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Counternarratives, Group writing, Perspective taking, Primary source analysis, Tall tales, Visual literacy

ELA Standard

4.2.6.1. Write to create, developing literary elements including character, setting, conflict and resolution with detail in a variety of literary forms (e.g., poetry, stories, plays).

Social Studies Standard

4.5.25.1. Identify the processes and impacts of colonization and examine how discrimination and the oppression of various racial and ethnic groups have produced resistance movements.

NCTE Standard 6

Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.

Instructional Design

Have students create a three-column chart with the labels:
- What I Know
- What My Partners Know
- What We Missed
Project the image.
Have students write what they know about Paul Bunyan in the first column.
When they are done, split them into groups of three, share their responses, and add information they learn from their peers into the middle column.
Read aloud stories about Paul Bunyan and have students write Paul Bunyan’s actions that they and their partners didn’t already know about in the final column. The notes should focus on actions that show his skills, interactions with others, and/or impact on his surroundings. If needed, assign different types of actions to focus on to different groups of students.
Ask students: What are Paul Bunyan’s strengths? What are his values? How would you describe his actions? Do they match rural values and actions? Why or why not?
Direct students to take another look at the photo and ask:
- Why do you think this town decided to make a statue of Paul Bunyan and Babe instead of someone else?
- What can you infer about the town and its citizens?
Once students have finished making their inferences, ask them who might have been upset about stories that promoted cutting down forests.
Project the image of a postcard created by the Red Lake Band of Ojibwe.
Have students Think-Pair-Share in response to the question: Why might the tribe near the town with the Paul Bunyan statue create this image?
Inform students that the Ojibwe have a Paul Bunyan story in which one of their figures, Nanabozho, defeats Paul Bunyan with a fish when he tries to destroy their forests. Also, inform them that a similar image was displayed on a billboard on their reservation lines during the American Indian Movement in the 1960s. In addition, a statue of Nanabozho was placed at the trading post across the street from the Paul Bunyan statue.
Ask students:
- How did the Ojibwe tale and Red Lake’s use of it show that they were standing up for their community?
- What values does it reveal for the Red Lake Nation?
Place students in groups of 3–4 to write a tall tale that reflects values of their community and/or tackles a challenge that it faces. This checklist can help students make sure their stories have characteristics of the genre.
When groups are done, have them share their tales with the class.
Extension opportunities:
- Have students explore and compare/contrast different tall tales in the Read-Write-Think lesson American Folklore: A Jigsaw Character Study.
- Read Steven Kellogg’s Paul Bunyan, a Tall Tale and Nenaboozhoo and Paul Bunyan by Dr. Giniwgiizhig. Have students compare the portrayal of Paul Bunyan in each story and how that is impacted by the perspective of the author. Note: To respect the beliefs and traditions of Red Lake Tribal members, their story should only be read aloud in the winter.

Tags:

Alternative or Complementary Primary Sources

Vachon, John. Untitled photo, possibly related to: Paul Bunyan monument, Bemidji, Minnesota. 1939. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017718436/.

Subject/Topic:

Geography, history, social studies, Language, literature, folklore

This cabin was mounted on sleigh

Lesson By

Sierra Gilbertson

Citation

Carter, Paul. This cabin was mounted on sleigh last winter to transport four children to and from school. A stove was kept inside to protect them from the severe cold. The children only missed one day of school the entire winter. Used to leave the house at 6:30 a.m. so as to get to school by 8:30 a.m. Beltrami Island reforestation project, Minnesota. 1936. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017764131/.

Source Type

Photographs and Prints

Suggested Grade Band: Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5

Describe How Students Will Engage with the Source

Students will use their prior knowledge about school access in rural settings to evaluate the effectiveness of the invention depicted in the photograph. They will consider what barriers the invention helped kids overcome, what challenges they still faced, and the potential issues with it. Then, students will discuss how school buses provide a safer and more equitable solution. Students will reflect on how their school experiences would be different if they, like the kids in the picture, were unable to ride a bus to school. Finally, they will write thank-you letters to bus drivers.

Historical/Community Context for the Primary Source

Before school buses were available for rural students, they needed to find a creative way to go to school safely, especially in the winter, or else they would miss their chance at receiving an education. Motorized school buses helped address inequities in education access between country kids and town kids.

Source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/history-school-bus-180980554/

Instructional Focus Question(s) for Discussion

How have different methods of transportation, such as the sleigh cabin shown in the photo, changed life for kids who live in the country?
1. What do you notice about the cabin?
2. What about the sleigh cabin would make the journey to school better? How?
3. What about the sleigh cabin could be potentially dangerous? How?
Extension Questions:
1. What problems do rural kids still have when trying to go to school?
2. Imagine that our school district didn’t have school buses and/or drivers anymore. How would school be different for you and your classmates?

Standards Connection (State)

Standards Connections

ELA Standard

3.2.2.1. Write routinely for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences (e.g., personal interest, enjoyment, academic tasks).

Social Studies Standard

3.4.21.1. Explain how an invention of the past changed life at that time, as well as positive, negative, and unintended outcomes.

Authentic learning, Community building, Letter writing, Math, Primary source analysis, Visual literacy

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 (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).

Instructional Design

Hold a whole-class discussion to access prior knowledge. Display a photograph of a school bus on a country road. Ask students, Based on what you know about rural Minnesota, what would be difficult about going to school before there were school buses? Prompt students to explain their thinking. List student responses on the board.
Project the photograph of the cabin.
Have students respond to each of these questions via Think-Pair-Share:
- What problems from our list were solved by the invention of this cabin? How?
- Why might these kids still have a hard time getting to school? What problems weren’t solved? Explain.
- What are some new problems this invention might have created? Why?
- How might the invention of the school bus have solved those issues or the continued ones? What new challenges might have been created by it?
Using a Google Form, if possible, have students complete a survey with these questions:
- How far do you live from the school?
  - Within a mile
  - 1–3 miles
  - 3–7 miles
  - 7–12 miles
  - More than 12 miles
- How did you get to school today?
  - Walked
  - Biked
  - Rode the bus
  - Dropped off by a friend or relative
  - Other
Share the results from the survey and ask students:
- How many people live too far from school to be able to walk?
- Based on the survey, how many people might not be able to go to school if there weren’t school buses?
- What would be the impact of so many kids not being able to go to school?
Inform students that many rural schools are struggling to provide transportation because of a shortage of bus drivers and the rising costs of gas and buses.
Have students reflect on how school buses break down barriers and also provide opportunities for field trips and other school activities.
Have students write thank-you letters to bus drivers in the district.
- Review the elements of strong thank-you letters: salutation, body, closing, signature, expression of gratitude, and inclusion of specific examples.
- Share with students an example of a thank you letter written by a student and discuss its inclusion of the elements listed above.
- Have students Think-Pair-Share examples they might include in their letters.
- Have students write their letters with or without a template.
Extension opportunities:
- Have students use Google Maps to find out exactly how far they live from their school.
- Outside during class, or in phys ed, time students to see how long it takes them to walk a mile. Then, have students calculate how long it would take them to walk to school if they lived 12 miles away, which is how far some rural kids used to have to walk to school.
- Have students learn about writing letters through literature with the Read-Write-Think lesson Who’s Got Mail: Using Literature to Promote Authentic Letter Writing.

