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About the inquiry

What Stories Do Photographs Tell?

Photography serves as a powerful window into the experiences of migrants during the Great Depression, offering visual narratives that capture their struggles, resilience, and hopes. Through the lens of historical photographs, we gain intimate glimpses into the hardships faced by migrant families, from the dusty fields they worked to the crowded camps where they sought shelter. These images preserve moments of uncertainty and perseverance, revealing the human impact of economic hardship. By examining these photographs, students can connect empathetically with the stories of those who endured this challenging time, understanding the profound societal shifts and the personal journeys of individuals seeking a better life.

D2.His.12.6-8. Use questions generated about multiple historical sources to identify further areas of inquiry and additional sources.

Source

Great Depression Migrants Photograph Set, Library of Congress

Formative Performance Task

  1. COLLABORATE: Annotate a series of photographs using a guided observation exercise.
  2. DELIBERATE: Sort aspects of the image into created themes that “tell the story” of migrants’ experiences during the Great Depression.
  3. PRODUCE: Suggest new titles for each photograph that reflect an accurate “telling” of the Great Depression.

Instructional Snapshot

Class begins with a brief discussion of the Great Depression, which caused many problems for small farmers living in the Great Plains. Dust Bowls made farming difficult and few jobs were available to meet a family’s needs. To find better opportunities, many people migrated west to California, hoping to find land to farm and raise livestock. But the journey wasn’t without hardship. – 5 minutes. As they explore the photographs, students are divided into expert jigsaw pairs to annotate the images in the Great Depression Migrants Photograph Set using a guided observation exercise. Students analyze and annotate the images by including details they see and connections they make about what the image tells them about the migrants’ experiences – 10-15 minutes. To begin a process of theme development around the images, students are regrouped into study groups to sort the post-its into themes that “tell the story” of migrants’ experiences (e.g., perseverance, hopelessness, uncertainty). Students can create their own themes, or the teacher may provide or suggest themes for added scaffolding. Students share the details they included by themes – 10 minutes. Finally, the teacher may task students with suggesting a new title for each photograph that exemplifies an overall theme.