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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

 

Immigration to America

This collection provides an overview of immigration to the United States, but emphasizes the increased immigration during the Gilded Age. Students can complete the collection independently, keeping in mind the following guided questions: -Why have people been motivated to immigrate to the United States? -What challenges have immigrants faced while traveling to or after arriving in the United States? -What contributions have immigrants made to American society?
Kate Harris
20
 

Identifying Characteristics of Renaissance Art

This collection will teach you about how Renaissance artists changed the style and focus of art in the period between 1300 and 1600 CE. When you are done, you should be able to thoroughly answer the question: How did the art of the Renaissance reflect the new emphasis on humanism and science? First, review the painting, Raphael's School of Athens, and learn about the new techniques used. Then study the additional works in the collection and try to use them as examples of the different techniques. Some of the works are from the Renaissance period and others are more modern interpretations. A worksheet is included at the end of this collection to record your work. Finally, test your knowledge with a quick quiz. Use your worksheet to help!
Kate Harris
11
 

Iconic and Ironic? Depression-Era Photographs

<p>This collection includes three photographs by Farm Security Administration artists that use language and image to create an American scene in the late 1930s-early 1940s. The first has become an iconic image of the Great Depression by Margaret Bourke-White, although it has a more specific history that users will learn about. Students will be asked to consider why the first image became so closely linked with the Great Depression, how the artist and author used irony to make a statement, and how different groups may have experienced the Depression in different ways. After reading a passage from Bud Not Buddy (by Christopher Paul Curtis) and answering reflective questions, students will write their own passage about one of the remaining photographs.</p><p>Essential Questions:</p><p>-How do these artists use images and language to create rich portraits of America?</p><p>-In what way do these images suggest divisions or unity within America during hte 1930s and 1940s?</p><p>Tags: Bud Not Buddy, Margaret Bourke White, Dorothea Lange, Ben Shahn, Farm Security Administration, soup kitchen, bread line, hobo, hoboes, comparison, irony, descriptive writing</p>
Kate Harris
6
 

How Radio Changed America

The technology for radio communications advanced during World War I, but it wasn't until the 1920s that commercial broadcasting grew and everyone wanted a radio for their home. Radio had a huge impact on creating a "mass media" that bound together the nation. As students explore this collection, they will look for evidence proving that radio changed America in four different areas: -Politics -Entertainment and Sports -Religion -Advertising Possible assignments using this collection include: 1) Writing an essay evaluating the statement "Radio created a mass culture in America." 2) Researching a particular figure in radio's early history and sharing findings with classmates. 3) Creating a 1920s radio program that featured key people and trends from the decade. This could be recorded and shared in the form of a podcast. 4) Developing a chart comparing and contrasting the impact of radio with television or the internet.
Kate Harris
25
 

How did this happen? How do we keep it from happening again?

<p>My lesson  is aimed at my AP Government class and will be divided into two parts. I will teach it towards the end of the year, as part of our unit on Civil Liberties. </p> <p><strong>Part 1: How did this happen? </strong></p> <p>What government actions led to the incarceration of Japanese-American citizens? What social conditions led to this? What connections do we see to today?</p> <p>In this section, students will review the timeline of government actions that led to incarceration (including land acts, the ABC lists, the obfuscation of Exec Order 9066, and censorship of documentation/photography) and analyze images and press/propaganda that reflect existing social perceptions and anti-Asian sentiment. They will look for continuing patterns that emerged after 9/11 and more recently in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. </p> <p><strong>Part 2: How do we keep it from happening again? </strong></p> <p>How do people resist government power and policy? How do people shift from bystanders to allies?</p> <p>In this section, students will visit stations to learn about different types and methods of resistance. These sections will  include: Teachers/Librarians, Court Cases and Legal Advocates, Family to Family Help, and No-No Boys and the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee. </p> <p>At the end of this activity, students will work on a written reflection considering what they have learned from these examples of resistance.</p> <p><em>This collection was made as part of a 2022 Landmarks of American History and Culture workshop “Little Tokyo: How History Shapes a Community Across Generations,” which has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this collection do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or the views of the workshop presenters/ host institution. #NEHLittleTokyo2022</em></p>
Kate Harris
32
 

How did the growth of railroads impact the economy, politics, and society in the period after the Civil War?

This assignment will help you respond to the question: How did the growth of railroads impact the economy, politics, and society in the period after the Civil War? As you work through the activity, you will want to complete the organizational chart with your analysis of each artifact or resource. When you are finished, write your essay response using information from your chart. You will submit the file to your teacher in the format they have requested.
Kate Harris
14
 

Hamilton!

<p>Have your students (or you) caught the Hamilton bug inspired by Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical? This collection is filled with resources and teaching ideas about the founding father. With his musical, Miranda has transformed teaching the Founding Fathers from distant and un-relatable to a relevant story of a hustling immigrant whose rise helps progress the American Revolution and set the new nation on track to become the economic powerhouse that it remains today.</p> <p>Tags: Alexander Hamilton, ten dollar bill, Aaron Burr, duel, treasurer, financial plan, Federalist</p><p>#SmithsonianMusic<br /></p>
Kate Harris
14
 

Great Ideas, Modern Art, and Advertising

This collection consists of advertisements created for the Container Corporation of America in the 1950s. Each advertisement pairs a quote from a "Great Idea of Western Man" with a work of original art. After reviewing the collection, students will create their own art work to reflect a "Great Idea" that they think is important and meaningful in the world today.
Kate Harris
11
 

Globalization and Cultural Diffusion

<p>This student activity focuses on the concepts of globalization and cultural diffusion. Students will look at a variety of artifacts and explain how they illustrate the two concepts and/or help answer the guiding questions below:</p><ul><li>What is globalization and how does it affect people and places?</li><li>What leads to cultural diffusion?</li></ul>
Kate Harris
10
 

Frederick Douglass and "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?"

<p>In this collection, students will review the life of Frederick Douglass and learn about one of his most famous speeches, "The Meaning of Fourth of July for the Negro" (it is also commonly referred to as "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July). They will explore the strategies he uses to persuade and compare staged readings of the speech. Next, they will consider the central question posed by Douglass--how does the history of racial injustice in the United States affect our understanding of national symbols and what they mean? In addition, how do the diverse opinions of the many citizens of the United States present both challenges and opportunities for our nation? </p><p>Teachers may draw relevant connections to today and recent protests during the national anthem by professional, collegiate, and high school sports teams. </p>
Kate Harris
13
 

Fourth of July Celebrations

A topical collection inspired by the Fourth of July holiday. Have a picnic, see some fireworks, and enjoy our nation's independence!
Kate Harris
14
 

Forced Removal during Apartheid: Examining Historic Photographs

<p><em>How did apartheid affect the lives of blacks living in Johannesburg in the late 1940s and early 1950s? What was the purpose of forced removal?</em></p><p>This student activity uses the examination of historical photographs as an entry point to learning about the forced removal of blacks from urban areas to townships &amp; homelands under apartheid in South Africa. The images here are all from Sophiatown and Soweto. What details emerge about the life changes that resulted from being moved? What questions remain?</p>
Kate Harris
19