Tags:

Alternative or Complementary Primary Sources

Bain News Service. Country District School Wagon. Between c. 1910 and c. 1915. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2014690221/.

Subject/Topic:

Geography, history, social studies

The Progress Mar. 25, 1886

Lesson By

Sierra Gilbertson

Citation

The Progress (White Earth, Minn.), March 25, 1886. 1886. Newspaper. Library of Congress Chronicling America. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn83016853/1886-03-25/ed-1/.

Source Type

Newspapers

Suggested Grade Band: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12

Describe How Students Will Engage with the Source

After viewing and discussing American Progress, students will be introduced to The Progress. Background information about the paper will be shared so that students will understand why it was produced and its significance. Next, students will analyze the content and style of several of the articles and discuss the connection to the authors’ perspectives. Then, students will learn that the local Bureau of Indian Affairs agent seized the press after this issue was published and will learn about the legal battle that the paper eventually won. Finally, students will reflect on why the agent might have felt threatened by the paper and whether or not the authors predicted such feelings. By the end of the lesson, students will understand the importance of local newspapers for rural communities in the past and today.

Historical/Community Context for the Primary Source

The Progress was the first newspaper in Minnesota to be published on a reservation by tribal members. The publishers used it as a means of voicing the political views, which a local BIA agent shut down, leading to a legal battle that helped affirm that the freedom of the press extends to Native Americans.

Source: https://www.mnhs.org/newspapers/hub/progress

Instructional Focus Question(s) for Discussion

How did the perspective of the Beaulieus, as members of the White Earth Nation, shape the content of The Progress?
1. 1. What topics do you notice in The Progress?
  2. What do you notice about the rhetoric? Why did the Beaulieus use this language when writing about these topics?
Extension Questions:
1. How did the perspective of the Beaulieus, as members of the White Earth Nation, shape the writing style of The Progress?
2. How might the closing of local newspapers harm rural communities?

Standards Connection (State)

Standards Connections

ELA Standard

10.1.6.1. Analyze how the author’s, including Dakota and Anishinaabe authors, purpose, stated identities, biases and perspective shape the content and style of a text.

Social Studies Standard

9.4.20.12. U.S. History Era 6: Migration, Imperialism, and Inequality - Interpret historical sources created by North American Indigenous peoples and other colonized peoples (i.e., Cubans, Filipinos, Puerto Ricans, Hawaiians, etc.) in order to examine how they responded to changes in federal Indian policy and/or foreign policy, especially regarding migration, forced removal, sovereignty, land ownership, education, religion and assimilation. Analyze how current interpretations of the past are limited by the extent to which available historical sources represent perspectives of people at the time.

Geography, history, social studies, Government, law, politics, Journalism/news, advertising

Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and or personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.

Instructional Design

Project American Progress painting.
Have students respond to and discuss the following questions via Think-Write-Pair-Share:
- What do you observe?
- What can you infer?
- What questions do you have?
Discuss responses as a class.
Inform students that they will be reading articles written by members of the White Earth Nation. At that time, the United States wanted to dissolve Native American territories and assimilate the peoples. One plan was to consolidate different tribes, requiring some of them to leave their ancestral lands. The Indigenous communities often felt unheard during these plans. The Progress was a paper published by members of the White Earth Reservation, the first one in Minnesota to do so. It provided an opportunity for them to express their opinions.
Click on the pdf view of the newspaper.
Model analyzing for content and style with “Salutatory” section.
In groups of 3–4, have students read “Consolidation.” While reading it, they will fill out a three-column chart. The first column will contain the paragraph numbers that they are analyzing, the middle column will list the main points from the paragraph(s), and the third column will list rhetorical moves used in the paragraph(s).
When groups are done, facilitate a whole-class discussion:
- What were the main points of the article?
- What were the main craft moves?
- How did the author’s perspective determine the content?
- How did the author’s perspective determine the style?
Now have students independently read the article on the front page “Following the Ada Convention” and complete another content and style chart on their own.
When students are done, have them compare their responses with their group members from earlier in the lesson.
Debrief as a class, focusing on the content and style of the article in connection to the perspectives of the writers. Inform students that after this issue was published, the press was seized, and another issue was not published until almost a year and half later, after a US Senate subcommittee hearing in Washington D.C. decided that White Earth members were entitled to freedom of the press.
Lead a brief whole-class discussion to connect The Progress incident to current times:
- How might the community have been impacted by the closure of The Progress?
- How are rural communities today harmed when their local newspapers are forced to close because of financial reasons?
- How can rural communities support their local newspapers to ensure they stay open?
Exit slip: What are some elements of the front page that might have made the local BIA agent, Timothy Sheehan, want to silence the press? Why? Through their writing, did the publishers try to prevent Sheehan’s actions? Explain.
Extension opportunities:
- Compare the rhetoric and tone of this front page to that of the front page of the next issue: The Progress, October 8, 1887. How and why are they different?
- Have students analyze Reversing Manifest Destiny.
- Have students practice addressing opposing viewpoints in their arguments with the Read-Write-Think lesson Finding Common Ground: Using Logical, Audience-Specific Arguments.

Tags:

Visual analysis, Journalism, Narrative perspective, Primary source analysis, Style, Visual literacy

Alternative or Complementary Primary Sources

The Progress (White Earth, Minn.), October 22, 1887. 1887. Newspaper. Library of Congress Chronicling America. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn83016853/1887-10-22/ed-1/.

Subject/Topic:

Old root cellar on farm

Lesson By

Sierra Gilbertson

Citation

Lee, Russell. Old root cellar on farm near Northome, Minnesota. 1937. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017736051/.

Source Type

Photographs and Prints

Suggested Grade Band: Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2

Describe How Students Will Engage with the Source

After activating prior knowledge about root vegetables, students will examine the photograph in conjunction with an interior photograph. Through this, they will learn how the materials and design of the root cellar allowed farmers to have fresh produce in the winter. They will also look at several varieties of root cellars. Next, they will use ideas from the Library of Congress’s source and the others to inspire their own idea for a root cellar, which they’ll create a diagram of and share with their classmates. By the end of the lesson, students will understand how valuable root cellars were and why many people still have them today.

Historical/Community Context for the Primary Source

Before refrigeration, rural farmers prevented food waste and shortages by using their available resources to make root cellars. With the increased focus on shrinking carbon footprints, Earth-friendly food storage methods such as root cellars, can be one method of shrinking our impact on the environment.

