Cotton Facts
How much does a bale of cotton weigh, on average?
A universal density bale weighs between 480 and 500 pounds.
What are cotton gins for?
They separate the seeds from the lint fibers.
Who invented the first cotton gin?
Eli Whitney
How can one tell when a cotton flower has been pollinated?
The petals turn from white to light pink.
What state plants the most cotton?
Texas
What kind of places convert cotton fibers to yarn?
Textile mills.
Educational Activities for Grades K-12
1. Give each student or group of students one cotton boll. Have your students examine the cotton fiber under a magnifying lens. They will notice that these short fibers have almost a silky appearance.
2. Have students grow 3 to 5 cotton seeds in a pot and watch it germinate in 10 days. Discuss different parts of the plant and the life cycle of the cotton plant.
3. Share the background information about cotton picking and cotton ginning. Have students actually remove cotton from the boll and separate seeds from the cotton boll using a roller gin.
4. Have your students weigh their fibers from one boll, and then compare it to the weight of a pair of jeans. Ask students to consider how many cotton bolls are needed to produce a pair of jeans.
5. Quiz students if the average weight of a bale is 500 lb, how many T-shirts can be made from one cotton bale if their average weight of each T-shirt was 6.5 oz.
6. Discuss the invention of the cotton gin and its significance in history and cotton production in United States. Demonstrate the roller gin to show how it separates seeds from fiber.
Lesson Plan Ideas for Schools
| # | Grades | Activity | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | K-12 | Discuss the origins of cotton. Create a list of products that are derived from cotton. | Science |
| 2 | K-12 | Read labels on clothing. How many of the clothes contain cotton? Discuss how cotton is grown and processed into fabric. | Science |
| 3 | K-12 | Discuss the history of American cotton and the key events. | American History |
| 4 | K-12 | Write biographical essays on Eli Whitney and Samuel Slater. | American History |
| 5 | K-12 | Create a model of a universal density bale, (dimensions 55″ x 21″ x 26″). Determine its volume and density if a standard bale is 500 lb. | Mathematics |
Video Player
Cotton Information Video
Cotton in the Classroom Brochure (Page 1)
Cotton in the Classroom Brochure (Page 2)
Educator testimonial
The Cotton education kit is an awesome educational resource I used to teach my class about cotton. Kids got to touch the cotton and grow seeds to see the plants. Now they know where their shirts and jeans come from!
“The cotton gin helped my students understand how the seeds seperate from cotton and the significance of the invention of the cotton gin and its impact on slavery.”
“The kids grew cotton seeds in pots with compost, regularly watered them and fertilized them. In 6 weeks, it grew lovely yellow flowers and then fluffy cotton bolls.”
