TEKS Grade 8 ELA - [110.24.b.8.d] Analysis of Informational Text

Chronological Order

Claims + Evidence

Cause/Effect

General to Specific

George Washington Carver's life and contributions to agriculture

George Washington Carver's life as a painter compared to his life as a botanist

The educational values of the Tuskegee institute and how it helps farmers today

The importance of the role that African Americans have played in the sciences

He taught former slaves about farming so they could be successful and independent

He started the George Washington Carver Institute.

He developed over 300 uses for peanuts.

He completed farm research at Tuskegee.

The farmers only knew how to grow one crop: cotton.

It is bad for the quality of the soil.

Cotton isn't profitable enough on its own.

There was a demand for crops such as soybeans, peanuts, and sweet potatoes

In addition to emphasizing academic studies, Washington encouraged young African-American men to learn skills, such as carpentry and bricklaying. While at Tuskegee, Carver taught agronomy, or the science of soil management, to poor southern farmers. At first, most of these farmers were former slaves. By teaching these farmers how to better use the land, he helped them to become selfsufficient.

As a child, Carver was fascinated with painting, though he was unable to afford the proper materials. Instead, he used blackberry juice as his paint, and horse tail hair as his paintbrush. Carver even went on to study art while in college, but he was encouraged to pursue botany -- the study of plant life -- instead.

To address their concerns, Carver developed over 300 uses for the peanut, alone. For example, farmers could feed the vines to farm animals. They could use the hulls for fertilizer. Carver even found a way to make paper from the peanut shells.

Toward the end of his career, Carver returned to his first love of art, painting decorative cards for friends. Through his artwork, he hoped to inspire people to see the beauty around them, and to do great things, themselves. He taught poor farmers how to make paint from clay, and he encouraged them to decorate their homes.

In the southern part of the United States, most farmers had practiced what is called agricultural monoculture. Carver explained the advantages of introducing alternatives to the cotton crop.

Today, people from many countries come to the George Washington Carver Foundation at Tuskegee Institute. There they learn more in effective ways of farming.

While at Tuskegee, Carver taught agronomy, or the science of soil management, to poor southern farmers.

In addition to emphasizing academic studies, Washington encouraged young African-American men to learn skills, such as carpentry and bricklaying.

A piece of additional information at the bottom of the page

A definition for a word mentioned in the passage

A note placed at the end of a passage to provide a short summary

A note at the end of a sentence or passage to cite a source used in the writing

To transition from Carver's love of painting to botany

To provide a general overview of George Washington Carver's impact on agriculture

To summarize his Carver's early life

To introduce how Carver ended up at the Tuskegee Institute

To describe Carver's early life and love of art

To help the reader understand the time period in which Carver was alive

To provide some background information and the thesis statement

To show how innovative Carver was by using blackberry juice as paint when he was poor

"Carver even went on to study art while in college, but he was encouraged to pursue botany -- the study of plant life -- instead. "

"He hoped to inspire people to see the beauty around them, and to do great things, themselves."

When Carver died, he left his money to help people to keep working on agricultural research.

"Carver explained the advantages of introducing alternatives to the cotton crop."