Source: https://www.woodstockhistorycenter.org/articles/2022/10/19/food-preservation-getting-to-the-root-of-it

Instructional Focus Question(s) for Discussion

What are the characteristics of a root cellar?
1. Which of these characteristics can you see in the photo?
Extension Questions:
1. How do root cellars keep food fresh?
2. Why might people still use root cellars today?

Standards Connection (State)

Standards Connections

Geography, history, social studies, Science

ELA Standard

1.3.3.1. Create written, oral and digital content that communicates knowledge and ideas in a variety of presentation styles.

Science Standard

1P.4.2.2.1. Communicate solutions that use materials to provide shelter, food, or warmth needs for communities including Minnesota American Indian Tribes and communities.

NCTE Standard 11

Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Instructional Design

Pass around root vegetables and ask students what they know about them and how they’re grown. Also ask them how their families store them. Tell students that they will be learning about one storage method: root cellars.
Inform students that root cellars were often used so people could have fresh produce in the winter. Some people still use root cellars because they can be more effective than refrigerators and allow people to be less dependent on grocery stores and electricity. This is important in rural areas where the nearest grocery store might be an hour away or power outages might last for days.
Show the picture of the root cellar and a picture of the interior of a traditional root cellar. Guide a whole-class discussion by asking these questions:
- What materials are the structures made of?
- What do you notice about their structure?
- Root vegetables are kept fresh in cool, dark, and moist environments. What about these root cellars’ designs might make them have those qualities?
Inform students that there are other types of root cellars. Display and discuss the materials and designs of each of the cellars in this photo. Also ask students why root cellars are more common in rural areas than cities.
Have students design a root cellar they would like to have and create a diagram of it. The picture should include and label:
- Materials used
- Different structural elements (e.g., door, shelves, vent, etc.)
- Food stored in it
Have students present their ideas to the class
Exit slip: Write or draw one thing that you learned about root cellars today.
Extension opportunities:
- Have students visit a local farm that has a root cellar.
- Build a mini root cellar using a clear plastic container with a lid, soil, and a few small carrots or potatoes. Have students help layer the soil and vegetables. Put a lid on it and store it in a cool, dark spot in the room. Also store carrots or potatoes in a fridge and in the open. Regularly compare the vegetables to see which method is the most effective.
- Have students compare the nutritional value of fresh vegetables to canned vegetables by modifying the Read-Write-Think lesson Inspire Healthful Reading Using Unconventional Texts.

Tags:

Authentic learning, Design, Diagrams, Presentation, Primary source analysis, Visual literacy

Alternative or Complementary Primary Sources

Historic American Buildings Survey. Leesburg Townsite, Root Cellar, Napias Creek, Salmon, Lemhi County, ID. 1933. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/id0197/.

Subject/Topic:

Save Seed Corn Now!

Lesson By

Sierra Gilbertson

Citation

Save seed corn now! / B. of E. ; Scott Printing Company, 11th Floor Edison Building, Minneapolis. 1917. Print. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2001699921/.

Source Type

Photographs and Prints

Suggested Grade Band: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12

Describe How Students Will Engage with the Source

The teacher will guide students through an analysis of the “Save Seed Corn Now!” poster by asking them to make observations about the text and visuals. Then, students will make inferences about the author’s choices in visuals and text. They will also infer the impact the poster had on farmers. Students will then practice the same analytical thinking with another food poster from World War I. After analyzing and discussing the posters, students will identify and analyze current political ads, communications, etc., that target farmers. By the end of this lesson, students will be able to analyze political ads to identify persuasive methods and the potential positive and negative impacts of the messaging.

Historical/Community Context for the Primary Source

During World War I, the US Food Administration was instrumental in the war effort, declaring that “Food Will Win the War.” Posters were created that helped unite farmers and nonfarmers in an effort to ensure people were fed at home and overseas.

Source: https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/discover-collections/read-watch-play/history/saving-food-saving-lives-ww1-food-posters

Instructional Focus Question(s) for Discussion

How did food posters such as “Save Seed Corn Now!” unite farmers and others under a common goal?
1. What symbols and other visual elements achieved this?
2. How did the text achieve this?
What are some negative effects that the “Save Seed Corn Now!” and other food posters like it might have had on farmers? How?
Extension Question:
1. What current ad campaigns does the “Save Seed Corn Now!” poster remind you of? How are they similar and different? How do these ads help us understand how politicians use ads and other messaging to appeal to farmers today?

Standards Connection (State)

Standards Connections

ELA Standard

10.1.4.1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support conclusions of what a text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including analysis of how and when the author introduces concepts, ideas, or characters; objectively summarize the text.

Social Studies Standard

9.1.1.3. Curate and evaluate various sources of information and forms of political persuasion, including digital, for validity, accuracy, ideology, emotional appeals, bias and prejudice.

Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.

Instructional Design

Have students create a T-chart with the labels Observe and Infer.
Project the “Save Seed Corn Now!” poster and guide student observations. Students will respond to each of the following questions in the observation column of their chart via Think-Write-Pair-Share:
- Look at the written text on the poster. What stands out to you?
- Look at the symbols, figures, and other visual aspects of the poster. What stands out to you?
After students have discussed their observations with partners, have them share their observations with the class.
Next, have students respond to each of the following questions in the Infer column of their chart via Think-Write-Pair-Share:
- What impact do you think this poster had on farmers?
- What was the intent of the author’s use of visuals?
- What was the intent of the author’s diction?
Discuss responses as a class. Prompt students to support their inferences with evidence from the text and their own background knowledge.
Have students analyze this food poster in pairs. They will make observations about the written text and visuals using the same process used to analyze the “Save Feed Corn Now!” poster. They will also respond to the same inference questions from the previous poster.
When groups are done, discuss the inferences as a class. Prompt students to support their inferences with evidence from the text and their own background knowledge.
If students haven’t mentioned it, inform them that one of the causes of the Dust Bowl was monoculture, meaning that crop rotation was not being utilized enough. Farmers were planting wheat and corn heavily, which depleted the soil because of how the plants grow.
With this information, ask students whether or not the posters might have contributed to this poor farming practice. Prompt them to support their thinking with evidence from the posters.
Have students work with their partner to identify an example of modern political posters, ads, etc., that is related to farmers and/or food and share it with the class digitally via a Padlet, Google Slides, or another platform.
Have students analyze their identified texts and another piece discovered by another group. For each piece, students should identify:
- Message
- Purpose
- Methods of persuasion
- Possible impacts on farmers
Debrief as a class. What trends did you notice in how politicians use persuasion or propaganda to appeal to farmers?
Exit slip: Have students respond to the following question, using evidence from the texts the class discovered: Overall, do modern-day political ads, posts, etc., have a positive or negative impact on farmers? Explain.
Extension opportunities:
- Have students create propaganda that conveys appreciation for farmers.
- Have students learn more about propaganda techniques through the Read-Writ-Think lesson Propaganda Techniques in Literature and Online Political Ads.
- Have students analyze the purpose of different World War II posters through the Read-Write-Think lesson Argument, Persuasion, or Propaganda? Analyzing World War II Posters.

