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Exploring the Midwest through Photographs
Kathy Ruck Melzer Elementary School Summer 2008
Nebraska State Historical Society [DIGITAL ID nbhips 11136]
Students often struggle at this age with the concept of geography. Looking at these historical photos, students will be able to identify the reasons that geography affects the housing, transportation and careers of people in a given location.
Overview/ Materials/LOC Resources/Standards/ Procedures/Evaluation/Rubric/Handouts/Extension
Overview Back to Navigation Bar Objectives Students will: compare and contrast two areas of the country, one urban and one rural. identify pros and cons of living in a city or in the country. write a letter persuading an immigrant to move to their favored area of the country. (urban or rural) explain reasons for the development in each area. (How the geography impacts settlement.) Recommended time frame 6 - 40 minute periods Grade level 3rd-4th Curriculum fit Social Studies Materials Dakota Dugout by Ann Turner Map of the United States (large) Table of Primary Sources posted on the library network, or have enlarged, printed and laminated the historical photos Teaching with Primary Sources Illinois State University Photo analysis sheets (either post to school network, or print out enough for partners) Compare and contrast worksheet handout Whiteboard and markers Microsoft Word on computers for students Illinois State Learning Standards Back to Navigation Bar Language Arts: GOAL 3: Write to communicate for a variety of purposes. 3.B. The learner will compose well-organized and coherent writing for specific purposes and audiences. 3C. Write for a variety of purposes including description, information, explanation, persuasion, and narration.
History: GOAL 16: Understand Illinois, United States and the world environmental history. 16.E.2a Identify environmental factors that drew settlers to the state and region. 16.E.2c Describe environmental factors that influenced the development of transportation and trade in Illinois. (US)
Geography: GOAL 17. Understand the historical significance of geography Goal 17.D.2b Identify different settlement patterns in Illinois and the United States and relate them to physical features and resources.
Information Literacy: Standard 9: The student who is information literate contributes to the learning community effectively in groups to pursue and generate information.
Procedures Day One: (In the library) Introduce students to the historical time period by reading the book Dakota Dugout by Ann Turner. In partners, have students write down three things they remember about the book that are different from life today, or their life. Teaching with Primary Sources Illinois State University Share with the class. Show students a map of the United States, pointing out Chicago, Illinois, and the Midwest states. Assign student partners. Tell students that they are going to be explorers, and their task is to learn as much as they can about two places in the Midwest of the United States, back in the period from the 1860’s through the early 1900’s. They will they be recommending their favored place to a relative back from “their country,” the country they or their ancestors have come from. Show students how to access the photos on the Primary Sources Table, and how to access the photo analysis sheet or pass out the analysis sheets, and have the pictures spread around the classroom. Have each pair select a picture, and, using the analysis form, study the picture and take notes.
Day Two: (In the library) Working in partners, students look at 2-3 photos from one area, Chicago (urban) or Nebraska (rural), using the photo analysis sheets to take notes. Teacher(s) questions students about pictures, moving between student groups to scaffold their learning and help them determine the important details in each picture.
Day Three: (In the library) Continue the work from the previous day, studying the other area. If time permits, begin the compare and contrast worksheet in partners.
Day Four: (In the library or classroom) Students complete the compare and contrast worksheet. Teacher and class have a brief discussion on findings from the pictures, and implications for each area. Teacher creates a Pros/Cons list on the board for each chosen area, and has the students give details to fill it in.
Day Five (In the library) Partners select their chosen preference, urban or Teaching with Primary Sources Illinois State University rural, and EACH student writes a letter to their family member back in the “old country” of their birth or ancestry, using Microsoft Word. (Students are familiar with the friendly letter format.)
