<p>"European sailors told of being able to smell the pine forests of North America before they were within sight of land. Early explorers sometimes described possible settlements along the coast in tempting terms. Captain John Smith of Virginia made a whaling expedition to New England [which he is credited with naming] in 1614; he subsequently published a book describing the region's genial climate, fair coasts, and natural harbors...Immigrants endured hardships on their journeys and in their first years in America. Some portion of each new settlement perished from hunger, exposure, disease, or conflict, yet the stream of settlers kept coming. They crossed the Atlantic for many reasons: some for wealth, some to escape political or religious institutions they saw as oppressive or corrupt."</p> <p>However, some "early colonists came to the New World expecting to gain wealth through some combination of luck and hard work and return to their home cities or towns to enjoy their prosperity. The names of the places they settled - New Spain, New England, New York, Nova Scotia - and the nature of the portraits they commissioned tell us that they did not think of themselves as Americans, but as transplants."</p> <p>The artistic world and the literary world share much in common with respect to this approach. They were not writing "American literature" yet - - because in a sense such literature did not yet exist. Rather they were writing as transplanted Europeans, in a European voice and style. However, many American literature courses will begin with this period because in a sense, works such as John Smith's <em>Historie of Virginia</em> and William Bradford's <em>Of Plymouth Plantation</em> became our nation's first attempt at literature.</p> <p><em>* All quoted material from the <strong>Smithsonian American Art Museum's America's Art" #SAAMteach</strong></em></p>

<p><strong>Lesson Activity/Directions: </strong></p> <p>This collection is used, through a See/Think/Wonder format, to launch a discussion about the "Gilded Age" and how the lifestyles, values, belief systems, and socioeconomic circumstances surrounding this era helped prompt the Modernism movement. Discussions revolve around the economic disparities, and some polarizing movements such as Prohibition. Therefore, in a sense, this collection helps launch the Modernism/Great Gatsby Unit.</p> <p>Students are divided into small groups - usually  no more than 3 per group. Each are provided with one painting. During some lessons, I've printed out the pictures for them, but other times I've also provided them with a link and one student pulls up the painting on their computer - for the group; in this manner, they zoom in and really investigate the details. This works well for a small class. By this point in the school year, we've completed the "See - Think - Wonder" activity enough so that it is familiar. Groups go through this process on their own, and then their art work is on the smart board, and they walk the class through their discoveries, interpretations, and questions. Jointly as a class, we speculate about what this image might reveal to us about the time period, it's people, values, etc. How might we see this play out in literature?  Eventually I weave in a number of the facts provided below in "Notes to other users." </p> <p><em>I conclude with this statement by John D. Rockefeller on the smart board - - it seems to preview some of </em>"The Great Gatsby" themes quite well. <br /></p> <p>"I believe it is my duty to make money and still more money and to use the money I make for the good of my fellow man according to the dictates of my conscience." - - John D. Rockefeller, 1905</p> <p><em><strong>#SAAMteach</strong></em></p> <p>(For background/historical context notes, see below within "Notes to Other Users."<em></em></p> <p><br /><em></em></p>

<p>"European sailors told of being able to smell the pine forests of North America before they were within sight of land. Early explorers sometimes described possible settlements along the coast in tempting terms. Captain John Smith of Virginia made a whaling expedition to New England [which he is credited with naming] in 1614; he subsequently published a book describing the region's genial climate, fair coasts, and natural harbors...Immigrants endured hardships on their journeys and in their first years in America. Some portion of each new settlement perished from hunger, exposure, disease, or conflict, yet the stream of settlers kept coming. They crossed the Atlantic for many reasons: some for wealth, some to escape political or religious institutions they saw as oppressive or corrupt."</p> <p>However, some "early colonists came to the New World expecting to gain wealth through some combination of luck and hard work and return to their home cities or towns to enjoy their prosperity. The names of the places they settled - New Spain, New England, New York, Nova Scotia - and the nature of the portraits they commissioned tell us that they did not think of themselves as Americans, but as transplants."</p> <p>The artistic world and the literary world share much in common with respect to this approach. They were not writing "American literature" yet - - because in a sense such literature did not yet exist. Rather they were writing as transplanted Europeans, in a European voice and style. However, many American literature courses will begin with this period because in a sense, works such as John Smith's <em>Historie of Virginia</em> and William Bradford's <em>Of Plymouth Plantation</em> became our nation's first attempt at literature.</p> <p><em>* All quoted material from the <strong>Smithsonian American Art Museum's America's Art" #SAAMteach</strong></em></p>

<p>This collection will be used to supplement students' rhetorical analysis of The Declaration of Independence. Earlier in the year, students discussed the paradoxical nature of the Puritans arriving in the New World to escape religious intolerance, yet they were exceedingly intolerant of other religions (i.e., Quakers). In a similar fashion, we'll examine the Declaration of Independence and a critical portion deliberately removed: references to abolishing slavery. We will examine a variety of works of art, noting the clues they give us regarding our founding fathers' often complex ideologies. <strong>#SAAMteach</strong></p> <p>A Detailed lesson plan follows in the "Notes to Other Users."</p>

<p>This collection is used to launch the novel "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer." This is a novel which nearly defies categorization. Suskind, the writer ventures into a creative territory few students read in high school. Instead of beginning the unit with general background and context about the novel, we begin from an emotional point - - what emotions and experiences are prompted by the setting, mood, atmosphere, etc.? Below are the general steps we follow:                           #SAAMteach</p> <p>1. Pairs of students are each given two different paintings (I have a very small class - 12 students - - and choose to give each group two in order to cover more; however, you could easily do this with a class of 24 and each group of two has one painting.)</p> <p>2. Each group has a graphic organizer which is a modified "See/Think/Wonder" format, coupled with a brainstorming opportunity regarding the emotions generated by this painting. They're given approximately 10 minutes to work their way through the paintings and complete the lists for each, as they discuss, etc. I print out the pictures for them because I don't want them to see the titles and any additional information they may find online.</p> <p>3. When they have about 10 minutes, the students each have an opportunity to walk their classmates through the paintings and then open up the floor for a discussion about the emotions conveyed through this work.</p> <p>4. We keep a running list of these emotions on the board. Some that have surfaced include: confusion, disgust, loneliness, repugnance, helplessness, panic, anger, fear... Next to this list we wrote some overall concepts, such as abstract mixed with realism, abandonment, intimidation, and disconnect...</p> <p>5. When completed, I'll lead the conversation to a discussion about how these very same emotions are reflected by and presented within the novel...but like the paintings, in very unique ways. I choose my words carefully so as not to give the entire first few chapters away, but at the same time, offering them a preview. We then read the first two paragraphs out loud, and discuss how so many of the elements noted on the board are present already.</p> <p>6. They're then assigned Chapters 1, 2, and 3 to read, with a "list" of suggested items to watch for, annotate, etc. as they complete their first close reading of the novel. (This assignment is attached.)</p> <p>7. Part II involves writing in response to one of the paintings, completed after students have read the novel. (See Google Doc directions)</p>