippedtoreceivingstationstobecleanedandpackagedasfreshfruit.

CranberriesarestillbigbusinessinWisconsin,withabout150cranberrymarshes

occupyingatotalof110,000acresineighteencounties.Wisconsinmarshesproduce

morethanhalfofthecranberriesconsumedbyAmericanseachyear,makingWisconsin

thetopcranberryproducingstateformanyyearsrunning.Cranberryfestivals,which

oftenincludetoursofharvestingoperations,areheldacrossWisconsineachfall.

6

Cranberry Harvesting Rake (WHi Museum Object: 1973.121)

7

Images for the Classroom

Cranberry Pickers Wanted, 1884 (WHi Image ID: 45749)

8

Images for the Classroom

Harvesting Cranberries, 1895 (WHi Image ID: 24507)

9

Images for the Classroom

Harvesting Cranberries (WHi Image ID: 1950)

10

Images for the Classroom

Cranberry Harvest, 1984 (WHi Image ID: 43240)

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Images for the Classroom

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Student Activity

ProjectforstudentsCranberry Harvesting Rake(WHiMuseumObject:1973.121).Ask

studentstoreviewtheimage,brainstorm,andwritedownonapieceofpaperwhatthey

arelookingat.

Thengivesmallgroupsofstudentspacketsofadditionalimagesandaskthemto

discuss.Givestudentsplentyoftimetoconsidertheimageandarticlesbefore

introducingthediscussionquestions.

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Teacher-led Student Inquiry and Analysis Questions

1. Fromlookingattheartifactandtheimages,howdoyouthink

cranberryharvestinghaschanged?Whobenefitedmostfrom

thenewmethodsofharvesting?Whomighthavebeenhurtby

thesechanges?

2. Howdidthejobsofcranberrypickerschangewiththenew

technologies?

3. Comparetheimagesofcranberryharvests.Withwhichdoyou

thinkthecranberryrakegoes?Listthereasonsforyourchoice

andbepreparedtodefendthatchoice!

Bibliography and Additional Resources

ImagesandobjectssharedinthisdocumentcanbefoundonthefollowingWisconsin

HistoricalSocietywebpages:

Wisconsin Historical Imageswww.wisconsinhistory.org/whi/

Curators’ Favoriteswww.wisconsinhistory.org/museum/artifacts/

Additionalinformationcanbefoundat:

Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center

www.discovercranberries.com

Wisconsin Magazine of History Archives

http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/u?/wmh,14922

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01.25.11

TheWisconsinHistoricalMuseumisinterestedinhearingmemoriesoffavoriteexperiencesorexhibits.Havestudentsusethenextpagetoillustrateanddescribewhattheyenjoyedmost.Pleasereturnto:

Museum Education

Wisconsin Historical Museum

30 N Carroll Street

Madison, WI 53703

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Reflection

Pleaseillustrateyourfavoriteexhibitinthespacebelow.

Pleasedescribewhyyouenjoyedthisexhibitthemost.

Name

Date

Teacher