None of the common generalities about America and the American temperament seem to fit, least of all calculation, or commercial acumen. On the contrary, it is doubtful if there has ever been assembled anywhere such a portrait, so laboriously and carefully documented, of such a fanciful, impulsive, childlike, absent-minded, capricious and ingenious people…Ann Cohen and Dawn Lee
Robert Cantwell, 1939
Overview:
What is an American? The essential questions and the conversations about the American character remain the same. Is there such a thing as an American identity? Are there traits that are particularly American which do not change over time? Which groups have been excluded from the definition? Do we see ourselves as others see us? Can we detect patterns and trends in American culture that define our national identity? How do primary sources help us to understand who we once were and what we have become? How do the categories of race and ethnicity, gender, class, regionalism, and political values and beliefs inform the discourseIn this inquiry-based lesson students explore American identity through race and ethnicity, class, gender, regionalism, political values and beliefs. Students use oral histories, photographs, and other documents. Although this lesson focuses on the particular period of the Depression, it can be used with any time period in American history and in numerous curriculum areas.
Feet Family
(20 minutes)
1. Using Object Observation
Sheet (link needed to both Student and Teacher pages), model for students
an
exercise in photo analysis.
2. Place photo and Object
Observation Sheet transparencies (link) on overheads.
3. Discuss and record team
objective observations of the photo.
4. Engage students and add
their objective observations to the transparency.
5. Discuss and record team
subjective observations.
6. Again engage students
and add their subjective comments.
7. Generate and record questions
about American people, places and things for further investigation.
(35 minutes)
Link Bars
Race/ethnicity
Class
Gender
Regionalism
Political values/ideas
8. Break class into teams
of two to analyze a set of three pre-selected photos.(link)
9. Instruct students to
complete their Objective Observation Sheets and display photographs and
findings on the bulletin
board.
Teacher Materials:
1. Two overhead projectors
2. Objective Observation
Sheet transparency (link) and markers
3. Copies of Objective Observation
Sheets (link)
4. Copies of photographs
(link)
Part Two: Student pairs research in
FSA/OWI Collection with suggested keywords.(link) (1 class period
- 55 minutes)
Goal:
Students will work cooperatively to analyze photographs organized
into sets representing race/ethnicity, class,
gender, regionalism, and political values and ideas.
(10 minutes)
1. Lead students in a discussion
of their previous day's findings.
2. Record student observations
on a flip chart.
(45 minutes)
1. Instruct students to search
the FSA/OWI Collection for four photographs that depict American people,
places, and
things using the Keyword handout (link) as guides.
2. Have each student pair
select one phrase or word from the Keyword list (link)to use in searching
the collection.
3. Have pairs print their
four photographs .
4. Have pairs complete one
Objective Observation Sheet (link) for the set.
5. Have pairs display their
photos in a classroom gallery and share discoveries with the class.
Teacher Materials:
1. Flip chart and
markers
2. Keyword handout (link)
3. Objective Observation
Sheet (link)
4. Computer stations for
class size.
Part Three: Classroom teacher and library
media specialist team model textual material analysis exercise.
( 1 class
period - 55 minutes)
Goal:
Students will analyze oral history narratives that deal with issues of
class.
Begging Narrative and School lunch photos
(20 minutes)
1.
Put email address of contact for lesson here.
Put date of lesson here.
