Lesson Overview:

This lesson will use photographs to visually describe the transition from old world to New World experienced by immigrants to the United States. Students will gain an understanding of the new life of immigrants in this country, and will learn how the medium of photography can record and recount history. They will also gain historical perspective by comparing and contrasting images of the past and the present.

Length of Lesson:

Eight 45-minute class periods

Notes:

This lesson is particularly suitable for grades 3-4.

Instructional Objectives:

Students will:

• demonstrate an understanding of the immigrant experience, immigrants' reasons for coming to America, and their lives in America.
• realize that photographs are a form of historical documentation.
• analyze photographs from the late 19th to early 20th century and use them to construct a timeline.
• gain a historical perspective by comparing and contrasting images of the past and the present.
• better understand the differences and similarities between immigrant life and their own life by creating a display composed of their photographs and magazine pictures.

Supplies:

• Camera, color film, or 1 to 2 disposable cameras
• Photographs representative of late 19th- to early 20th-century immigration. These can be obtained from a variety of resources including books, slides, and Web pages (see Teacher Internet Resources).
• Magazines
• Scissors
• Glue
• Clipboards
• Drawing paper or sketch pads
• Pencils
• Crayons
• Markers
• Pastels

Instructional Plan:

Part 1: Looking at the Past

Tell students: "Many people say the one thing they would grab from their house if it were on fire would be their photographs." Ask students, "Why do you think photographs are so important to people?"

Display for students a variety of photographs downloaded from various Web sites (see photography Web sites below). Ask students to look at the photos and tell what they see. Were the photographs taken in the present day? How do you know? What do you see that is specifically different from what we see today? Guide students to focus on these elements: clothing, transportation, streets, housing, recreation, facial expressions, and occupations.

Record student responses on a chart by topic. Lead a group discussion about how these photographs are a form of historical documentation. At a later date, these photographs can be organized by students on a bulletin board as a "Lens Into The Past" photo gallery with title, artist, and date recorded beneath each photo.

Read aloud to students the poem "You, Whoever You Are" by Walt Whitman. You may choose to pass out the handouts or write the poem on chart paper or on an overhead so the class can see the words.

Distribute the Vocabulary Handout and assist students in interpreting the message of the poem by asking them to consider the possible meaning of these phrases:

• indifferent of place: regardless of your country of origin.
• Health to you! Good will to you all, from me and America sent: The poet is wishing immigrants good health on behalf of America.
• Each of us is limitless—each of us with his or her right upon the earth: All individuals possess unique talents and should have the right to develop them freely.

Elicit from the children the observation that the overall message of the poem is to welcome immigrants to America and reinforce the opportunities that await them. Ask students how the poem and the viewed photographs are connected. Guide students to make the connection that the photographs are of immigrants in America.

Teacher Preparation

Download and print the following photographs:

• New York tenement family gets fresh air on a hot day, 1910, by Lewis W. Hine; (Discussion Topics: slum life, housing, dress, inventions)
• Playground in tenement alley, Boston, 1909, 1909, by Lewis W. Hine; (Discussion Topics: recreation, sports, dress, housing)
• Italian family looking for lost baggage, 1905, by Lewis W. Hine; (Discussion Topics: travel, dress, luggage, facial expressions)
• Midnight at the Brooklyn Bridge, 1906, by Lewis W. Hine; (Discussion Topics: child labor, publications, dress)
• Street play in the early days—N.Y., 1910, by Lewis W. Hine; (Discussion Topics: recreation, inventions, dress, city workers)
• Home-work on Pants N.Y. Tenement, 1905, by Lewis W. Hine; (Discussion Topics: dress, occupation, housing)

(Note: these photographs are recommended; however, the above photographs are located in Web sites that contain numerous other photographs available that would be appropriate for this lesson.)

Part 2: Capturing Life Around You

Note: Prior to beginning this activity, have students take home the Parental Consent Form and obtain permission, and if possible, assistance, from their parents.

Prepare the class to take a neighborhood walk by briefly reviewing key themes in the photographs discussed in the previous lesson, e.g., modes of transportation, people's attire, and stores. Explain to students that the purpose of the walk will be to identify and/or photograph those same elements in their own community and (if camera is available) that each student will get to take one photograph. Encourage students to take pictures from different angles with interesting subject matter; for example, students could take a photograph of a vehicle with people walking past it rather than just the vehicle alone. Before the walking tour, have students work in cooperative groups and look through old magazines for objects that they might see on their neighborhood walk. All photos can be put in their journals or glued into a sketch book. These magazine photographs can be brought along on the walk and compared with actual objects.