Tags:

Group learning, Persuasion, Primary source analysis, Propaganda, Visual literacy, T-Chart, Write-Think-Pair-Share

Alternative or Complementary Primary Sources

Harrison, Lloyd. Corn — the food of the nation Serve some way every meal — appetizing, nourishing, economical / / Lloyd Harrison ; Harrison-Landauer Inc. Baltimore. 1918. Print. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2002711987/.

Subject/Topic:

Blueberry pickers’ home, near Littlefork

Lesson By

Sierra Gilbertson

Citation

Lee, Russell. Blueberry pickers' home, near Little Fork, Minnesota. 1937. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017735626/.

Source Type

Photographs and Prints

Suggested Grade Band: Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2

Describe How Students Will Engage with the Source

Students will hear the story Blueberries for Sal. After listening to the story, they will be shown the photograph of an Anishinaabe girl inside a blueberry tent. Students will be prompted to make comparisons between the girl in the photo and Sal and her mother. Through this discussion, students will learn that blueberry picking is enjoyable and can help ensure food for the winter. They will also learn that blueberry picking has an added significance for Native Americans. After the discussion, students will reflect on their own experiences getting food with their families, draw a picture of one of those places, and share the picture and their story with their classmates. By the end of the lesson, students will learn that gathering food can help families bond.

Historical/Community Context for the Primary Source

Despite the US government’s pressure to assimilate Anishinaabe through boarding schools, allotment, etc., some Anishinaabe continued the tradition of setting up summer camp for blueberry picking on land that the government said was no longer theirs. As tribes such as the Bois Forte are reclaiming stolen lands, they are creating opportunities to restore these traditions.

Source: https://www.nps.gov/articles/mwac-voya.htm

Instructional Focus Question(s) for Discussion

What do you see in the photograph?
How do you think the girl is feeling? What makes you think that?
Why might some people, such as the girl in the photograph, stay in a tent near a blueberry field during blueberry season?

Standards Connection (State)

Standards Connections

ELA Standard

0.2.6.1. Tell a story about a personal experience or that of a character, verbally, visually, or in written form.

Social Studies Standard

K.3.17.1. Create a representation of a favorite place. Explain why it is important to them and how it makes them feel.

Compare and contrast, Narrative, Primary source analysis, Social-emotional learning, Story, Visual literacy

Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.

Instructional Design

Project an image of blueberries. Ask students if any of them have picked berries before and to share their experiences.
Inform students that they will be learning why berry picking is an enjoyable and valuable rural pastime.
Tell students that they will be listening to Blueberries for Sal. Prompt them to think about why blueberry picking is important for Sal and her mom. If possible, bring blueberries for students to snack on while listening to the story.
Read aloud Blueberries for Sal.
When the book is finished, ask students why blueberry picking was important for Sal and her mom.
Then, ask students how blueberry picking made Sal feel. Prompt them to support their responses with details (textual or visual). Next, ask them how blueberry picking made her mom feel.
Project the image of an Anishinaabe blueberry picker in her tent. Ask students, How does the girl in the photograph feel about being in this place? How can you tell?
Ask students, What do you notice that’s different about the location of this picture compared to the location of the book? If needed, guide students to focus on the tent.
Ask students:
- How long do you think Sal and her mother picked berries?
- Do you think the girl in the photograph’s family picked blueberries longer than Sal’s family? What makes you think that?
- Why do you think the girl in the photograph’s family picked blueberries for so long? (Steer the conversation so it focuses on the importance of blueberries for Anishinaabe. Mention that many families would camp by the blueberry fields together.)
- Why is berry picking a tradition for many families in rural communities?
- How does gathering food bring families and communities together?
Ask students: Think of a time when you went to a field, garden, or somewhere special to get food with your family. Can you imagine what that place looks like?
Prompt students to say the name of the location out loud. Tell them that you are going to give them a piece of paper where they will draw that picture to help them tell the story of that day.
Distribute a sheet of paper to each student that has the following written on the bottom: “When I’m here, I feel ______.” They will complete the sentence at the end of the lesson.
On the sheet of paper, have students draw a picture of the location of their story.
When students have finished drawing their pictures, have them present to the class by showing their picture and telling their story.
Exit slip: On the line on the bottom of their sheets, have students draw an emoji to represent how they feel when they are at that place.
Extension opportunities:
- Have students taste-test canned blueberries and dried blueberries. Through this, they can compare the preservation method Sal’s mom used to the traditional method used by Anishinaabe. Ask students which ones they like better, and which method would work best for making different foods.
- Read other food-gathering stories to students, such as ones about wild rice or Watercress by Andrea Wang.
- Have students practice sequencing events in stories through the Read-Write-Think lesson Collaborating on a Class Book: Exploring Before-During-After Sequences.

Tags:

Alternative or Complementary Primary Sources

Lee, Russell. Interior of blueberry pickers' tent, near Little Fork, Minnesota. 1937. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017735628/.

Subject/Topic:

Geography, history, social studies, Photography

Rolling logs into river, near Littlefork

Lesson By

Sierra Gilbertson

Citation

Stryker, Roy Emerson. Rolling logs into river, near Littlefork, Minnesota. 1937. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017745098/.

Source Type

Photographs and Prints

Suggested Grade Band: Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2

Describe How Students Will Engage with the Source

Students will be shown a photograph of a pile of logs and consider how it might be transported. Next, they will be shown the photo of lumberjacks rolling logs into the river. Students will be led through a visual analysis of the image to consider why the method was used and how it might have impacted the environment. Then a video will be shown so students can understand the process more and develop additional inferences about the environmental impact. After watching the video, students will analyze several other images from the Library of Congress to determine the environmental impacts of other methods of transporting logs. Finally, students will determine which method they think is best and write a paragraph in support of it. By the end of the lesson, students will learn that every method has benefits and drawbacks, but it’s important to determine which one has the least impact on the environment.

Historical/Community Context for the Primary Source

Lumberjacks used rivers to transport trees to sawmills and other locations. This practice, while economical, significantly impacted the environment.

Source: https://www.mnhs.org/foresthistory/learn/logging

Instructional Focus Question(s) for Discussion

What objects and people do you notice in the photo?
What are the lumberjacks doing in the photo?
How might the actions of the lumberjacks in the photo impact their rural environment? What evidence from the photo suggests those possibilities?

Standards Connection (State)

Standards Connections

ELA Standard

2.2.4.1. Write to state a personal opinion, provide several reasons for the opinion, and include introductory and concluding statements.

