Lesson Plan Three

Lesson Plan Three – History of Photography through the Great Depression

Social Studies Incorporating The Arts

I. Lesson Data:

A. Candidate’s Name: Michelle Rutan

B. Subject Area: Arts, Social Studies

C. Grade (1-6): 5th grade

D. Lesson Topic: Content

E. Unit Title: History of Photography through the Great Depression

F. Duration of Lesson: 2 days 45 minutes each

G. New York State Standards:

Arts Standards:

Standard 1: Creating, Performing and Participating in the Arts

Students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in the arts (dance, music, theatre, and visual arts) and participate in various roles in the arts.

Visual Arts:

Students will make works of art that explore different kinds of subject matter, topics, themes, and metaphors. Students will understand and use sensory elements, organizational principles, and expressive images to communicate their own ideas in works of art. Students will use a variety of art materials, processes, mediums, and technique, and use appropriate technologies for creating and exhibiting visual art works.

Experiment and create art works, in a variety of mediums (drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, video, and computer graphics), based on a range of individual and collective experiences (a) develop their own ideas and images through the exploration and creation of art works based on themes, symbols, and events (b) demonstrate an increasing level of competence in using the elements and principles of art to create art works for public exhibition (d) identify and use, in individual and group experiences, some of the roles and means for designing, producing, and exhibiting art works and discuss ways to improve them

Standard 2: Knowing and Using Arts Materials and Resources

Students will be knowledgeable about and make use of the materials and resources available for participation in the arts in various roles.

Understand the characteristics of various mediums (two-dimensional, three-dimensional, electronic images) in order to select those that are appropriate for their purposes and intent (a) develop skills with electronic media as a means of expressing visual ideas (a) use the computer and other electronic media as designing tools and to communicate visual ideas (a) use the computer and electronic media to express their visual ideas and demonstrate a variety of approaches to artistic creation

Standard 3: Responding to and Analyzing Works of Art

Students will respond critically to a variety of works in the arts, connecting the individual work to other works and to other aspects of human endeavor and thought.

Explain their reflections about the meanings, purposes, and sources of works of art; describe their responses to the works and the reasons for those responses (c) explain how ideas, themes, or concepts in the visual arts are expressed in other disciplines (e.g., mathematics, science, literature, social studies, etc.)

Discuss and write their analyses and interpretations of their own works of art and the art of others, using appropriate critical language (b) compare the ways ideas and concepts are communicated through visual art with the various ways that those ideas and concepts are manifested in other art forms develop connections between the ways ideas, themes, and concepts are expressed through the visual arts and other disciplines in everyday life (d)

Standard 4: Understanding the Cultural Dimensions and Contributions of the Arts

Students will develop an understanding of the personal and cultural forces that shape artistic

Communication and how the arts in turn shape the diverse cultures of past and present society.

Look at a variety of art works and artifacts from diverse cultures of the United States and identify some distinguishing characteristics (b) create art works that show the influence of a particular culture (c) create art works that reflect a particular historical period of a culture (c) examine works of art and artifacts from United States cultures and place them within a cultural and historical context (b).

Social Studies:

Standard 1: History of the United States and New York

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in the history of the United States and New York.

2. Important ideas, social and cultural values, beliefs, and traditions from New York State and United States history illustrate the connections and interactions of people and events across time and from a variety of perspectives.

Students:

¨ Gather and organize information about the traditions transmitted by various groups living in their neighborhood and community

¨ View historic events through the eyes of those who were there, as shown in their art, writings, music, and artifacts.

Standard 4: Economics

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of how the United States and other societies develop economic systems and associated institutions to allocate scarce resources, how major decision-making units function in the United States and other national economies, and how an economy solves the scarcity problem through market and non-market mechanisms.

1. The study of economics requires an understanding of major economic concepts and systems, the principles of economic decision-making, and the interdependence of economies and economic systems throughout the world. Study about how the availability and distribution of resources is important to a nation’s economic growth.

H. Materials:

¨ Computer with Internet Access

¨ http://www.aldenschools.org/webpages/MRutan/edu.cfm?subpage=1304408

¨ Social Studies Notebook & Pencil

¨ Printer & Paper

I. Essential Question(s): How does photography apply to your everyday life? What happened in the Great Depression?

INSTRUCTIONAL DATA:

A. Objectives:

¨ Students will be able to research The Great Depression, The Dust Bowl and Walker Evans using Fact Monster on the Internet.

¨ Students will be able to edit a photograph using the online image editor.

¨ Students will be able explain the history of photography and the Great Depression through images and class discussion.

B. Assessment Plan:

Students will be formally assessed using a rubric (attached p. 59) on the design and completion of their edited photograph, their ability to publish their thoughts. Teacher will informally evaluate students’ evolution as she facilitates and circulates the room.

III. INSTRUCTIONAL PROCESS

A. Anticipatory Set/Motivation:

Teacher will bring in various cameras to demonstrate the evolution of the camera. Then teacher will ask questions what are these items? Students: cameras. How do these items play a part in history? Student: A way of recording history. How do we take pictures today? Student: with our phones. How are our cameras different than those back then? Student: the size, black and white vs color. What is a photographer? Student: someone who takes pictures for a living. Do you know any photographers? Student: Ansel Adams

B. Main Body/ Procedure:

¨ Students will be directed to teacher’s website: http://www.aldenschools.org/webpages/MRutan/index.cfm all directions are provided here.

Day 1

Students will use links provided to research the Great Depression, Walker Evans and the Dust Bowl taking notes in social studies notebook and answering these questions.