Day 6 (In the library) Teacher leads discussion with students about findings of the student research. The teacher is trying to get the students to identify the reasons why people settled in the Midwest, and had the homes, jobs and transportation that they did. As students leave the library, they have to write down one reason that each area was settled as it was. (This is their exit ticket.) Evaluation Back to Navigation Bar Students will be evaluated on: Rubric for the persuasive letter Exit ticket Photo analysis sheets Teacher/Librarian observation/discussions with students Student responses in group/large and small Extension Back to Navigation Bar Students select a book from a list of historical fiction books related to the same time as these photos, and will complete a response worksheet
Teaching with Primary Sources Illinois State University Primary Resources from the Library of Congress Back to Navigation Bar Chicago (Urban) Image Description Citation URL Goudy School and DN-0007004, http://memory.lo portable houses Chicago Daily c.gov/cgi- bin/query/r? seen beyond News negatives ammem/cdn:@field railroad tracks collection, Chicago (NUMBER+@band(ic and coal cars in Historical Society. hicdn+n007004)) the foreground. Houses on South DN-0063323, http://memory.lo Federal Street, in Chicago Daily c.gov/cgi- bin/query/r? the levee district. News negatives ammem/cdn:@field collection, Chicago (NUMBER+@band(ic Historical Society hicdn+n063323))
Man butchering DN-0000903, http://memory.lo meat surrounded Chicago Daily c.gov/cgi- bin/query/r? by animal News negatives ammem/cdn:@field carcasses hanging collection, Chicago (NUMBER+@band(ic from hooks and Historical Society hicdn+n000903)) laying on the table in front of him. Blacksmith DN-0003952, http://memory.lo standing in front of Chicago Daily c.gov/cgi- bin/query/r? a brick oven, News negatives ammem/cdn:@field holding a metal collection, Chicago (NUMBER+@band(ic rod in a Historical Society hicdn+n003952)) blacksmith shop. Canal boat tied DN-0059453, http://memory.lo along the side of a Chicago Daily c.gov/cgi- bin/query/r? canal in Chicago. News negatives ammem/cdn:@field collection, Chicago (NUMBER+@band(ic Historical Society hicdn+n059453))
Cattle walking DN-0001029, http://memory.lo from a railroad car Chicago Daily c.gov/cgi- bin/query/r? into a fenced area News negatives ammem/cdn:@field at the stockyards. collection, Chicago (NUMBER+@band(ic Historical Society hicdn+n001029))
Teaching with Primary Sources Illinois State University Chicago Union DN-0001826, http://memory.lo Traction electric Chicago Daily c.gov/cgi- bin/query/r? street car with two News negatives ammem/cdn:@field Chicago City collection, Chicago (NUMBER+@band(ic Railway company Historical Society hicdn+n001826)) employees standing in the doors, one at each end of the car. Men driving a two- DN-0000516, http://memory.lo horse wagon on a Chicago Daily c.gov/cgi- bin/query/r? brick street going News negatives ammem/cdn:@field east toward the collection, Chicago (NUMBER+@band(ic lake during the Historical Society hicdn+n000516)) 1902 Teamsters Strike.
Nebraska (Rural)
Image Description Citation URL Mr. Lowe Nebraska State http://memory.lo unloading corn Historical Society, c.gov/cgi- bin/query/r? into a crib [Digital ID, nbhips ammem/psbib:@fie "according to 12835] ld(DOCID+@lit(p1 improved 2835)) methods," south of Kearney, Nebraska. Family members Nebraska State http://memory.lo in front of the Historical Society, c.gov/cgi- bin/query/r? W.A. Whitney's [Digital ID, nbhips ammem/psbib:@fie farmhouse near 14115] ld(DOCID+@lit(p1 Riverdale, 4115)) Nebraska. Sod home of Mary Nebraska State http://memory.lo Longfellow near Historical Society, c.gov/cgi- bin/query/r? Broken Bow, [Digital ID, nbhips ammem/psbib:@fie Nebraska, and Ms. 13551] ld(DOCID+@lit(p1 Longfellow and 3551)) her students in front of her sod school house.
Teaching with Primary Sources Illinois State University Farm scene, south Nebraska State http://memory.lo of Ansley, Custer Historical Society, c.gov/cgi- bin/query/r? County, Nebraska. [Digital ID, nbhips ammem/psbib:@fie 12783] ld(DOCID+@lit(p1 2783))
Log house of Nebraska State http://memory.lo William H. Nutter, Historical Society, c.gov/cgi- bin/query/r? Sr. The oldest [Digital ID, nbhips ammem/psbib:@fie house in Buffalo 10039] ld(DOCID+@lit(p1 County, Nebraska. 0039))
Ben Greible Nebraska State http://memory.lo feeding cattle, Old Historical Society, c.gov/cgi- bin/query/r? Jefferson, Custer [Digital ID, nbhips ammem/psbib:@fie County. 14160] ld(DOCID+@lit(p1 4160)) Title Photo Frank Visek, Nebraska State http://memory.lo Woods Park, now Historical Society, c.gov/cgi- bin/query/r? lives in School [ DIGITAL ID ammem/psbib:@fie District No. 6, nbhips11136] ld(DOCID+@lit(p1 Custer County, 1136)) Nebraska.
Teaching with Primary Sources Illinois State University Rubric Back to Navigation Bar
Letter-Writing : Welcome to the Midwest
Teacher Name: Ruck
Student Name: ______CATEGORY 4 3 2 1 Ideas Ideas were Ideas were Ideas were The letter seemed expressed in a expressed in a somewhat to be a collection clear and pretty clear organized, but of unrelated organized manner, but the were not very sentences. It was fashion. It was organization clear. It took very difficult to easy to figure out could have been more than one figure out what what the letter better. reading to figure the letter was was about. out what the letter about. was about. Content Accuracy The letter The letter The letter The letter contains at least 5 contains 3-4 contains 1-2 contains no persuasive facts persuasive facts persuasive facts persuasive facts about the topic. about the topic. about the topic. about the topic.
