Rothstein, Arthur. Son of sheep rancher. Oneida County, Idaho. 1936. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017760646/.
In the spirit effort to recognize the 250th (semiquincentennial) anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, students will reflect on their family history, beginning with viewing a picture in 1936 of a young boy on a farm in a rural community in Idaho Falls during the Great Depression. This will lead to a discussion of lifestyles in rural communities and eventually a family history presentation of the student’s family. The purpose of these activities is to respond to the question of What does America mean to me? and how our family history contributes to our American experience.
This 1936 photograph of a young boy holding a rabbit suggests the connection of land, animals, and the responsibilities of even the youngest of ages in rural communities. Rothstein’s photo of a seemingly innocent moment of life encapsulates the larger picture of the cycles of nature, the spirit of self-reliance, and perseverance that defined America during the 1930s.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2077090212683898/posts/2342204802839103/
- What details do you notice about the boy’s appearance—his clothing, expression, posture?\
- What objects or background details help you learn more about where and how he lives?
- What do you think a normal day might have been like for this boy in 1936?
- What might life have been like for this boy during the Great Depression (which was still ongoing in 1936)?
- How might growing up in rural Idaho in 1936 be different from your experience growing up today?
ELA Standard
CCSS: 6th Grade Reading Comprehension: Nonfiction Text (NF). 6b. Explain in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in texts through examples or anecdotes.
Social Studies Standard
6-12 United States History: Historical Thinking Skills. 6-12.HT1.4 Construct and/or communicate a historical argument using primary and secondary sources.
Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features.
- Invite students to observe the photo of “Son of A Sheep Rancher” by Arthur Rothstein.
- Have students consider the lifestyle of children growing up in a rural community, particularly during the Great Depression. They may need to consider the innocent nature and expression of this young boy and wonder what he is thinking or feeling.
- Ask students to reflect on their own upbringing and what similarities and differences their lifestyle may have to this young person.
- Invite students to search for a photo of themselves or someone they know at a young age and explain its significance.
- Help students respond to the question, What does America mean to me? and how their upbringing and family history impact their lives and American experience.
- Ask students to prepare a family history presentation of their own, including photos, and/or anecdotes, interviews, and other pertinent information about their lives and family history.
Rothstein, Arthur. A large family on land too poor to give them a living. Oneida County, Idaho. 1936. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017760561/.