Lesson 1: US Steel Gary Works, A Photographic Study
Middle school : Lesson 1 | Lesson 2 | Lesson 3 | Lesson 4
Lesson plan developed by Laurie Welken.
"The City of the Century" was the nickname given to Gary, IN during the construction and growth of a town created by the US Steel Corporation. The creation of this town was documented by US Steel Photographers from 1905-1971. Through these photographs the creation of the US Steel Gary Works and Gary, IN come to life. Studying these photographs and the history behind them gives a solid picture of a city and company created to enrich each other.
Standards alignment
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Indiana Academic Standards for Science: Grade 8
- 8.1.8: Explain that humans help shape the future by generating knowledge, developing new technologies, and communicating ideas to others.
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Indiana Academic Standards for Social Studies: Grade 8
- 8.1.30: Form historical research questions and seek responses by analyzing primary resources...
- 8.5.3: Examine the concepts of a work ethic, philanthropy, volunteerism, and concern for the common good as important aspects of American society in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
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National Council for the Social Studies
- Strand I: Culture
- Strand II: Time, Continuity, and Change
- Strand III: People, Places and Environments
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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
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NCTE/IRA List of Standards for the English Language Arts
- 1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world...
- 6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions ... media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
- 7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems...
- 8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources ... to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
- 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes...
Guiding questions
- What is the difference between historical fact and interpretation?
- How can a photograph be used to show a certain point of view?
- How do these photos relate to each other?
Learning objectives
After completing this lesson, students will be able to:
- Formulate historical questions about the circumstances surrounding a photograph.
- Differentiate between historical facts and interpretation.
Preparation
Print out the following:
- The article Gary, the Magic City from Putnam's Magazine
- These photos.
Lesson plan
- Have copied photos available, one for each small group of about two students. Have the students look closely at the photo and begin to question what the picture is about. Have them create a list of questions about the historical context of the photo. When they are done with their questions, have them switch their list of questions and photo with another group. Each group answers the questions that are asked of the photo they just received. When finished answering the questions have students critically examine the questions and answers. Ask each group to separate the questions into two categories, historical facts and interpretations. Have students fold a piece of paper in half vertically. Label one column "historical facts" and the other one "interpretations". Write the questions and answers in the correct column.
- Have the article Gary, The Magic City, available for students to read, or read it to them. This will enable them to better understand the photos. When finished reading the article, have students revisit their lists of historical facts and interpretations.
Extending the lesson
Have students study the photographs in groups and create a newspaper article about each photo. Refer students to these American Memory web sites to gain information on how to research and write an article using a photograph.