Lesson 4: Gary's Changing Face
Fourth grade : Lesson 1 | Lesson 2 | Lesson 3 | Lesson 4
Lesson plan developed by Mardy Flanagan.
By 1920, Gary had become the largest city in the Calumet region. Its buildings and population had undergone a dramatic transformation. A city hall, a courthouse, 3, ten-story buildings, and a 10 acre esplanade were among the structures that added to the city's character. Large numbers of African-Americans were drawn to the city in search of unskilled labor jobs but were forced to use racially segregated public facilities and to reside in the most undesirable part of the city known as "the Patch." Truly, Gary had grown in size and stature, but was it the industrial utopia it set out to be?
Standards alignment
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Indiana Academic Standards 2000 for Social Studies: Grade Four
- Standard 1: History: Students will trace the historical periods, places, people, events, and movements that have led to the development of Indiana as a state.
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National Standards for Arts Education: Grades K-4: Visual Arts
- 4. Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures
Guiding questions
- What events influenced Gary's development?
- What kinds of tensions between and among individuals, groups, or institutions furthered both continuity and change?
- How did groups and institutions work to meet individual needs and promote the common good? How did they fail to do so?
- What is Gary like today?
Learning Objectives
After completing this lesson, students will be able to:
- Accurately cite Gary's development from 1904 to the present using a timeline and photographs.
- Compare and contrast group and institutional influences on Gary's society by listing them on the board during group discussion.
- Describe how the Great Depression, changing demographics, steel manufacturing and the world market, and current development projects changed the face of Gary in chart form.
Preparation
- Copy pages from Gary's Chamber of Commerce website. You will need relative information for each group of students in the following areas: history, demographics, development projects, and points of interest. Provide poster board for charts. Choose photographs for children to use in their charts from the following websites:
- For the timeline, cut strips of heavyweight paper and write dates along the top. Insure that each time period is divided equally among groups. An excellent example of a timeline for your students can be found at At Home with Art and Industry's website.
Lesson plan
- Ask the students to describe some aspects of their hometown that have changed since they have lived there. Explain that Gary, too, evolved over time and that in this lesson, they will identify and illustrate Gary's changing face. Pass out copies of the history page from Gary's chamber of commerce website. Have students read quietly while you assign groups and topics. The four areas are: demographics, architecture, development projects, and point of interest. Each group will take their materials to a work area where they will compile an informational chart. The demographic group will cite changes in ethnicity, income, and population, while the architectural group notes overall structural impressions of the past and present. The development group will present information about Gary's airport, downtown beautification, and lakefront development, and the remaining group of students will tell the class about points of interest. The students may need two class periods to complete this portion of the lesson. Have them share their finished charts.
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In the second part of this lesson, students will construct a timeline of Gary's history from 1904 to the present using prepared materials. Before they begin, show them an example of a timeline and emphasize what you want them to include. Encourage them to write neatly and legibly because the timeline will be displayed prominently in the room and used as a reference. Have students add at least one relevant photograph to their section.
Check each timeline for accuracy. Have students assemble each piece and pick a suitable location for it in the classroom. - Finally, conclude this unit with a discussion about group and institutional influences. How did they help or hinder Gary's development? Use the historical article that you passed out for ideas. Have students write their answers on the board. Do they feel that the initial developers would be pleased if they could see Gary today?
Extending the Lesson
- Invite students to research the undesirable area of Gary known as "the Patch." Have them share their feelings about this place and explain its formation.
- Give students a photo and its caption. Have them evaluate alternate captions based on how objective they are.
- Create a dialogue or improvisation based on the theme. Students may select a time period and develop their own characters to illustrate a particular point.
- Assemble a bulletin board using photos, a timeline, and interesting information learned from this unit.