Social Studies Standard

2.3.16.1. Describe ways that the local environment influences people and their actions and how human actions impact the local environment, including air, water, land, and wildlife.

Environment, Paragraph structure, Primary source analysis, Think-Pair-Share, Visual analysis, Writing

Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.

Instructional Design

Display an image of a pile of logs. Ask students how they think they should be transported to a sawmill.
Display the image of lumberjacks rolling logs into the river.
Use Think-Pair-Share, followed by a group discussion for each of the following questions:
- What do you notice?
- Why do you think the lumberjacks are using the river? What makes you think that?
- What impact do you think this has on the environment? What makes you think that?
- What do you wonder about when you look at this image?
Tell students that they will watch a video to see different parts of the river transportation process. Play this video.
Ask students to share any additional environmental impacts they hadn’t previously considered.
Inform students that rivers are no longer used to transport logs in the United States.
One at a time, display each of these images (Image 1 , Image 2 , and Image 3) of other ways logs have been or continue to be transported. For each image, use Think-Pair-Share, followed by a group discussion for each of the following questions:
- What do you notice?
- Why do you think the lumberjacks are using this method of transportation? What makes you think that?
- What impact do you think this has on the environment? What makes you think that?
Tell students that they will write a paragraph that states which method they think is best for transporting logs and why.
If needed, provide students with sentence stems, such as the following:
- Lumberjacks should use _______ to transport logs.
- One reason they should use _____ is ___________.
- A second reason they should use_____ is _________.
- A third reason they should use _______ is _________.
- For these reasons, ________ is the best method for transporting logs.
When students have finished writing their paragraphs, debrief as a class. Ask students how many chose each method. For each method, ask students to share some of their reasons why they chose it. Point out that each method has its benefits and drawbacks.
Extension opportunities:
- Read The Lumberjack’s Beard by Duncan Beedie and research what today’s lumber companies do after clearing areas.
- Use the Read-Write-Think lesson Listen, Look, and Learn: An Information-Gathering Process to have students research environmental impacts of transporting logs. They can also use it to learn more about what today’s lumber companies do.

Tags:

Alternative or Complementary Primary Sources

Stryker, Roy Emerson. Rolling logs into river near Littlefork, Minnesota. 1937. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017745080/.

Subject/Topic:

Geography, history, social studies, Photography

The Bemidji Daily Pioneer

Lesson By

Sierra Gilbertson

Citation

The Bemidji daily pioneer (Bemidji, Minn.), October 14, 1918. 1918. Newspaper. Library of Congress Chronicling America. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn86063381/1918-10-14/ed-1/.

Source Type

Newspapers

Suggested Grade Band: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12

Describe How Students Will Engage with the Source

After reflecting on what they know about wildfires, students will read articles about the Minnesota wildfires of 1918 from The Bemidji Daily Pioneer. In groups, students will identify the impact of the fires, different causes of it, and the motivations behind the human actions that contributed to the fires. Next, students will watch a PBS documentary to expand their knowledge gained from the articles. Then, they will work in groups to research safer methods for individuals to achieve one of the motivations identified earlier. Using information gained from this lesson, students will create infographics informing readers about the proposed method and why it should be used. Finally, students will reflect on opportunity costs and the moral obligation to consider the impact one’s choices have on other people.

Historical/Community Context for the Primary Source

In 1918, fires swept Minnesota, resulting in almost 500 deaths and thousands of people being displaced. Some of the causes, such as farming and lumberjacking practices, along with ignoring fire conditions, are similar to causes of wildfires across the country today.

Source: https://www3.mnhs.org/mnopedia/search/index/event/cloquet-duluth-and-moose-lake-fires-1918

Instructional Focus Question(s) for Discussion

What do you notice about the language used in the headlines on the front page of the newspaper? What emotions does the diction evoke?
What human actions contributed to the Minnesota fires of 1918 described on the front page of The Bemidji Daily Pioneer?
1. What actions are directly stated?
2. What actions are implied? How?

Standards Connection (State)

Standards Connections

ELA Standard

9.2.2.1. Write routinely for a range of tasks (e.g., personal interest, enjoyment, academic tasks), purposes and audiences, choosing topics and format, including visual elements (e.g., illustrations, charts, tables, audio visual elements) when applicable.

Social Studies Standard

9.2.8.1. Describe the opportunity cost of a choice and analyze the consequences of a specific choice, both intended and unintended.

Geography, history, social studies, Journalism/news, advertising

Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.

Instructional Design

Have students respond to the quickwrite prompt: What does the word “wildfire” make you think of?
After students have finished writing their responses, student volunteers will share their thoughts to see what some of the generalizations are.
Inform students that wildfires swept through Minnesota in 1918, annihilating rural communities. Some of the causes could have been prevented, but others couldn’t.
Have students create a four-square chart with the labels “effects of the fire,” “nonhuman causes,” “human causes,” and “reasons for human causes.”
In groups of 3–4, have students read the fire-related articles from the front page of the October 14, 1918 issue of The Bemidji Daily Pioneer. While reading the articles, students will find explicit information and/or make inferences to determine the causes of the fire. If there are human causes, students will also write down the given reason or inference for why the humans did that action.
When groups are finished, discuss their findings as a class.
Inform students that more information about the fire was discovered later. Show the PBS documentary Fires of 1918 and have students add to their chart new information from the video.
As a class, have students identify the main human causes and the motivations for those actions.
Have students Think-Pair-Share in response to the question, What are the benefits and drawbacks of clearing trees in rural areas? Discuss the responses as a class.
Tell students that they will be investigating practices that can be followed to reduce the opportunity costs of clearing trees.
In groups of 3–4, have students pick one of the motivations/ benefits discussed earlier. They will research a method for achieving that motivation at a reduced opportunity cost by decreasing the likelihood of a wildfire.
Using Canva or another platform, have students create infographics about a method they researched and why it should be utilized.
Exit Slip: When considering the opportunity cost of a choice, should individuals consider the impact on others? Under what circumstances?
Extension opportunities:
- PBS has several lesson plans related to their documentary.
- Have students write blackout poems using the front page of the October 14, 1918, issue of The Bemidji Daily Pioneer.
- Have students create public service announcements about wildfire prevention using the Read-Write-Think lesson MyTube: Changing the World with Video Public Service Announcements.

Tags:

Collaboration, Environment, Graphic organizer, Infographics, Media literacy, Primary source analysis, Visual literacy

Alternative or Complementary Primary Sources

The daily Gate City and constitution—Democrat (Keokuk, Iowa), October 14, 1918. 1918. Newspaper. Library of Congress Chronicling America. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn87057262/1918-10-14/ed-1/.

Subject/Topic:

Immigrant, mural, 1996

Lesson By

Carol Jago

Citation

Vergara, Camilo J. Immigrant, mural by Hector Ponce, Pico Blvd. at Hoover St., Los Angeles, 1996. 1996. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2020705683/.

