Students in Mr. Simon Fellowes’ and Mr. Brian Carmer’s grade 9 world history classes have a better understanding of what it’s like to work on the assembly line during the British Industrial Revolution. Mr. Fellowes dressed in the traditional clothing of a local factory owner, and he, along with the factory foreman, known as the “gaffer,” instructed students on their duties for the day.

Students are exploring the causes and effects of the British Industrial Revolution. This in-class simulation helped students understand how an assembly line works, and gave them an idea of what the conditions were like in new factories during that time period. They also compared and contrasted factory work with the work of artisans in cottage industry workshops and analyzed how male and female workers were treated in relation to compensation and conditions.

During the classroom simulation, it was the end of the work week, Saturday (workers only had Sunday off). In Mr. Fellowes class, students worked for Fellowes Industries manufacturing children’s toys. For the simulation, they were manufacturing a new toy soldier. Desks were positioned in a line with each student drawing a different part of the toy soldier. Mr. Fellowes and the gaffer would check student work along the way to ensure quality control.

“The simulation was insightful as it showed me how the workers would've felt on an average work day. In my role as the gaffer I saw that many of my fellow classmates, the workers, were anxious once I came around because they were afraid of being yelled at. I imagine that the workers in that time would've been even more afraid because they could've been beaten by the gaffers,” said Christopher Chan, a student in Mr. Fellowes class.

Hugo Aviles, also a student in Mr. Fellowes class added, “This Industrial Revolution simulation was a very great way to make the average student understand how harsh and cruel the working conditions really were back then.”