Wingren, O. J. Government Indian School, Swinomish Reservation, La Conner, Wash. / O. J. Wingren. 1907. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2015645620/.
This source will be blown up and posted on a wall. Students will take turns going up to the poster and writing ideas on the poster, thus engaging in a silent discussion. The photo ties in with educational experiences, oppressed communities, and segregation. Students will be learning about how, throughout history, the quality of education someone receives depends on where they go to school and where they live. Students will make connections of their own educational experiences to what is seen in the primary source.
This picture was taken in 1907 of the schoolchildren and teachers on the Swinomish Reservation, which is where La Conner, Washington, is.
- What do you notice about the faces in this photo?
- How are people represented in this picture?
- What are some personal connections you have with this photo?
Extension Questions
- Why do governments provide schools?
- Why would a government-run school be a source for conflict, particularly among Native Americans?
ELA standards
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11–12.2. Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account.
Social Studies Standards
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11–12.9. Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event.
Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.
- Have the poster on the wall before class starts. Tell students they will be working on their observational skills to develop their thinking skills and ability to respond to others. Give each student a set of colored sticky notes. Have students go up to the poster and write two observations on two different sticky notes. They can place these anywhere on the poster as long as they don’t cover the picture.
- Next, students need to write one question about the photo on a sticky note and place it on the poster. Use a timer so students manage their time responsibly. As students rotate through, they need to then respond to questions written by their peers. These responses should be stuck to the sticky note that asked the question. This should be done two or three times, depending on the length of the class period.
- Students should have noted things such as the facial expressions of the students, the dress and attire, the time period/context of the photo, or the loss of culture and language. Have the class return to their seats to process the activity they just did. Review some of the comments and questions and ask clarifying questions as needed.
- Next, have students take out notebook paper (or a doc if using technology) to write their personal connections to the picture. Put a timer on for five minutes. These will not be shared because they may be personal to students based on what they have experienced in schools due to their race, language, or where they have lived. Students will turn in their reflections at the end of class.
- A Connecting Read-Write-Think lesson can be found here: Perspective Writing
Indian School, Cantonment, Okla. c1909. Postcard. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/00651245/.