We were shocked to learn that Boston’s was not the only molasses flood. Amazingly, another tank of molasses ruptured in 1968, this time in Albany. Check out the original newspaper article.
ART BY GARY HANNA; ANA CASANOVA
The Boston Molasses Flood of 1919
A bizarre and little-known tragedy had a huge impact on one community.
Learning Objective: In this narrative nonfiction feature, students will learn about an event that led a community of immigrants to stand up against a large corporation. The story will build vocabulary and help students understand cause and effect.
Lexiles: Starter, 470L, 610L, 930L
Guided Reading Level: R
DRA Level: 40
Featured Skill:
Cause and Effect,
Topic:
History,
Common Core Standards
TEKS Standards
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Audio
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Activities
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Reading Kit
Skills Activities
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Can’t-Miss Teaching Extras
Another Flood of Molasses
Molasses Bombs?
If students are wondering how exactly molasses was made into bombs, here’s the lowdown: Molasses is heated up in a process called distillation. This turns it into a liquid called industrial alcohol, which was a key ingredient in explosives back in World War I.
Sneaky Treats
A fun fact that we learned while researching this article: When the molasses tank was leaking, the kids of the neighborhood would sneak up to the tank and dip sticks into the molasses for a tasty treat.
More on Immigrants
Learn more about how immigrants came to America in the early 20th century with this great book from the “What was?” series.
Cookies in the Classroom
For a fun hands-on activity, make these simple molasses cookies with your students! Even just showing your students the sticky syrup will hammer home the facts of the Boston Molasses Flood.
Genius Teaching Idea
You’ll love this teacher’s genius method for teaching nonfiction using word clouds. Her 4-day plan was created for our March/April nonfiction piece, but it can work for any Storyworks Jr. nonfiction. Great for visual learners, and fun for all!
About the Article
Content-Area Connections
Social studies: U.S. history, immigration, geography
Science: engineering, design
Key Skills
cause and effect, vocabulary, drawing conclusions, inference, descriptive details, similes
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
1. PREPARING TO READ
Watch a Video/Preview Text Features (25 minutes)
• This story is accompanied by a Video Read-Aloud, in which the article is narrated as gripping photos and footage help students visualize what’s happening. Consider showing the video as a “first read.”
• Look at pages 4 and 5. Ask students: Based on the title and subtitle, what is being shown in the illustration? Also be sure to read together the box that describes molasses, since students may not be familiar with it.
• For students who may find this topic upsetting, consider pointing out that the flood was a very rare occurrence. Emphasize the positive aspect of the story: Immigrants stood up for themselves by taking on a large corporation and received a large cash settlement.
Introduce Vocabulary (15 minutes)
• We have highlighted in bold the words that may be challenging and defined them on the page. Preview these words by projecting or distributing our vocabulary activity and completing it as a class. You can also play our Vocabulary Slideshow.
• Highlighted words: strain, waded, limp, officials, oozing, triumph
Set a Purpose for Reading (5 minutes)
• Call on a volunteer to read the Think and Read box on page 5 for the class.
2. CLOSE READING
Reading and Unpacking the Text
• First read: Read the story as a class. At the end of each section, use the Pause and Think questions to quickly check comprehension.
• Second read: Distribute some or all of the close-reading questions and preview them together. Have students answer the questions in groups, then discuss the answers together. Finally, discuss the critical-thinking question.
Close-Reading Questions (30 minutes)
• Read the first section. What happened to the tank of molasses after years of strain? (cause and effect) The metal bolts holding the tank together popped out. The tank broke apart and molasses flooded everywhere.
• In “Violent Swirl,” what may have made the firefighter sure Anthony was dead? (drawing conclusions) Anthony was pinned to a lamppost when the firefighter found him. He couldn't move. When the firefighter grabbed Anthony's body, it felt lifeless.
• “Trouble With the Tank” says that molasses needed to be stored, and a tank was built quickly. What can you infer about how this relates to the molasses flood? (inference; cause and effect) Because the tank was built quickly, it may not have been built properly, and it ended up bursting.
• In that same section, how does the author describe the sounds made by the tank? (descriptive details) The tank made "weird, scary noises." The sides of the tank rumbled and groaned, sounding like a person was crying out in pain.
• In “The Forgotten Tragedy,” it says that on hot days, the scent of molasses rises up “like a ghost.” What does this simile mean? (simile) The scent is invisible like a ghost. Like a ghost in a movie, the smell rises from the ground. Also like a ghost, it reminds people of events from the past.
Critical-Thinking Question (10 minutes)
• The residents of Boston’s North End neighborhood were mostly poor and new to the United States. How did this affect what happened there? (cause and effect; inference) Because most of the residents of the North End were poor and new to the country, and maybe didn't speak English well, United States Industrial Alcohol might have thought it didn't have to listen to their concerns about safety.
3. SKILL BUILDING
• Call on a volunteer to read aloud the Think and Write box at the bottom of page 9.
• Have students work in pairs to underline details that answer the questions. They can take turns reading each paragraph to find the best details. Regroup as a class to discuss which details are most important.
• Have students write their letters in class or as homework.
Differentiate and Customize
For ELL Students
Have students listen to the lower-Lexile audio version of this story while reading along to the print version. They can listen again to any passages they find confusing.
For Partner Reading
Pair students to read the article together. They can take turns reading each section and guide each other through any pronunciation and comprehension questions, highlighting anything they don’t understand.
For Struggling Readers
Have students write one sentence describing what is shown in each of the five photographs on pages 6-9. Encourage them to address details not mentioned in the captions.
For Advanced Readers
Have students work in groups to reread the section “The Forgotten Tragedy” and discuss: Why might it be important to remember this tragedy? What could be done to help people remember the molasses flood?
For On Level Readers
Think And Write
Imagine you are Anthony after the flood. Write a letter to a friend in another state explaining what caused the flood and how it affected you and your neighborhood. Include details from the story
Text-to-Speech