The Library of Congress

THE GREAT DEPRESSION IN YOUR CLASSROOM: Creating Successful Student Lessons around American Memory

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

   What makes a successful student lesson using the American Memory collections? What does it feel like to be a student experiencing this site while doing a lesson you've just received? What makes it easier or harder for students (and teachers) to be successful?

   The first part of this workshop asks you to play the role of an American Studies student reading The Grapes of Wrath and studying the Depression. Using the student's point of view, you'll gain a different and valuable perspective. This perspective will later help you discuss such questions as:

   • How long should an American Memory-based lesson be?
   • How ambitious should the lesson be?
   • What kinds of support do we need to provide for students so that they can find materials on the Web site, make sense of them, and present what they have learned?

   We'll also share experiences and brainstorm possible extensions of the example lesson.

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2. Using Student Lessons: Work and Share Time (60 minutes)

   You are about to participate in a two part lesson linking images with the text of The Grapes of Wrath. With students, this is a multi-day lesson, but for this workshop, modifications have been made. To see the lesson handouts actually given to students, go to "FSA/OWI Photos Project".

   Part One: Learning About the Photographers and the FSA (30 minutes)

   Begin by using the special presentation entitled "Documenting America: Photographers on Assignment" You are to:

   1. Read through two of the photographers biographies and view the photographs included.
   2. Select one photographer from the seven who are included in the special presentation you would like to investigate further.
   3. Do a search in the collection using the photographer's name to identify his/her work included in the collection.
   4. Complete a Photograph Rating Sheet after having browsed through as many of his/her photos as time allows.

   When you have completed this, discuss your findings with the group.

   Part Two: Creating a photo scrapbook (30 minutes).

   For this part, you will be working with one or two other people to complete a visual study on the topic of the thematic chapter assigned to you. Think of this visual project as a way of creating a "scrapbook" of your particular thematic chapter. The photos should help to understand the theme (i.e., Steinbeck's point) for this particular chapter.

   To complete this portion, you will need to:

   1. Receive a chapter topic from the facilitator (Thematic Chapters list).
   2. Search (by keyword or subject heading) for photographs related to the topic of your thematic chapter. For example, you could search under dust, migration, camps, Okies, cotton, farming, family, etc.
   3. Select, save, and print the best four photographs that you can find to illustrate the topic and the message of your thematic chapter (use bookmarks to help tag potential selections). (See Linking & Bookmarking in American Memory for guidelines.)
   4. Prepare to explain why you chose these particular photographs for your chapter.

   When you have completed this, discuss your findings with the group. You may be asked to share your choices with the other participants.

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3. Analysis of These and Other Lessons (40 minutes)
   Discuss how this workshop lesson differs from the full student lesson, FSA-OWI Photo Project.

   As educators discuss the following:

   • What were the components of each lesson? Objectives?
   • How comfortable were you doing these lessons? Why?
   • What did the facilitator do that helped you be successful?
   • What would have helped you be more successful?
   • What are your suggestions for improvement?

   Based on your previous experiences:

   • What are key components for successful lessons?
   • What kind of preparation is necessary BEFORE students get online?
   • Why would a lesson with online primary sources fail (not that this has ever happened to anyone we know!)?
   • What advice would you have for managing students in a computer lab?
   Make a list of elements of successful lessons that you have identified through this exercise.

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4. Extending the Lesson Using Audio and Text Collections (10 minutes)

   How can you transfer the components of this lesson to other collections focusing on oral history and music from the same period?

   If time allows, investigate Voices from the Dust Bowl, 1940-1941 or American Life Histories, 1936-1940 and consider variations of the photographers' assignment.

   See additional examples of Depression-related student lessons for ideas:

   1. "WPA Federal Writer’s Project"
   2. "Voices of the Dustbowl Assignment."

 

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Last updated 09/26/2002