1. Who is Walker Evans?

2. What was his occupation?

3. What time period did Walker Evans work?

4. Why is this person important?

5. What did his photographs mean to people and government?

6. What was the Dust Bowl & The Great Depression?

7. Where was the Dust Bowl & The Great Depression?

8. How were people affected by the Dust Bowl & The Great Depression?

9. What did the people who were affected by the Dust Bowl & The Great Depression do?

10. What did the United States government do?

¨ Explain to students that historians learn a great deal from primary sources, records of events from participants and eyewitnesses (interviews, diaries, photographs, official documents and so on). Show Walker Evans photographs from website: http://www.aldenschools.org/webpages/MRutan/index.cfm discuss what photos mean to students.

¨ Teacher reviews photographs of migrant families during the Great Depression by Walker Evans. Teacher asks: Think about the last time you sat down for a portrait or had your photo taken. What things might a future researcher look at and notice when looking for historical context?

¨ Look carefully at each image—who is this person? What can you learn about him or her from this photograph? Is there anything that stands out to you about the way this portrait is framed? How do the photographs relate to the Great Depression?

Day 2

¨ Teacher will review what was taught on the Great Depression and The Dust Bowl.

¨ Great Depression, in U.S. history, the severe economic crisis supposedly precipitated by the U.S. stock-market crash of 1929. The Great Depression was unprecedented in its length and in the wholesale poverty and tragedy it inflicted on society. In the United States, at the depth (1932–33) of the depression, there were 16 million unemployed—about one third of the available labor force.

¨ Dust Bowl - the U.S. prairie states that suffered ecological devastation in the 1930s and then to a lesser extent in the mid-1950s. The problem began during World War I, when the high price of wheat and the needs of Allied troops encouraged farmers to grow more wheat by plowing and seeding areas in prairie states, such as Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico, which were formerly used only for grazing. In 1934 strong winds blew the soil into huge clouds called “dusters” or “black blizzards,” and in the succeeding years, from December to May, the dust storms recurred. Crops and pasturelands were ruined by the harsh storms, which also proved a severe health hazard. The uprooting, poverty, and human suffering caused during this period.

¨ Teacher will explain photography techniques with Walker Evan’s images.

Evans made his images for a higher purpose than just the FSA. By escaping the political propaganda nature of working for the government, Evans successfully created a sense of realism. His ability to create images that lack subjectivity, and lack the presence of an author, furthered the claim of many that photography was an objective process. However, the camera is merely a tool, like a pen or a paintbrush, and it too, expresses the intentions of its possessor. Evans' talent was his ability to make images that speak for themselves. Evan’s photographs seem to exist as historical moments in time, hard-edged facts--not interpretations; thus the viewer responds to the image itself--to the contents within it--not to the photographer's construction of it.

¨ Teacher will demonstrate and model step-by-step photo editing procedure-using Smartboard and insight software (takes control of student computers). I show how to use the tool, then the students try the tool, show the next tool and students try that tool. I feel with technology that all you have to do is a small demonstration and the students grasp the concept and embrace it. The teacher is there to help the students that have a hard time comprehending the concept.

¨ Teacher will then have students create their own Walker Evans pieces by using the photo editing techniques demonstrated.

¨ Students will print out final piece for assessment. Sample Project (Attached p. 61)

C. Closure/Ending:

Teacher will have students share their photograph and what they learned. Check for understanding by asking students what is the Great Depression? What is the Dust Bowl? Who the photographer was they learned about? How did his images impact the Great Depression? What did his images emphasize about his subjects?

D. Accommodations/Adaptations for Diverse Learners:

Special Needs: Students will be partnered with an enrichment student to assist in research. Students will be given extra assistance where needed with editing techniques. If there are ESL students they will be given assistance by the ESL support.

Remedial - Teacher will guide students to her website for related links and instructions. Teacher will assist students with their note taking needs. Teacher will assist students with computers when necessary.

Enrichment Activities- Students will be able to help the special needs students by being paired up with one during the research. Students will be given the opportunity to use their creativity to edit multiple images. They will have to write a cinquain poem based on their interpretations of the image. When their projects are complete they may assist other students with computer questions and needs.

IV. OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS

A. All Components of the Lesson are connected to the Objectives.

¨ Clarity of ideas- the ideas are clear and appropriate for a fifth grader to perform.

¨ A logical flow- lesson was well thought out and has a steady flow from one activity to the next. All directions and steps are provided for students to reference when needed on teacher website.

¨ Developmentally appropriate practice- fifth graders are familiar with a variety of computer skills.

¨ Appropriate activities for stage of reader- the equipment that the student is asked to use independently is fifth grade appropriate.

B. Culturally Responsive Teaching

During the lesson, I will communicate high expectations, positive perspectives on cultural heritages of different ethnic groups, both as legacies that affect students' dispositions, attitudes, and approaches to learning connecting to different learning styles.

V. Reflection:

Write a comprehensive paragraph reflecting on your lesson in this section and how you planned this lesson.

For this lesson I really struggled writing it trying to combine the Arts along with the Social Studies curriculum. I knew the art activity that I wanted to incorporate into the lesson, but implementing the two curriculums together became a challenge. One day I spent the whole day trying to generate the lesson, brain blockage had occurred. I set the work to the side and left it for the next day where ideas flowed more freely. I continued to ask myself how am I going to incorporate photo editing into the Great Depression? On my website I created the whole interactive lesson where students will be stimulated with hands on activities. Not only will the lesson help students understand how important photography is to the world, but to also walk away with skills that they can use in their everyday life.

http://www.aldenschools.org/webpages/MRutan/edu.cfm?subpage=1304408

Manipulating an Image: History of Photography through the Great Depression

Teacher Name: Mrs. Rutan

Students Name: _______________________________________