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Summary and Objective
Students will understand that people have utilized available natural materials and methods of production in the creation of the broom, a simple household tool. Brooms have been used for centuries to sweep caves, cabins, and homes. Before 1810, brooms in America were handmade. Students will look at present day brooms, both manufactured and handmade from sticks and broomcorn. Students will then look at pictures of a split birch broom and a broomcorn broom in the digital collection of the American Centuries Website. In this activity, students will make their own brooms by hand and then will try out their brooms to see if they can "make a clean sweep". After looking at the broom tying machine and discussing their own broom making process, students will understand that machines were often created to make a product better and faster.
Teaching Plan
Step 1.
Look at actual brooms, both store bought and hand made.
In a class discussion ask: What are these? What are they used for? How do you use them? What materials were used in making them? How do you make them? From where do they come? How much do they cost? Do you have any at home? Who do you think made the first broom? Why do you think a broom was made? Do you think these brooms will "make a clean sweep"?
Step 2.
Look at the pictures of the split birch broom and broom corn broom in the digital collection. Read the label about each broom to the class, sharing the local history of broom making.
Step 3.
Utilize the links listed below to enhance the students' information and discussion.
Step 4.
Students make their own brooms. Introduce the activity by asking questions: How would you make a stick broom? What materials would you need? How would you make a broomcorn broom? What materials would you need? How would you make a broom from cornhusks? What materials would you need? The students choose one of three ways to make a broom: a stick, corn, or cornhusk broom.
Step 5.
STICK BROOM:
Materials needed: Birch sticks/branches, one thick stick for a handle, string or twine.
Procedure: Place the sticks/branches around the bottom of the handle. Wrap the string/twine around the handle and tie securely. Try out the broom...make a clean sweep!
Step 6.
CORN BROOM:
Materials needed: Broomcorn from a craft supplier or take apart a present day broomcorn broom, one stick or dowel for the handle.
Procedure:
Place the broomcorn around the bottom of the handle.
Wrap the string/twine around the handle and tie securely. Try out the broom...make a clean sweep!
Step 7.
CORN HUSK BROOM:
Materials needed: Dried scraps of corn husk, one stick or dowel for a handle, warm water in a large bowl, scissors, string or twine.
Procedure: Soak the corn husks in the bowl of warm water. Fringe by cutting one end of the corn husks with scissors.
Wrap the non-fringed edge of the corn husks around the bottom of the stick handle. Tie very tightly with string. Wrap and tie a thin strip of corn husk around the string to cover it up. Allow the corn husk broom to dry for about one week. Try out the broom...make a clean sweep!
Step 8.
Discuss the process, asking the following sample questions: How did you make your broom? Was it easy or hard to do? Did your broom "make a clean sweep?" Can you think of something that might help you when you make a broom? As a follow up activity, look at the Broom Tying Machine in the Digital Collection. Ask the class to guess what it is and how it worked. Would this machine have made the job easier? Read the label and explain how the machine actually worked.
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