Objective:
Students will examine primary resources (photographs) and relate them to
a historical fiction novel read in class called Ashes of Roses by Mary
Jane Auch.
Students will
infuse the photos of their choice into the book to use as ‘illustrations’ to
accompany the story. Students will have to apply their knowledge of the era to
the novel.
Lesson Plan
Materials:
Ashes of Roses
novel
Ashes of Roses
vocabulary guide
Primary Sources:
How the Other
Half Lives, by Jacob Riis
(for pictures)
How the Other
Half Lives, by Jacob
Riis—introduction in his own words about tenements.
Scene from Hester
Street in New York City
http://loc.gov/pictures/resource/pan.6a12044/
Lack of
sanitation along Hester Street
http://loc.gov/pictures/resource/cph.3a46054/
Irish immigrant
family
http://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/history/immigrant/immigrant1.gif
Photographs of
the Triangle Shirtwaist factory & the fire
http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/trianglefire/photos/photo_display.html?sec_id=8
Lesson:
I will give a
lecture/discussion presentation on Unit 5. This will cover: the rise of
industrialization, the growth of cities, urbanization, and immigration.
Thoughts for students to consider was:
--What was life
like then?
--How would my
life have been different from today?
--Examine how
life was better or simpler then.
--Think about how
life was worse then.
Prior to reading
Ashes of Roses, students will look at the pictures listed above and How the
Other Half Lives to see documentation of working conditions, city conditions,
and overall life during the late 1800s.
Students will also read and reflect on his introduction in the beginning
of the book. Questions to answer based on the introduction:
1. What percentage of New York residents
live in tenements?
2. Describe what
a tenement is? Why do so many people live in them?
3. What was Mr. Riis trying to accomplish
by publishing this book?
The class will
complete a virtual tour of a tenement via: http://www.tenement.org
Activity:
To demonstrate
proficient understanding of the novel, the time period, and the primary documents
they looked at, students will be asked to add photos to Ashes of Roses.
1. Students must choose at least eight
pictures to add to any part of the story. They must be primary sources.
2. A student will create an original
caption to accompany each ‘illustration’ to the story.
3. Students must
specify which page the picture will be placed. An accurate description of the part of the story is
required.
Second Activity:
!. Students will
create a (fictional) Ashes of Roses living scrapbook.
2. Ten pictures will be printed and made
to create this.
3. They may use up to three of the
pictures they chose for the story.
4. The pictures will have captions and a
personal narrative to accompany them written
from the perspective of either Rose, Gussie, or Ma in the story.
5. Creativity is
recommended. Only neatness is required!