Lesson Plan

Personal Experiences in the Boiler Room - Hercules STEAM Unit Lesson 5

crew member inspects the boiler of Hercules

In the boiler room of Hercules, a crew member inspects the boiler.

Photo/Arlie Roberts

Grade Level:
Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
Subject:
Social Studies
Lesson Duration:
30 Minutes
Common Core Standards:
4.SL.1, 4.SL.2
Thinking Skills:
Understanding: Understand the main idea of material heard, viewed, or read. Interpret or summarize the ideas in own words. Analyzing: Break down a concept or idea into parts and show the relationships among the parts. Evaluating: Make informed judgements about the value of ideas or materials. Use standards and criteria to support opinions and views.

Essential Question

What were the personal experiences of the people who operated the boiler aboard the steamship Hercules?

Objective

Students will be able to analyze primary sources and synthesize the information to explain the experience of a fireman in the boiler room.

Background

Work in the boiler room was hot and dangerous. Since the boiler room was inside the ship, it was fairly dark. There was not a lot of room there. To be a fireman in the boiler room, you had to have constant vigiland and be very watchful. A fireman's job was to make sure that there was a perfect mixture of air, heat, and fuel to ensure that the fire continued. He also had to make sure there was enough water in the system to boil into steam. If the amounts were not correct, fire or explosion could potentially erupt. 

Preparation

  • Print photos for the gallery walk and place them around the classroom.
  • Provide students with sticky notes.
  • Print worksheets. 

Materials

Slides for classroom activities and discussion

Download Day 5 Slides

Photos and personal accounts for gallery walk.

Download Materials for Gallery Walk

Download Individual Reflection Page

Shared writing slides with demonstration and prompts

Download Shared Writing Slides

Lesson Hook/Preview

You've spent some time learning about Hercules as a ship and how the boiler worked, but who made the boiler work? 
In this 40-minute lesson, you'll use primary sources to learn about the life of a fireman in the boiler room of Hercules. 

Procedure

  1. Review exit ticket from the previous lesson: What is the transfer of energy in the boiler room?
  2. Classroom Share: What do you think it was like to work in the boiler room? 
  3. Introduce activity: Today, students will have the opportunity to be historians again. They will be reading and observing primary sources to learn about the experience of working in the boiler room. 
  4. Gallery Walk: provide sticky notes for students to write observations and stick to primary sources; allow students to review/re-read each other's writing. 
  5. Independent Jot: What did you observe? What do you wonder? 
  6. Classroom Share: What did you observe? What do you wonder? 
  7. Shared Writing: As a class, work together to create a diary entry from the perspective of someone who worked in the boiler room.  

Vocabulary

1. Historian: a person who studies artifacts to learn more about life during a specific time period.
2. Artifacts: primary sources or secondary sources from a specific time period. 
3. Primary sources: objects, letters, pictures, writing, firsthand accounts from a specific time period. 
4. Secondary sources: articles, books, pictures, etc., that are created after a specific time period. Secondary sources often use primary sources for information. They summarize, analyze, or give opinions on the topic. 

Assessment Materials

Individual Reflection

Students will record reflections on this activity and previous lessons in the unit.

Reflection activity for learners participating in Hercules STEAM Unit lessons.

Download Assessment

Supports for Struggling Learners

  1. Review vocabulary beforehand (included in classroom slides). 
  2. Strategically partner students so that they are provided with additional supports. 
  3. Sentence frames (included in powerpoint). 

Enrichment Activities

Students may write their own diary entry from the perspective of someone who worked in the boiler room. 

Related Lessons or Education Materials

See the other Hercules STEAM unit lessons for more information!

Contact Information

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Tags: maritime maritime history

Last updated: August 15, 2025