Source Type

Image/Photograph

Suggested Grade Band: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12

Describe How Students Will Engage with the Source

Students will do a close reading of this 1996 mural painted on a building along Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles that depicts the California immigrant experience. They will analyze the various aspects of the experience that the artist included in his painting and, in doing so, acquire a better understanding of the many contributions immigrants have made and are making to society in California and across the nation. They will also learn about the hardships many immigrants face when they come to this country.

Historical/Community Context for the Primary Source

California is home to 10.6 million immigrants. In 2023, 27 percent of California’s population was foreign born and almost half (45 percent) of California children have at least one immigrant parent. Immigrants in California come from dozens of countries; the leading country of origin is Mexico (3.8 million).

Source: Public Policy Institute of California https://www.ppic.org/publication/immigrants-in-california/

Instructional Focus Question(s) for Discussion

What does this mural suggest about the life of immigrants in California and across the country?
What kinds of jobs are the adults in this mural doing?
Why do you think the artist included a field of crops in the top right-hand corner?
How do you interpret the image of the Statue of Liberty on the left side of the image? What does that iconic monument suggest about immigrants and immigration to the United States?

Standards Connection (State)

Standards Connections

Close reading, Drawing inferences, Internal monologue, Primary source analysis, Visual literacy

ELA Standard

Reading standards 6–12, 2. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Social Studies Standard

HSS Standard 11.11. Students analyze the major social problems and domestic policy issues in contemporary American society.

NCTE Standard 6

Instructional Design

Invite students to look closely at Hector Ponce’s mural: What do they see? What does it suggest? What else do they notice?
Put students in small groups, assigning individuals within the group to look at individual people in the painting (the mother, the person at a sewing machine, the lady cooking, etc.) and invite students to draw inferences as to why the painter included them in the mural.
Have students look once more at the mural for details and then write an internal monologue as their character, describing how he or she feels about immigrating to America.
Students can then share within their groups what they have written, garnering suggestions for revision from their peers in terms of additional specific detail to add to their internal monologues.
Revised immigrant monologues can be posted around the classroom or published on a class website.

Tags:

Alternative or Complementary Primary Sources

Vergara, Camilo J. HFP Chelo, alley, north of E. Adams Blvd., east of Stanford Ave., Los Angeles, 2011. 2011. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2020694576/.

Subject/Topic:

Art and architecture , Geography, history, social studies

Free Pot, Free Yourself: Sign Petition

Lesson By

Carol Jago

Citation

Free pot, free yourself: Sign petition here. Weed week January 21–27, ’74. Support the California Marijuana Initiative Sign a petition, circulate a petition. 1973. Print. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2015648256/.

Source Type

Books and Other Printed Texts Manuscripts

Suggested Grade Band: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12

Describe How Students Will Engage with the Source

This 1974 poster was created to encourage voters to sign a petition legalizing marijuana. Students will analyze the tools the designer used to make the argument, including color, slogan, character, line, tone, and font. They will also reflect on how this controversial issue is over 50 years old.

Historical/Community Context for the Primary Source

The poster was part of a 1974 California ballot initiative, Proposition 19, to legalize marijuana (that was ultimately defeated). In 1975, the California legislature passed the Moscone Act (SB95), reducing the penalty for possessing up to one ounce of marijuana to a misdemeanor with a $100 fine. California has been at the forefront of efforts to liberalize marijuana laws for decades with medical use of cannabis being legal since 1996 and recreational use since 2016.

Source: The Evolution of Marijuana as a Controlled Substance and the Federal-State Policy Gap https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R44782

Instructional Focus Question(s) for Discussion

To whom does this poster attempt to appeal?
What does the character depicted (gender, clothes, hair, posture) suggest about the intended audience for this petition to legalize marijuana?
What does the slogan “Free pot, free yourself” suggest about why a voter might choose to sign this petition?
How does the issue of legalizing marijuana continue to play out across the country?

Standards Connection (State)

Standards Connections

ELA Standard

Reading standards 6–12, 2. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Social Studies Standard

HSS Standard 11.11. Students analyze the major social problems and domestic policy issues in contemporary American society.

Close reading, Drawing inferences, Persuasive writing, Primary source analysis, Visual literacy

Instructional Design

Invite students to look closely at the poster, making a list of the design elements the artist employed to persuade voters to sign a petition to legalize marijuana.
Discuss why the style of the poster might appeal to many young California voters in 1974. What was going on in the United States during that time (the Vietnam War, Watergate, ’70s music, college campus unrest)? What response might this poster receive from older, more conservative voters?
Analyze the slogan, “Free pot, free yourself.” What inferences can you draw from the artist’s use of the word “free”? Paraphrase the slogan.
Have students research the history of cannabis legislation. Create a timeline from 1974 to the present.
Invite students to write a persuasive essay defending their point of view regarding the legalization of marijuana.

Tags:

Alternative or Complementary Primary Sources

Roberts, Joe. Vote Yes on 19. 1972. Print. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2015648094/.

Subject/Topic:

John Muir, photograph

Lesson By

Carol Jago

Citation

Bain News Service. John Muir. n.d. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2014686853/.

Source Type

Photograph

Suggested Grade Band: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12

Describe How Students Will Engage with the Source

Inspired by this photograph of the man, students will learn about John Muir, often called the Father of the National Parks. They will reflect upon Muir’s conservation work in Yosemite Valley and the Sierra Nevada and read his seminal article, “The American Forests” https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jmb/234/, which helped to persuade Congress to pass a bill in 1890 establishing Yosemite National Park. Students will write a letter to their legislative representatives expressing their views about national support for wilderness areas.

Historical/Community Context for the Primary Source

John Muir was an American naturalist whose writings profoundly influenced the growth of the conservation movement. In 1892, he created the Sierra Club, an organization dedicated to the preservation of wilderness areas, serving as its president until his death in 1914. In his early years, Muir made disparaging comments about Indigenous peoples and African Americans, which have been widely decried. In later years, Muir wrote and spoke about the equality of all people regardless of race, creed, or color.

Source: Encyclopedia of World Biographies https://www.notablebiographies.com/Mo-Ni/Muir-John.html#google_vignette

Instructional Focus Question(s) for Discussion

What do you infer about John Muir’s character from the photograph?
Why did John Muir dedicate his life to preserving wilderness areas?
How does experiencing nature benefit humans?
What can happen to wilderness areas if they are not protected?
How does the issue of conservation of natural resources continue to play out in the United States?

Standards Connection (State)

Standards Connections

ELA Standard

Reading standards 6–12, 2. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Social Studies Standard

HSS Standard 11.11. Students analyze the major social problems and domestic policy issues in contemporary American society.

