Jean's+Lesson--Posters+and+Photos

Module 4--Posters and Photos **Lesson Plan:** Analyzing Photos and Posters to better understand history--How were Immigrants treated upon arriving in the US? What were the expectations that the US government had for immigrants?


 * Overview of Lesson:** Students will be shown 2 photographs and 2 posters pertaining to Immigration in the 1900's. They will be asked to analyze both types of sources using different methods.

What kind of treatment did Immigrants receive as they arrived at Ellis Island from their country of origin?
 * Essential Questions** (for UBD) appropriate for this lesson:

What might have been the US government's reasoning for creating the posters you see? What were war bonds and why did the government want people to buy them?


 * Subject Area:** Social Studies


 * Duration:** Two 60 minute class periods


 * Materials Needed:** NARA Photo Analysis document (attached), document camera, SEA document


 * Prior Knowledge:** Second graders study Immigration with their classroom teachers. They have some background knowledge from books and information shared by their teacher about Immigration and Ellis Island.

__PHOTO portion of the lesson__: As a group, I would share the first photo of Immigrants being inspected by doctors for skin diseases. I would show the students the NARA photo analysis worksheet and briefly explain what it is asking them to do. Then they would work with a partner on filling out the worksheet. We would reconvene in the group area and share their discoveries. I hope this photo would give students some additional insight as to what took place at Ellis Island in the early 1900s. They tend to have a glorified idea of what the immigrants experienced coming to the US that is not totally accurate, according to these photos. I would then share the 2nd photo with the group--- the photo of the detention pen where immigrants who did not pass "inspection" would go before being deported. The students would be asked to use the NARA worksheet once again to analyze this photo. Once completed, we'd share their findings back in the group area. I think this photo makes a statement. We think of all immigrants coming to the US to lead a better life. We often don't think about those who were not allowed to stay once they arrived. Both photos below from [] __POSTER portion of the lesson__: We would then move on (and perhaps this would be the 2nd week of this lesson) to analyzing posters related to Immigrants in the 1900s. I would show the students the first poster and allow them to use the SEA method to document their findings with a partner. I chose the SEA method over the NARA poster analysis sheet because I think it is easier for their level. The NARA sheet, although more detailed which I like, would be much more difficult for younger students to use. I would then reintroduce the question "What kind of treatment did the Immigrants receive once they came to the US?" The purpose of the government posters is to suggest that the immigrants contribute to the war effort by buying war bonds. This would help control inflation and remove money from circulation until the war is concluded []. The second graders at our school also complete an Economics unit. A connection to that unit could be made at this point in the lesson. Both posters below from [] Both posters are appealing to the Patriotism of the immigrants. They seem to say it is the immigrant's duty as a US citizen to support our country by buying war bonds with the money they are earning in their new homeland.
 * Procedures:**


 * Assessment:** I only evaluate informally in my classroom. Were the students able to complete the NARA photo analysis sheet and the SEA worksheet for the photos and posters? Were they able to express their thoughts on the way the Immigrants were treated? Were they able to see why the government might have created the war bonds posters?

**NOTE: This lesson would definitely promote higher level thinking at the elementary level. Analyzing the posters and photos is a challenge for me! :) I would only use the two documents mentioned above (NARA and SEA) because I don't want the kids to get bogged down with writing. At this level, that can become an issue. So, for that reason, I would not use the KWL chart this time.

Hi Jean, This lesson is really good and will definitely get the student's attention! I like your use of the NARA to analyze the photographs over the SEA. I think it would be easier to fill out the NARA with the photos over the posters because (in my opinion) the photos provide more visual information for a 2nd grader. Also, I like your angle to get the students to understand not all immigrants were welcomed with open arms into America. - Emily