Lesson Plan
Explorations in American Environmental History: The Photographer, the Artist, and Yellowstone Park by Library of Congress
Subject
English Language Arts (2005)
Grade Levels
Intermediate, Commencement, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Description
In this lesson from the Library of Congress, uses three American Memory collections to have students recognize the impact photographer William Henry Jackson and artist Thomas Moran had on the creation of Yellowstone National Park. As members of the 1871 Hayden Expedition, Jackson's and Moran's images helped to shape Americans' ideas of the West. Students compare the photographic images with the paintings that resulted. They explore the legislative records and historical mapping of the area and produce an essay describing how Jackson's and Moran's artistic talents contributed to the creation of the American West.
Objectives
Students will improve skills in:
- Visual literacy.
- Navigating and selecting specific online images.
- Using the Socratic method of inquiry to discuss how images played an important role in the creation of the national parks and American's ideas of the West.
- Writing a short essay using complete citations.
Procedure
1. Display a large poster or on-line image of a Thomas Moran painting. For examples, see Thomas Moran paintings in The Evolution of the Conservation Movement, 1850-1920.
2. Using Object Observation, a critical viewing exercise, discuss with students the various images and impressions that emerge related to the Western experience and the Moran image.
3. Explain to students that Yellowstone Park was created as a result of the artistic images sent to Congress after the V. Hayden Geological Expedition.
4. Invite students to participate in a 'voyage of discovery' as they work within the American Memory Collections to discover the impact of William Henry Jackson and Thomas Moran.
- Ask students to consider why an artist and a photographer were taken with this geological survey.
- What contribution did these men make as a result of that journey?
- What is the relationship between the advent of photography and the creation of a National Parks system?
5. Students then move through each of the worksheets as they examine the various American Memory collections. The essay assignment may be completed in class the following class period or sent home as a homework assignment.
6. Read the essays aloud in class and write the themes that emerge as a result of the essay ideas.
These may include:
- What is our relationship to the land?
- Why is public land ownership so important to Americans?
- How do we define our stewardship to the environment?
- What responsibilities do we share related to land preservation and care?
7. If students wish to pursue further study, refer them to the bibliography in the
Full Lesson.
Resources/Materials
Materials and Preparation: Worksheets
Resources Used
Duration
One 90-minute or two 50-minute class periods.
Source
Reproduced from the Library of Congress web site for teachers. Original lesson plan created as part of the Library of Congress American Memory Fellows Program.
