Understanding History and Society through Images, 1776-1914

Classroom Activities

Unit Question: What can we learn about life from art and historical fiction? ²⁹

This unit question will give students a starting point as they work their way through this unit of study. Students will begin with what they believe to hold true before beginning their work with both the art pieces and novel. Students will also begin by viewing an art piece and discussing what they understand it to depict. Students will also recall any prior knowledge they have about the American Revolution, the society and people during that time period.

Epigraphs and their Meaning

At the beginning of each chapter, there is an epigraph that sets the tone and context for which students will read. Students will be asked to discuss, interpret, and analyze the meaning of selected quotes both before and after reading the text. Students will write about their ideas so that they later can use these quotes when discussing different works of art. The epigraphs will also serve as a good topic of discussion for an Inquiry Based Discussion. Questions such as: How does this epigraph relate to the works of art we have viewed? Which work of art depicts the words of the speaker? How are the words of the speaker represented in this work of art? may be posed.

Analyzing Works of Art

At the beginning and throughout the unit of study students will be provided with examples of art work from the American Revolution. Students will use the Visual Thinking Strategies and the Inquiry Based Discussion model to analyze and interpret these works in regards to artist's intention, society, individuals including race, gender, class, the Revolutionary War and setting and which of the ideals presented still exist today. (Drawing conclusions) Students will also examine art from contemporary society of today in the form of but not limited to paintings, sculptures, installations and advertising (commercials and print) along with their own ideas and experiences.

Selected works will be presented to students for discussion before the novel is read in order for students to understand the history of the Revolutionary War. Throughout the novel, selected works will be presented for students to discuss that coincide with what they will read or that match an epigraph. Students will be asked how the author's historical fiction account relates to the account of events depicted in the paintings. Students can then engage in a discussion regarding the accuracy of what they see along with what they are reading.

Students can also be broken into small groups to discuss paintings. They can then come together as a large group to "share out" what they have discussed and discuss the work as a large group.

Examining other Sources of Media

Students will also be given an opportunity to examine other images such a posters from the war era. Students will analyze any images and text contained within those sources and will discuss the relevance of those and what it depicts about society of that time.

Writing from the Perspective of Figures Depicted in Works of Art

As students gain a better understanding of race, class and gender perspectives during the American Revolution they will be given an opportunity to write letters from the perspective of an individual to another individual depicted in art from the American Revolution. Throughout the novel, they will examine the relationship between Curzon (the main character) and his friend Eben in regard to race. Students can judge the validity of this relationship and how Halse Anderson portrays it through historical fiction based upon the ideas they have gained from the works of art. Students will also be able to make judgments about the main character's relationships with others and the way different characters are portrayed in the novel.

Culminating Project

At the end of the unit students will be asked to write an argument essay about whether the perspectives of the historical time period during the Revolutionary War still exist today in regard to race, gender, and class. Students will be required to support their ideas citing evidence from art from the Revolutionary War and today as well as quotes and information from the novel Forge. Students will be given a prompt: Do perspectives on life during the Revolutionary War still exist today in regard to race, gender, and class? The students will be provided with an assignment sheet explaining the criteria for their essay as well as prewriting organizers, self and peer editing sheets and a rubric. Students who demonstrate the need for a writing frame or organizational structure for their essays should be provided with those organizers as well.