HOME: The Story of Maine

"Power Lines"
Lesson 2: The Story of Flagstaff


Guiding Principles:

I. A Clear and Effective Communicator
Uses oral, written, visual, artistic, and technological modes of expression; and reads, listens to and interprets messages from multiple sources.

IV. A Responsible and Involved Citizen
Recognizes the power of personal participation to affect the community and demonstrates participation skills; understands the importance of accepting responsibility for personal decisions and actions.

V. A Collaborative and Quality Worker
Demonstrates reliability, flexibility, and concern for quality.

A. Rights, Responsibilities, and Participation
Students will understand the rights and responsibilities of civic life and will employ the skills of effective civic participation. Students will be able to:

Middle Grades: 5-8
Identify ways in which citizens in a pluralistic society manage differences of opinion on public policy issues.

Secondary Grades
Develop and defend a position on a public policy issue within our democracy.

A. Chronology
Students will use the chronology of history and major eras to demonstrate the relationships of events and people. Students will be able to:

Middle Grades: 5-8
Describe the effects of historical changes on daily life.

B. Historical Knowledge, Concepts, and Patterns Students will develop historical knowledge of major events, people, and enduring themes in the United States, in Maine, and throughout world history. Students will be able to:

Middle Grades: 5-8
Demonstrate an understanding of selected twentieth century issues and events in United States and in Maine history including "modern" Maine history (1945 to present).

B. Human Interaction with Environments Students will understand and analyze the relationships among people and their physical environment. Students will be able to:

Middle Grades: 5-8
Analyze how technology shapes the physical and human characteristics of places and regions, including Maine.

B. Economic Systems of the United States Students will understand the economic system of the United States, including its principles, development, and institutions. Students will be able to:

Secondary Grades
Describe the factors (i.e., physical, capital, technology, monetary resources) that impact the development and the distribution of a product.

Students will:

  • Retell the story of the flooding of Flagstaff by creating a collaborative skit.
  • Work together to write and perform their skit.
  • Represent the pros and cons of flooding Flagstaff in order to develop more hydroelectricity for rural Maine.
  • Imagine the concerns of the residents of Flagstaff and the CMP at the time of the flooding.
Materials: Timing: 4-5 days to write and practice skits; 1-2 days in class to perform them


1. Watch the video Power Lines with students. Review with them what happened in Flagstaff when the town was flooded. Ask such questions as the following:

  • Who initiated the flooding of the town? (Walter Wyman and the Central Maine Power Company)
  • Why was the town flooded? (The Dead River was diverted and the town flooded and dammed in order to provide a source of controllable hydroelectric power.)
  • Who benefited from the flooding of Flagstaff? (CMP; mills that needed more energy to run; rural residents who did not yet have electricity)
  • What disadvantages were there in flooding the town? (People lost their homes and their land, though they were compensated for it.)
  • What would you have done if you lived in Flagstaff at the time? Would you have sold your land to CMP?
2. Break students into groups of 4-6 each. In these groups, they will write and perform their skits. Give them the assignment sheets and go over the directions with them. Make sure they understand what is expected of them as far as the content of their skit (see #3 of assignment sheet).

3. Give students enough time in class to write and practice their skits. Monitor the progress of each group to make sure they will be prepared by the performance date.

Note: Students should have their lines memorized. This does not mean their lines have to be absolutely exact; in fact, skits sometimes work better if students know the gist of the plot, and they act it out as they go, rather than worrying about memorizing a set of lines perfectly. Either way can work, given enough practice.
4. On the designated day, have each group present its skit. After each group has gone, have each student evaluate their group's performance using the Self-Evaluation Form.

Evaluation: Scan each self-evaluation. Use the same assessments in calculating the grade you give each group.

Extension activities:

  • Have students write individual editorials on the flooding of Flagstaff, from the point of view of either a resident of Flagstaff who sold his or her home, an outsider who either approved or disapproved of the flooding, or a manager for the CMP.
  • Have students research the impact of the flooding of Flagstaff on the CMP and rural Maine.

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