Annotation, Drawing inferences, Persuasive writing, Primary source analysis, Visual literacy

Instructional Design

Invite students to look closely at the photograph of John Muir posed in front of a giant redwood tree. Have them talk with a partner about the kind of man Muir seems to be based on this image.
Have students read John Muir’s essay, “The American Forests” https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jmb/234/ (open access), taking notes on how their assumptions about Muir’s character from the photo are confirmed or contradicted. In small groups, have students share their notes and come to a consensus.
Have students research the history of the conservation movement, the Sierra Club, and national parks legislation, creating a timeline from 1890 to the present.
Invite students to write a letter to their local legislator explaining their point of view regarding taxpayer support for the national park system.

Tags:

Alternative or Complementary Primary Sources

Highsmith, Carol M. Muir Woods, a National Park Service site named for John Muir in California. 2012. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2013632553/.

Subject/Topic:

Geography, history, social studies, Government, law, politics, Photography

Gang of Filipino boys thinning lettuce

Lesson By

Christa Kile

Citation

Lange, Dorothea. Gang of Filipino boys thinning lettuce. Salinas Valley, California. 1939. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017771807/.

Source Type

Photographs and Prints

Suggested Grade Band: Grade 10, Grade 11

Describe How Students Will Engage with the Source

In this lesson, students will analyze historical photographs of farmworkers using el cortito, the short-handled hoe, to explore changing labor conditions from 1939 to 2024. To begin, students will be engaged by questions connected to local lettuce farming, then students will analyze photos using a two-column notes organizer. Students observe, reflect, and compare working conditions across time then read a National Park Service article to deepen their contextual understanding of the Civil Rights Movement for farmworkers’ rights in California. Through discussion and inquiry, students examine why it took decades of protests to ban the tool and consider the lasting impact of race, power, and policy on farmworkers’ rights.

Historical/Community Context for the Primary Source

Migrant farmworkers were required by their employers to use the short-handled hoe or el cortito for thinning and weeding. Because it required them to stoop for long hours in the fields, the hoe became a symbol of the exploitative working conditions.

Source: https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_1352222

Instructional Focus Question(s) for Discussion

What do you notice about the people and tools in this photograph?
How might working long hours in the bent-over position seen in this photograph impact a person’s overall health and wellbeing?
When comparing the 1939 photo and the 2024 photo, different tools are being used by the farmworkers in the fields. What do you think contributed to these changes?

Standards Connection (State)

Standards Connections

ELA Standards

CCSS RI 11.1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.

Social Studies Standards

HSS Standard 11.6.5. Trace the advances and retreats of organized labor, from the creation of the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations to current issues of a postindustrial, multinational economy, including the United Farm Workers in California.

Analytical debrief, Class discussion, Compare and contrast, Discussion, Photo analysis, Primary source analysis, Visual literacy

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.

Instructional Design

Engage students by asking: What do you know/imagine about how lettuce is farmed in local agricultural fields? List what you know about this process starting from planting a seed to harvesting the plants on a large agricultural scale.
Display an image of the short-handled hoe, and ask What do you know about this tool or its history in farming?
Direct students to create two-column notes titled “Salinas Valley Lettuce Laborer Conditions”
Ask students to label columns as 1939 and 2024.
Project the two photos side-by-side and/or provide printed copies in small groups
Display the following discussion questions and direct students to work in groups to take notes under the column for each photo:
- What do you see in the photo?
- What does this photo make you feel or think?
- What questions come up as you observe the photo?
Facilitate a whole-class debrief, including the similarities and differences of the photos and what the photos tell us about the changes in farm labor practices from the 1930s and 2024.
Direct students to research farmworker life by utilizing the National Park Service website: The Terrain of Farmworker Life.
Questions to consider for deeper reflection:
- Why would a tool for farming be referred to as el cortito (“the short one”) and el brazo del diablo (“the devil’s arm”) in Spanish?
- Why would civil rights advocates want to ban the use of an agricultural tool?
- What has changed about farm labor conditions in California in recent years? What still needs to change?
- Reflect back on your knowledge about agricultural tools and farmworkers prior to starting this lesson. How has your understanding grown or changed? What can you take away from your learning experience? Provide specific examples from the photographs to support your reflection.

Tags:

Alternative or Complementary Primary Sources

Lange, Dorothea. Filipino thinning lettuce. Salinas Valley, California. 1939. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017771824/.

Lange, Dorothea. Gang of Filipino boys thinning lettuce. Salinas Valley, California. 1939. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017771808/.

Subject/Topic:

Geography, history, social studies, Government, law, politics, Photography

Salinas Valley, California. Deputized “vigilantes” armed

Lesson By

Christa Kile

Citation

Lange, Dorothea. Salinas Valley, California. Deputized "vigilantes" armed with clubs guard entrance to lettuce fields during lettuce strike. 1939. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017771680/.

Source Type

Photographs and Prints

Suggested Grade Band: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12

Describe How Students Will Engage with the Source

Students will analyze a 1936 photograph of deputized vigilantes that are armed and waiting outside a lettuce field during the Salinas Lettuce Strike. By using the Observe-Infer-Question method, students will examine the use of power, the role of law enforcement, and the development of community tensions during the Salinas Lettuce Strike of 1936.

Historical/Community Context for the Primary Source

On September 4, 1936, 3,200 members of the Fruit and Vegetable Workers Union walked out of the Salinas-Watsonville lettuce sheds. Eleven days later, violence erupted, and by September 17, Sheriff Carl Abott commanded all able-bodied male citizens between 18–45 to report to his office and assist him in seizing, arresting, and confining whomever he deemed as “agitators.”

Source: https://salinaspubliclibrary.org/learn-explore/local-history/city-salinas-history

Instructional Focus Question(s) for Discussion

Pay attention to the small details. What do you notice about the people in this photograph?
Based on the title and your observations in this photograph, how did authorities and communities respond to organized labor strikes during the 1930s?
Who is missing from this photograph?

Standards Connection (State)

Standards Connections

ELA Standard

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.

Social Studies Standard

HSS Standard 11.6.5: Trace the advances and retreats of organized labor, from the creation of the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations to current issues of a postindustrial, multinational economy, including the United Farm Workers in California.

Exit ticket, Making inferences, Making observations, Partner discussion, Primary source analysis, Questioning the text, Think-Write-Pair-Share, Three column organizer , Visual literacy, Whole-class discussion

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; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.

