Grade Level: 6th, 9th, and 11th Grade | Duration: 50 minutes
This timeline activity guides students through the history of energy innovation from Ben Franklin’s 1752 kite experiment to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970. Students explore how individual inventors, scientists, and organizations contributed to the industrial revolution and its lasting global impact on economies, societies, and politics. The lesson is offered in two versions—one with independent research and one using pre-made timeline cards—making it adaptable for different classroom settings and technology access. The activity addresses Alabama College and Career Ready Social Studies standards across multiple grade levels, covering industrialization’s impact on American life, technological inventions during the European Industrial Revolution, and the transition from agrarian society to industrial nation.
Learning Objectives
Students will identify individuals and organizations that contributed to the revolution of industry and analyze how each new technological advancement impacted economies, societies, and politics. Students will interpret how products, inventions, and the communication of new ideas developed from the initial discovery of electricity, tracing its ongoing impact on energy production through the present day.
Background & Context
Throughout history, many individuals and organizations have contributed to the lasting global impact initiated by the industrial revolution. From 1752, when Ben Franklin tied a key to a kite during a storm and proved that static electricity and lightning were the same, to 1970 when President Richard Nixon ordered the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, there has been tremendous development in technology and industry that has impacted our nation, our world, our societies, and our own lives.
However, much environmental destruction has paralleled those developments along the way. This activity provides an in-depth look at the timeline of energy history that has powered our world, promotes questions about what challenges the present and future bring, and encourages problem-solving discussions on “what’s next” for powering our world.
Lesson Activities & Structure (Version 1: With Research)
Engage Phase (15 minutes)
Each student receives one research prompt card assigning their research objective. Students complete “The Industrial Revolution: Powering the World Part I” research activities using a computer, laptop, or other device with internet access. Students use credible internet sources to research their assigned influential person, important year, invention or contribution, and its impact on industry.
Explore Phase (20 minutes)
Students use their “Important Year” to physically organize themselves into a chronological timeline, starting with “1752 Ben Franklin.” This activity works best in a hallway or on a sidewalk where students have room to arrange themselves. After organizing chronologically, each student gives a brief synopsis of their research, sharing their influential person, important year, and contribution to industry. This creates a living timeline where the class collectively presents over 200 years of energy history.
Evaluate Phase (15 minutes)
Students complete “The Industrial Revolution: Powering the World Part II” graphic organizer through class discussion of Industrial Revolution events and their associated pros and cons regarding impact on society and the environment. After discussing and reflecting on the timeline activity as a whole, students complete the short answer portion individually, considering whether we are growing sustainably or should make changes to how we use resources and “power the world.”
Lesson Activities & Structure (Version 2: Without Research)
Engage Phase (5 minutes)
Each student receives one pre-made timeline card listing a significant person, date, and contribution. Students take a few minutes to read their card, then turn and talk to neighbors on their left and right sides, discussing what is similar or different about the information on their cards. Students come to a group conclusion about how these significant people and dates compare, reflecting on the topic of the industrial revolution in general.
Explore Phase (25 minutes)
Students use their timeline cards to physically organize themselves into a chronological timeline, starting with “1752 Ben Franklin.” This kinesthetic activity works best in a hallway or on a sidewalk. After organizing chronologically, students share the information from their cards with the class, creating a comprehensive picture of energy history from the mid-1700s through the environmental movement of the 1960s and 1970s.
Evaluate Phase (20 minutes)
Students complete “The Industrial Revolution: Powering the World” graphic organizer by discussing out loud the events of the Industrial Revolution and the associated pros and cons regarding impact on society and the environment. The reflection prompts students to consider what today and the future might look like as a result of the industrial revolution and continued growth.
Materials Included
The lesson PDF contains multiple student handout options and a comprehensive set of timeline cards:
Part I Research Graphic Organizer (for Version 1)
- “Name of Historical Researcher” and date header
- Fields for: Influential Person, Important Year, Invention or Contribution
- “Draw it!” box for visual representation
- “Impact on Industry” section for written analysis
Part II Reflection Graphic Organizer (for Version 1)
- Introduction text about the Industrial Revolution as a time of economic growth and cultural change
- Two-column “Pros” and “Cons” table for recording discussion points
- “Next Steps” reflection section asking students to consider sustainable growth and future resource use
Combined Graphic Organizer (for Version 2)
- Same pros/cons table and reflection prompts as Part II
- Simplified for use without the research component
Timeline Cards (two sets provided)
- Detailed cards with full descriptions of each person’s contribution (for Version 2)
- Research prompt cards with names and dates only (for Version 1)
- Coverage spans 1752–1970 including: Ben Franklin, James Watt, Alessandro Volta, Michael Faraday, Samuel Morse, Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Rachel Carson, and the EPA, among many others
- Three blank cards included for teachers to add contemporary figures or for student research extensions
Materials Required
Version 1 (with research) — for each student:
- Access to computer lab or laptops/iPads
- Printed “Powering the World Graphic Organizer” worksheet (pages 1-2)
- One random research prompt card
Version 2 (without research) — for each student:
- Printed “Powering the World Graphic Organizer” worksheet (page 3)
- One random timeline card with person, date, and contribution details
For both versions:
- Hallway, sidewalk, or other space where students can physically arrange themselves in a line
This flexible, kinesthetic activity connects abstract historical concepts to tangible understanding while encouraging students to consider both the benefits and environmental costs of industrial progress—and what sustainable energy futures might look like.
Resources & Downloads
The Industrial Revolution: Powering the World
A PDF file containing everything you need for this lesson.
PDF Document