Salutation and Salutation and Salutation and Salutation and Salutation and/or Closing closing have no closing have 1-2 closing have 3 or closing are errors in errors in more errors in missing. capitalization and capitalization and capitalization and punctuation. punctuation. punctuation. Grammar & Writer makes no Writer makes 1-2 Writer makes 3-4 Writer makes spelling errors in grammar errors in grammar errors in grammar more than 4 (conventions) or spelling. and/or spelling. and/or spelling errors in grammar and/or spelling.
Date Created: July 02, 2008
Teaching with Primary Sources Illinois State University Handouts Back to Navigation Bar
Teaching with Primary Sources Illinois State University Photo Analysis Worksheet
Step 1. Observation
Study the photograph for 2 minutes. Form an overall impression of the photograph and then examine individual items. Next, divide the photo into quadrants and study each section to see what new details become visible.
Use the chart below to list people, objects, and activities in the photograph.
Activities People Objects
Step 2. Inference
Based on what you have observed above, list three things you might infer from this photograph
1.
2.
3.
Step 3. Questions
What questions does this photograph raise in your mind?
Teaching with Primary Sources Illinois State University Where could you find answers to them?
Designed and developed by the Education Staff, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC 20408
Teaching with Primary Sources Illinois State University Exit Ticket
Name:
Give ONE reason that Chicago became a city. (Urban)
Give ONE reason that Nebraska became a state noted for farming. (Rural) Historical Fiction Bibliography
Armstrong, Jennifer. Black-Eyed Susan. New York: Crown, 1995. Brink, Carol Ryre. Caddie Woodlawn. New York: Macmillan, 1974. Bunting, Eve. Dandelions. San Diego: California, 1995. Cross, Verda. Great-Grandma Tells of Threshing Day. Morton Grove, Illinois: Albert Whitman, 1992. Fleischman, Sid. Humbug Mountain. Boston: Little, Brown, 1988. Fleischman, Sid. Jim Ugly. New York: Greenwillow, 1992. Hancock, Sibyl. Old Blue. New York: Putnam, 1980. Holland, Isabella. The Journey Home. New York: Scholastic, 1990. Howard, Ellen. The Cellar. New York: Atheneum, 1992. Lawlor, Laurie. Addie Across the Prairie. Niles, Illinois: Albert Whitman, 1986. Lawlor, Laurie. Addie’s Long Summer. Niles, Illinois: Albert Whitman, 1995. Lawlor, Laurie. Dakota Winter. Niles, Illinois: Albert Whitman, 1992. Lydon, Kerry Raines. A Birthday for Blue. Niles, Illinois: Albert Whitman, 1989. MacBride, Roger Lea. Little Farm in the Ozarks. New York: HarperCollins, 1994. MacBride, Roger Lea. Little House on Rocky Ridge. New York: HarperCollins, 1993. MacBride, Roger Lea. Little Town in the Ozarks. New York: HarperCollins, 1996. MacLachlan, Patricia. Sarah, Plain and Tall. New York: HarperCollins, 1985. MacLachlan, Patricia. Three Names. New York: HarperCollins, 1991. Paulsen, Gary. Mr. Tucket. New York: Delacourte, 1994. Paulsen, Gary. Tucket’s Ride. New York: Bantam, 1997. Sanders, Scott R. Aurora Means Dawn. New York: Bradbury, 1989. Wilder, Laura Ingalls. First FourYears. New York: HarperCollins, 1971. Wilder, Laura Ingalls. Little House in the Big Woods. New York: HarperCollins, 1953. Wilder, Laura Ingalls. Little House on the Prairie. New York: HarperCollins, 1953. Wilder, Laura Ingalls. Little Town on the Prairie. New York: HarperCollins, 1953. Wilder, Laura Ingalls. On the Banks of Plum Creek. New York: HarperCollins, 1953 Historical Fiction Book Selection (adapted from: Themes in Literature, Prairie Settlement: Nebraska Photographs and Family Letters, 1862-1912, Library of Congress. http://memory.loc.gov/learn/collections/settlement/langarts1.html )
Student name:
Book title:
Author:
How does the book describe settlers' lives on the farms of the Midwest, particularly the Great Plains? Give examples.
Does the book show the lives of men, women, and children equally well? Give examples from the text to explain.
How are the land and climate described in the literary work? List some of the most interesting and descriptive words that the author uses to describe these natural elements of the story. (3-5 words)
What is the theme of the literary work? Does the author have a point of view about life on the plains that he or she is trying to show?