Last updated: July 22, 2019
Lesson Plan
Lesson 3 - PHOTO ANALYSIS
- Grade Level:
- High School: Ninth Grade through Twelfth Grade
- Subject:
- Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 90 Minutes
- Common Core Standards:
- 9-10.RH.7, 11-12.RH.7, 11-12.RH.9, 8.RI.7
- State Standards:
- Louisiana Standard 1: Historical Thinking Skills
US.1.2, US.1.5, US.5.4
Standard 5: Role of the Citizen in American Democracy
C.5.1, C.5.2, C.5.3, C.5.4, C.5.7 - Additional Standards:
- National Council for the Social Studies
I: Culture
V. Individuals, Groups, & Institutions
VI. Power, Authority, & Governance
X. Civic Ideals & Practices - Thinking Skills:
- Understanding: Understand the main idea of material heard, viewed, or read. Interpret or summarize the ideas in own words. Evaluating: Make informed judgements about the value of ideas or materials. Use standards and criteria to support opinions and views.
Essential Question
What is the role of the individual in working for positive change in society?
Why would people put themselves at risk to bring about social change?
To what extent were local, state, and federal agencies and officials oppressive actors during the Civil Rights Movement?
Objective
• Introduce or allow for practice of photograph analysis as a means of historical research and understanding.
• Deepen understanding of the conditions of rural life and work.
• Deepen understanding of struggles of the Civil Rights Era.
• Deepen appreciation for the struggles of advocates of Civil Rights.
Background
The lesson requires student access to the book TALK THAT MUSIC TALK for use of photographs. The book can be obtained from THE NEIGHBORHOOD STORY PROJECT: https://www.neighborhoodstoryproject.org/talk-that-music-talk
This lesson introduces students to the Civil Rights Movement’s direct-actions against segregation. In the 1960s, the New Orleans chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality participated in the Freedom Rides throughout the South. Students will examine a collection of photographs that includes four mug shots of C.O.R.E. activists and a Mississippi cotton field. They will then complete a photograph analysis sheet provided by the National Archive, and engage in a discussion about the civil rights movement and contemporary social justice issues.
Preparation
Lesson requires these materials.
- Archival photographs on page 25 of Talk That Music Talk: https://www.neighborhoodstoryproject.org/talk-that-music-talk
- Handout of photograph analysis from National Archives. See LESSON MATERIALS for access to the handout.
- Colored pencils/highlighters (optional)
Materials
Worksheet to lead students through analysis of photographs. The sheet was developed by the national archives and can be found at For more copies: https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/photo_analysis_worksheet.pdf
Download HANDOUT- PHOTO ANALYSIS WORKSHEET
Contains the photo from p. 25, though the quality of the photo in the text is superior.
Download Lesson 3- Photo for analysis from p. 25
Lesson Hook/Preview
This lesson is about young people putting themselves in physical danger by taking a stand on an issue that is important to them. Ask students what issues concern them. Ask them to what extent they would be willing to risk arrest and physical danger in dealing with the issue.
Procedure
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Distribute photograph analysis sheet. If students are not familiar with photographic analysis, walk them through the sheet, explaining expectations. You can also do a trial group analysis using another photograph.
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Have students turn to p.25 of the book TALK THAT MUSIC TALK and direct them to the photograph at the top of the page. Tell them that they are to deal with all five pictures as ONE picture.
- Direct them to the worksheet’s “Step One: Observation” and point out that as they first observe the picture they should divide the picture into its FIVE sections, rather than the four quadrants as the sheet suggests.
- Although students can read the caption, their job is to form their own impressions, not simply recount what the book tells them.
- Set a two-minute time frame for them to observe without writing.
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At the end of the two minutes, direct them to Section B of the worksheet. They will have five to ten minutes to complete this part of the chart using their own observations and impressions.
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When they are finished, students can complete Steps 2 and 3 of the worksheet. Five minutes should be sufficient. When they are finished, ask students to highlight their comments.
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To set up the classroom discussion, use a smart board if possible to project the photographs and document analysis sheet.
- Ask students to share their observations of the photographs. If the images are projected, they can come up to the board and point out different parts of the images.
- Students will fill-in other impressions from their classmates during discussion, adding extra sheets if necessary.
Follow Up Questions:
- Why would the four persons in the mug shots put themselves at risk by facing arrest?
- What might be the thoughts of young New Orleans men and women upon seeing field workers like those in the photograph?
- How might seeing people working in the fields like that affect the attitudes of the New Orleans young people towards work and schooling?
- What might be the thoughts of the field workers upon seeing young people from New Orleans coming into their county and breaking segregation laws?
- What might be the thoughts of white landowners when young New Orleans residents came to their county to violate segregation laws?
- How might segregation laws relating to buses and bathrooms play a role in maintaining a system in which poor rural black families were the main workforce on lands owned by wealthy whites?
- What might be your reaction if people from some other place came into your neighborhood with the message that the social system under which you live is wrong and should be changed?
- How do we bring about reasonable discussion between people about the good and bad in our lives and societies?
- What is something in your neighborhood that in your opinion needs to be changed?
- What can you do to change it?
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After a class discussion, students will read Jerome Smith’s chapter, particularly pp. 24-28. (This will require use of the book. The chapter is not reproduced on this site.), and then return to the original photographs. Ask them how their impressions changed after reading about Jerome’s experiences with the Freedom Ride in Mississippi.
- What did he say about the woman who raised her hand “on solo” to show her support?
- How were the conditions in Mississippi different than New Orleans? What about where your students live?
- What is the importance of preserving these kinds of photographs?
Vocabulary
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ANALYSIS: A detailed examination of anything complex in order to understand its nature or to determine its essential features: a thorough study. Separation of a whole into its component parts.
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SEGREGATION: The separation or isolation of a race, class, or ethnic group by enforced or voluntary residence in a restricted area, by barriers to social intercourse, by separate educational facilities, or by other discriminatory means.
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RURAL: Of or relating to the country, country people or life, or agriculture
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URBAN: Of or pertaining to the city and city life.
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FREEDOM RIDES: Rides made by civil rights workers through states of the southern U.S. to ascertain whether public facilities (such as bus terminals) are desegregated, and to protest against segregation based upon race.
Assessment Materials
There is no formal assessment for this lesson, though the worksheet could be collected and graded for completeness and reasonableness of answers.
Supports for Struggling Learners
- As much of this is whole class discussion, struggling reasons should be able to follow the lesson. Teachers could also consider placing struggling learners with partners or groups.
- The most difficulty might be in reading the pages 24-28. Struggling learners could be teamed with others
- Alternatively, the reading could be done as whole class. Struggling readers could be assigned a specific section and given time to become familiar with it before reading the section with the class.