
Kate Harris
Social Studies teacher
Pittsburgh CAPA
Middle School (13 to 15 years old), High School (16 to 18 years old)
Teacher/Educator
Language Arts And English, Civics, Literature, Cultures, Economics, Social Studies, Geography, Writing, US History, Arts, Other
I'm a history-lover, art fan, and bookworm. I taught high school history (U.S. History and World Religions) for ten years in North Carolina, teach currently in Pittsburgh, PA, and am working to help teachers make the most of this new resource!
Kate Harris's collections
California: A Land of Opportunity?
<p>As we continue to read "The Grapes of Wrath," I'd like you to consider the way in which California represents the "American Dream." How has this changed over time? Has California always lived up to its image? Consider who has access to dreams and opportunities in California at any given time. </p><p>After you look through the collection, choose one of the following assignments to complete and submit your assignment using the "Submit File" option that is part of the last resource. Hint: you may want to take notes and/or save images as you are browsing the resources here. </p><p>Possible assignments:</p><p>1) Create a timeline of "Opportunities Gained and Lost" in California using at least 8 images from the collection. For each image, identify who is gaining or losing an opportunity in this instance, and what kind of opportunity is being referenced. Remember this is a timeline and will need to be in chronological order by year. Complete your timeline with an image that you have found (from the Learning Lab or an outside resource) that represents California today.</p><p>2) Would you argue that "California is a land of dreams"? How could you change that statement to make it more accurate? Write an essay defending your statement that references at least 4 images from this collection. You may want to do some additional research to supplement your essay.</p><p>Tags: point of view, change, continuity, cause, effect, Dust Bowl, drought, migrant, migration, chronology, Steinbeck</p>

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Modern Migrations
This collection offers teaching resources that provide context for today's modern refugee crisis and the ethical and political questions raised by the migration of so many people at this time. <br /><br />
The resources in this collection ask students to consider what it means to migrate, the choice (or lack thereof) that is involved in moving from one place to another, and how the word "migrant" differs from "refugee." As students examine different examples or objects in this collection, ask them to consider the reasons behind the migration and how these particular migrants are percieved. Suggested questions for discussion are embedded on the information tabs throughout. <br /><br />

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Dogs in History
An ongoing, and mostly for fun, collection representing how our furry friends have been appreciated throughout history.

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Westinghouse: The Man and the Companies
This is a collection of teaching resources available on the topic of George Westinghouse as well as Westinghouse Electric Company (founded 1886) and its spinoffs (including the broadcasting company and nuclear energy company).
Fun fact: During the 20th century, Westinghouse engineers and scientists were granted more than 28,000 US government patents, the third most of any company (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westinghouse_Electric_Company#cite_note-2009profile-14)

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Ancient Egypt: Sarcophaguses and Coffins
This is a collection of sarcophaguses and coffins from Ancient Egypt. The sarcophagus refers to the outer layer of protection for an important mummy, and would generally be carved or painted with images representing the deceased person. As you look through the collection, notice the difference between the sarcophaguses and coffins and pay attention to the kinds of images you see. What are common features that you might find on any sarcophagus? What kinds of things are different depending on who it is that is buried?

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Ancient Egypt: Shabtis
This is a collection of shabtis, which were small images of people that had been cast with a spell and buried with notable ancient Egyptians. The spells were meant to get the figure to carry out manual labor or specific tasks in the afterlife. You may notice some shabtis carry a whip, indicating that they are "overseers" of ten laborers. As you look through these images, think about what kinds of characteristics they all have in common. What differences do you see? Pay attention to materials used to make them, size, and images or depictions on the shabtis.

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