If a camera is not available, take the downloaded, recently viewed photos on the class walk. Have students compare and contrast the actual object to the photo, for example, comparing Lewis W. Hine's photograph, Playground in tenement alley, Boston, 1909, with a local playground or school yard. Alternatively, provide students with small sketchpads and pencils for drawing.

As an alternative to a neighborhood walk, a school tour could be substituted. Obtain photos from the school's archives, old yearbooks, school newspapers, photo albums, and newspaper clippings. Have students analyze these photos and compare and contrast them to their current school environment.

Have students focus on Jacob A. Riis's photograph Organized Charity Outdoor School and explain the fact that the students were outside because they were ill and were kept segregated. Ask the children to focus on the students' desks, their attire, and the teacher in the photograph. Ask students how the school in this photograph is similar to and different from their own school. Are ill students treated the same way today?

Prepare the students for a school tour by explaining that they will attempt to capture elements of their current school environment by photographing it. Their photographs will later be compared to the school photographs of the past.

A brief account of the success of the walk and/or school tour will commence when the class returns. Ask students if they think they captured the elements they were looking for.

Part 3: Images of Life

Once all film has been developed, circulate photos taken on the neighborhood walk for students to view. Using the class-taken photos and/or drawings or magazine image clippings, students can compare and contrast them with the photos they viewed during the earlier lesson. Ask students: How are these photos the same? How are they different? How has our use of photographs helped us to understand how life has changed over time? Have students also note aspects of the quality of the past and present photographs, including lighting, angle, color, and subject.

The class' photos and/or magazine pictures can then be posted next to the timeline, illustrating the differences between past and present. (For example, the photo of the present-day playground or school yard will be displayed next to Playground in tenement alley, Boston, 1909.) The entire photo study will be presented on the class bulletin board in "A Lens into the Past" Photo Gallery.

Part 4: Time Capsule

Introduce this activity by asking students to explain how photographs helped them to learn about immigrants. Students should respond that the photos helped them to see the immigrants' lives.

When this understanding is demonstrated, ask the children how they think we could show future generations what our life is like today/ As children respond, list their suggestions on the board, then introduce the idea of a time capsule. Define a time capsule as a collection of objects, representing aspects of life from a particular time period, to be saved for a future age. Tell the class, "For our purposes, we will collect photographs of objects that represent how we live today."

Students will brainstorm a list of photos that could be included in a time capsule. List students' responses on a chart. For categories, refer to the Suggested Time Capsule Contents Handout. Discuss these items and have the children decide how they can be represented in the time capsule (for example, transportation can be represented with photos of miniature toy cars, planes, etc.). Photos from a fashion magazine can represent current dress styles. Each student will then select one item from the list to bring in. Students should be given a few days to collect and bring in photos representing their item.

The culminating part of this lesson will require the collaborative effort of teacher and students. The students will have their photographs ready to be placed in the time capsule. Explain to the students that they will compose a letter to be included in the time capsule that will be addressed to its finder. The letter will explain the time capsule's contents and how each item played a part in a student's life. Students will verbalize their thoughts for the body of the letter. Write their statements and complete the letter on chart paper. Have a student read the letter aloud to the class, allowing for corrections or revisions as needed.

Select a student to rewrite the letter on the computer if one is available. Once this is done, seal the letter and ceremoniously place it inside the capsule. The time capsule can be created by using an appropriately sized box or container decorated by the students. In determining a secure location for its safe keeping, request input from the principal and/or custodian.

Assessment:

Assess student work using the accompanying Assessment Rubric.

Extensions:

Extension 1:
Students will photograph an old object that is not commonly used in current times and research its origin. They will compare and contrast their current photograph with images they find in their research. They will describe the photographed object and what it was used for. Reference Polaroid's Teach and Educate Web site.

Extension 2:
Analyze paintings of the immigrant experience and compare and contrast them with the immigrant photographs. Paintings are viewable at the Museum of the City of New York's Prints and Photographs Online Collection, and also at the Library of Congress's Immigration Web site.

Extension 3
Students will research cameras from different time periods to learn how the camera has evolved. They will compile images and their individual research into a visual display, titled “Cameras Past and Present,” chronicling the development of the camera.

Authors:

• Scholastic Inc.
  New York, NY