Instructional Design

Begin by asking students: What do you know about labor strikes or protests?
- Share the brief historical context listed above.
- Ask about any personal connections to an event like this.
Display photo and the full title, Salinas Valley, California. Deputized “vigilantes” armed with clubs guard entrance to lettuce fields during lettuce strike.
- Ask students: What stands out to you at first glance?
- Option to display an additional photo and repeat the question
Direct students to analyze the photo using a three-column organizer (similar to this one or have students create their own).
Break the next section of the lesson into 3–5 minute increments.
- Students work in pairs to list what they notice in the photo in the “Observe” column. Possible questions to ask include:
  - What objects, people, or details do you see in the photograph?
  - What do you notice about the smaller details within the photo?
- Next, ask students to consider inferences they can make about the context of the photo and then list those ideas in the “Infer” section of their notes. Possible questions to get started include:
  - What emotions or messages does this image suggest?
  - What might this say about power, fear, or control?
- After students have made both observations and inferences, ask pairs to create a question that they will then ask classmates to probe for deeper evaluation. Sample questions include:
  - What questions does this photograph raise?
  - Who is missing from the photo?
  - What happened before and after?
- Move students to small groups to discuss how their observations, inferences, and questions connect to labor rights, authority, and public reaction to strikes. Students should cite specific visual evidence.
Finally, consider a whole-class debrief using the essential questions listed above as a guide.
Exit Ticket: Write 3–5 sentences explaining how this photo helps you understand the challenges labor organizers faced in 1936 Salinas.

Tags:

Alternative or Complementary Primary Sources

Lange, Dorothea. Salinas lettuce fields. California. 1936. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017763122/.

Subject/Topic:

Geography, history, social studies, Government, law, politics, Photographs and prints

Salinas, California. Tagged for evacuation

Lesson By

Christa Kile

Citation

Lee, Russell. Salinas, California. Tagged for evacuation. 1942. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017818140/.

Source Type

Photographs and Prints

Suggested Grade Band: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12

Describe How Students Will Engage with the Source

Students will analyze the photograph “Salinas, California. Tagged for Evacuation” using a structured protocol to Observe–Infer–Question as they learn about Executive Order 9066 and Salinas’s role in Japanese American internment. They will examine an image for emotional and historical meaning, and through discussion and questioning, students will explore themes of identity, civil rights, and injustice. They will then connect the photo to broader ethical issues within their own community by writing about an essential question. As an extension, students may analyze Dwight Okita’s poem “In Response to Executive Order 9066.”

Historical/Community Context for the Primary Source

During World War II, the United States government enacted racist and exclusionary policies requiring the forced internment of thousands of Japanese Americans into detention camps. Salinas, California, was a significant staging point for this forced relocation. Local Japanese Americans were not only forced to leave their homes and businesses, but the city also served as a temporary assembly center for thousands of individuals from surrounding communities.

Source: https://www.britannica.com/event/Japanese-American-internment

Instructional Focus Question(s) for Discussion

Why do you think the photographer chose to focus on this young child?
What message might the photographer be trying to convey about the broader situation?
How does this photograph reflect the experiences and emotions of American citizens forced into internment?

Standards Connection (State)

Standards Connections

ELA Standard

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.

Social Studies Standard

HSS Standard 11.7.5. Discuss the constitutional issues and impact of events on the U.S. home front, including the internment of Japanese Americans (e.g., Fred Korematsu v. United States of California Department of Education) and the restrictions on German and Italian resident aliens; the response of the administration to Hitler’s atrocities against Jews and other groups; the roles of women in military production; and the roles and growing political demands of African Americans.

Image analysis, Imagery and tone, Making inferences, Making observations, Partner discussion, Primary source analysis, Questioning the text, Think-Pair-Square, Visual literacy

Instructional Design

Begin with a mini-lesson on Executive Order 9066 by sharing the historical context of the photo listed above or consider having pairs of students use technology to research what they can learn about the executive order.
Project the photograph “Salinas, California. Tagged for Evacuation” and direct students to work in pairs to create a three-column note-taking chart titled “Observe-Infer-Question.”
Break the next section of the lesson into 3–5 minute increments to keep students engaged and moving forward. Check for understanding throughout.
- Students work in pairs to list what they notice in the photo in the “Observe” column. Possible questions to ask include:
  - What objects, people, or details do you see in the photograph?
  - What do you notice about the smaller details within the photo?
- Next, ask students to consider inferences they can make about the context of the photo and then list those ideas in the “Infer” section of their notes. Possible questions to get started include:
  - How might the tag on the child’s coat and the surrounding luggage tell you something about what is happening here?
  - Based on the age of this child, what do you think the child is feeling or experiencing at this moment?
- After students have made both observations and inferences, ask pairs to create a question that they can ask classmates to probe for deeper evaluation. Sample questions include:
  - What role did cities such as Salinas, CA, play in the relocation of Japanese American citizens during World War II?
  - How can visual and written texts work together to humanize historical injustice?
Think-Pair-Square: Finally, direct pairs of students to square up with another group and take turns asking and answering each other’s questions. Students should add their discussion to their notes.
As an extension, pair this lesson with an analysis of the poem “In Response to Executive Order 9066” by Dwight Okita, and then ask students to write about how visual and written texts can humanize historical injustice.

Tags:

Alternative or Complementary Primary Sources

Lee, Russell. Salinas, California. Japanese-American child headed for reception center. 1942. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017818144/.

Lee, Russell. Salinas, California. Japanese-Americans being evacuated from certain West coast areas under United States Army war emergency order, and waiting for transportation to the reception center. 1942. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017818138/.

Subject/Topic:

Geography, history, social studies, Government, law, politics, Photography

Salinas, Calif. Apr. Young evacuees (Japanese)

Lesson By

Christa Kile

Citation

Albers, Clem. Salinas, Calif. Apr. 1942. Young evacuees of Japanese descent playing baseball on day of arrival at the assembly center. They will be transferred, later, to a War Relocation Authority center for the duration of the war. 1942. Photograph. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021647293/.

Source Type

Photographs and Prints

Suggested Grade Band: Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12

Describe How Students Will Engage with the Source

In this lesson, students will closely examine a historical photograph of children playing baseball inside a World War II assembly center for Japanese Americans. They will begin by recording their initial observations on the left side of a double-entry journal. After sharing and discussing their ideas in small groups, students will add new insights to the same side of their journal. The class will then engage in a whole-group discussion focused on how photographs can simultaneously reflect resilience and obscure difficult truths. To conclude the lesson, students will write a reflection on the right side of their journal, explaining how their understanding of the photo has changed and/or deepened based on historical context and discussion.

Historical/Community Context for the Primary Source

Japanese American incarceration was the forced relocation by the US government of thousands of Japanese Americans to detention camps during World War II. That action was the culmination of the federal government’s long history of racist and discriminatory treatment of Asian immigrants and their descendants that had begun with restrictive immigration policies in the late 1800s.

Source: https://www.britannica.com/event/Japanese-American-internment

Instructional Focus Question(s) for Discussion

Read the full title of this photo and then look at the details. What do you notice about the children and adults in this photograph?
In what ways does this photograph reveal important truths about history while also leaving out or hiding other parts of the story?
How might this photo have been used to influence public opinion?

Standards Connection (State)

Standards Connections

ELA Standard

Social Studies Standard