Fur trade

Fur Trade - Graphs

Alison Kimbley

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Subject Area:

Mathematics

Strand:

Patterns and Relationships

Grade Level:

Six

Content (topic)

Exploring tables of values and graphs

WNCP:

Outcome P6.1:

Extend understanding of patterns and relationships in tables of values and graphs.

Indicators:

Create a table of values to represent a concrete or visual pattern.

Analyze patterns in a table of values to solve a given situational question.
Translate a concrete, visual, or physical pattern into a table of values and a graph (limit graphs to linear relations with discrete elements).

Research a current or past topic of interest relevant to First Nations and Métis peoples and present the data as a table of values or a graph.

Lesson Preparation

Equipment/materials:

Task cards of fur trade items

Advanced Preparation:

Read the background information on the furtrade.
Print and prepare the task cards as described in Appendix 2. Place them face down in three piles by color.
Print a copy of the activity sheet for each student.

Presentation

Development

Explain to the students that the fur trade was one of the earliest and most important industries in North America as it played a role in developing the continent.
The fur trade started shortly after contact in 1500 between First Nations people and Europeans.
First Nations people traded furs for weaponry and other items.
Show students the PowerPoint presentation, which provides information on the fur trade and the Hudson Bay Company.
Explain to the students that the Hudson Bay Company hired commanders of ships, such as Michael Grimington to bring goods from Europe for the trading posts.
On an overhead projector or data monitor show the students the official table that was made by Captain Grimington in 1710. The associated PowerPoint presentation contains photographs and information on a number of items in the table.
Display the trading goods table below on an overhead screen. Have each student complete the activity sheet.

Reference

A copy of the invoice of trading goods sent over this year from England by Captain Michael Grimington, commander of the Hudson Bay frigate can be found at

http://www.canadiana.ca/hbc/_popups/PAMalbany1_e.htm

Appendix 1:

Trading Goods

144 pewter spoons	72 pairs stockings
350 brass kettles weighing 1020 lbs	72 pairs shoes
100 lbs thread	144 powder horns
450 guns	580 hatchets
4000 flints	72 egg boxes
24 bayonets	160 shirts
288 fire steels	792 ivory combs
72 files	36 horns
500 worms	216 tobacco boxes
2200 needles	144 pairs of scissors
324 fish hooks	255 blankets
144 alchemy spoons

A copy of some items extracted from the invoice of trading goods sent over from England Captain Michael Grimington, commander of the ship called Hudson Bay. (lbs is a short form for the weight measure pounds. A pound is approximately 450 grams.)

Appendix 2:

Print a copy of the three tables below, cut out the individual items and paste onto construction paper of the appropriate colour.

Items on blue paper

144 pewter spoons	144 alchemy spoons
350 brass kettles weighing 1020 lbs	160 shirts
450 guns	216 tobacco boxes
288 fire steels	144 pairs of scissors
500 worms	255 blankets
324 fish hooks

Items on green paper

100 lbs thread	72 pairs shoes
24 bayonets	144 powder horns
72 files	72 egg boxes
72 pairs stockings	36 horns

Items on red paper

4000 flints	580 hatchets
2200 needles	792 ivory combs

Activity Sheet

Draw a trade item from the blue card pile, write down which item you chose and then replace the card.

The card you chose tells you how many of these items were delivered to the trading post by Captain Michael Grimington in 1710, year 1. Suppose that the trading post sold 10 of these items in each year for 5 years, (year 1, year 2, year 3, year 4 and year 5).
1. Which item did you chose?
2. Make a table that shows the number of items available for sale at the beginning of years years 1 to 5.
3. Construct a line graph of the data in the table with year on the horizontal axis.
Year Number of items remaining

1

2

3

4

5
Draw a trade item from the green card pile, write down which item you chose and then replace the card.
The card you chose tells you how many of these items were delivered to the trading post by Captain Michael Grimington in 1710, year 1. Suppose that the trading post sold 10 of these items in each year for 5 years, (year 1, year 2, year 3, year 4 and year 5).
1. Which item did you chose?
2. Make a table that shows the number of items available for sale at the beginning of years years 1 to 5.
3. Construct a line graph of the data in the table with year on the horizontal axis.
4. If the trading post continues to sell 10 items per year in what year will the trading post sell the last item? Describe the strategy you used to find this.
Year Number of items remaining

1

2

3

4

5
Draw a trade item from the red card pile, write down which item you chose and then replace the card.

The card you chose tells you how many of these items were delivered to the trading post by Captain Michael Grimington in 1710. Suppose that the trading post sold 15 of these items in each year for 5 years.
1. Which item did you chose?
2. Construct a table that shows the number if items remaining in years 1 to 5.
3. Construct a line graph of the data in the table with year on the horizontal axis.
4. If the trading post continues to sell 10 items per year how many items will be remaining at the end of 1724? Describe the strategy you used to find this.