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Summary and Objective
Students will understand that observation of paintings and photographs can help them to obtain information about Polish immigrant onion farmers in the Connecticut River Valley. They will use their observations along with historical facts to write a journal entry in the voice of a farm worker.
Teaching Plan
Step 1.
The teacher will present to the class the story of how the Polish farmers in the Connecticut River Valley worked to make onions a cash crop. Background information can be obtained from reading the collection labels, especially the Onion Pickers. After the presentation, the students will observe the items in the collection.
Step 2.
The teacher will lead a class discussion, using the pictures in the collection, about the sequence of events: planting, weeding, harvesting, and storing the onions.
Step 3.
Each student will select one of the paintings or photographs of the workers. They will then form groups based on the picture they selected.
Step 4.
Each group will study their picture in depth. They will use the "Look Closer" feature to observe the details in the picture.
Step 5.
They will jot down as much information as they can about the Setting(season, weather, landscape etc.) and the People(age, gender, clothing, posture, facial expression etc.).
Step 6.
Each student will then select a character in the picture. He will identify with that character in order to write a thoughtful reflective journal entry about that day on the farm. The journal entry will be dated. It will be a creative piece of writing based on historical facts. The students will need reminding to use appropriate language that would be in keeping with the time, place, and culture. They will be encouraged to include many items from their picture observation notes in their writing.
Step 7.
Each of the groups will have an "Author's Circle" to share their writings.
Step 8.
One or two students from each group will share their journal entries with the whole class.
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