“Down to Earth” – Yesterday & Today
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
Patti Forbes
Mahomet-Seymour Jr. High
Summer 2013
Teaching with Primary Sources
Illinois State University
Herbert L. Block Collection,
Prints and Photographs Division,
Library of Congress (001.00.00)
[LC-DIG-hlb-11166]
”Down to Earth” is a Library of Congress Exhibition that includes of Herblock’s (Herbert L. Block’s) political cartoons representing his support for protecting the environment. Students will analyze these cartoons to identify the environmental issue. Students will then create a presentation showing this environmental issue and its impact in our environment today in the United States. Through this activity students will become familiar with the development of legislation designed to protect the environment in the United States.
Overview/ Materials/Historical Background/LOC Resources/Standards/ Procedures/Evaluation/Rubric/Handouts/Extension
Overview Back to Navigation BarObjectives / Students will:
· analyze a Herblock political cartoon from the LOC Exhibition “Down to Earth” to become familiar with environmental issues from the late 1900s.
· create a presentation showing how one of the environmental issues depicted in the cartoons is still impacting our environment today in the United States.
· gain an understanding of legislation in the United States designed to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem services.
· share the presentation with the class.
Recommended time frame / 5 to 6 days (38 min class periods)
More time may be required for presentations depending on the number of groups
Grade level / 7th grade
Curriculum fit / Life Science - Ecology
Materials / · Political cartoons from LOC Herblock Exhibition: Down to Earth: Herblock and Photographers Observe the Environment. These are copyrighted allowing “access” only so students will need to access the web pages to view the cartoons. Permission may need to be obtained for “fair use” in education or copies of the originals may need to be purchased for classroom use.
http://myloc.gov/exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth/pages/objectlist.aspx (see resource table and historical background).
· Copies of LOC’s Primary Sources Analysis Tool and Teacher’s Guide, Analyzing Photographs & Prints for each group.
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/guides.html
· Copies of Summary Questions for Analysis (see handouts).
· Computer access for analysis and for research and for creation of presentation.
· Rubric for presentations (see handouts).
· Exit slip for students to complete following presentations (see handouts & rubric).
Illinois State Learning Standards/Common Core Back to Navigation Bar
Language Arts:
Goal 1: Read with understanding and fluency.
· 1.C. Comprehend a broad range of reading materials.
· 1.C.3c Compare, contrast and evaluate ideas and information from various sources and genres.
Science:
Goal 13: Understand the relationships among science, technology and society in historical and contemporary contexts.
· 13.B. Know and apply concepts that describe the interaction between science, technology and society.
· 13.B.3e Identify advantages and disadvantages of natural resource conservation and management programs.
· 13.B.3d Analyze the interaction of resource acquisition, technological development and ecosystem impact.
NGSS
· MS-LS2-5.Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.CC ELA/Literacy
· SL.7.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.· SL.7.5 Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points.
Procedures Back to Navigation Bar
Day One:
· Students will complete a prior knowledge T-chart. Students should list as many environmental concerns or issues they have heard of and any legislation (laws/acts) they know of designed to protect the environment and human society. On the other side list any questions they have about environmental issues and protection of the environment.
· As a class, have students share some of the issues and legislation from their T-charts. Collect the T-charts to review at the end of the week.
· Provide students with copies or internet access to the Herblock political cartoons from the “Down to Earth” exhibition. Provide students with the LOC primary sources analysis tool (blank) and the Teacher’s Guide questions to guide them in the analysis of the cartoons. Place students in mixed ability groups of 3 or 4 to analyze one of the cartoons.
· Allow the groups time to analyze their cartoon.
· Have the groups share their analysis with the class or with another group.
· Provide each group with the bibliographic information that includes the author’s intent and background information for their cartoon and the summary handout.
· Allow the students time in their group to review the author’s intent. Students should complete the analysis summary of the environmental issue that was addressed in the cartoon, any key words, and any legislation (laws or acts).
· Have the groups again share the review, comparing the author’s intent to their analysis.
· Collect the analysis/summary sheets from the groups
Day Two
· Students meet again in their group. Return their analysis worksheet summary. Have students review their environmental issue and the key words.· Explain to students the presentation assignment. Review the rubric with the students so they are aware of the expectations.
· Allow students time and computer access to research their issue and keywords
Day Three & Four
· Allow the groups computer access to complete their research and presentation.· Scaffolding this assignment.
· Each group should be able to show the completion of at least 3 of the 5 slides by the end of the first of these two days.
Day Five & Six
· Each group shares their presentations with the class and provides a printout of their slides for the instructor.· Provide each student with the handout for taking notes during the presentations.
· At the end of all the presentations, return to each student the prior knowledge T-charts.
· Have students complete the Exit Slip.
Evaluation Back to Navigation Bar
· The group presentations will be evaluated using the rubric. See Presentation Rubric.
See rubric for Exit Slip.
Extension Back to Navigation Bar
· Review the questions students submitted with their Exit Slips and from their T-charts. Provide a webquest based on the questions that would allow students to research the answers to their questions.
Historical Background
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As industries developed they looked for ways to dispose of the waste produced. As problems developed in the environment from this waste disposal, environmental laws were passed to protect ecosystem services (water, air, soil, etc) and maintain biodiversity (protect habitat and living things). In the latter half of the twentieth century numerous environmental laws and acts were passed and the Environmental Protection Agency was created to monitor and enforce the legislation. Below is a brief list of some of the legislation from the Environmental Decision Making, Science, and Technology website from the Carnegie Mellon University (2003). This website also has a page with a complete listing and brief explanations of all legislation of the twentieth century.
http://telstar.ote.cmu.edu/environ/m3/s7/history.shtml
1948 Clean Water Act
1955 Clean Air Act
1969 National Environmental Policy Act
1970 Formation of the EPA
1973 Endangered Species Act
Water and Air Pollution
1972, 1977, 1987 Clean Water Act
1974, 1986, 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act
1970, 1977, 1990 Clean Air Act
Solid and Hazardous Wastes
1976, 1984 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
1980, 1986 Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act
Historical Background
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Historical Information from LOC Herblock Exhibition: Down to Earth: Herblock and Photographers Observe the Environment.
http://myloc.gov/exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth/pages/objectlist.aspx
Herbert L. Block (1909–2001), was commonly called Herblock. He was a four-time Pulitzer Prize winner and chief editorial cartoonist at the Washington Post, who was known for his long-standing support for protecting the environment. Herblock produced cartoons about the environment throughout his seventy-two-year career. In 2002, the Herb Block Foundation donated more than 14,000 editorial cartoons—his life’s work—to the Library of Congress.
Environmental Issue / Cartoon Title and historical references.Chemical waste spills / “Toxic Wastes” 1985 EPA increased regulations controlling toxic dumps. Dangerous to children through food & water.
“The Formerly Good Earth” Passage of Clean Air Act 1970. Creation of EPA. Reports of dumping sites and toxins leaching in food & water supplies increased public concern.
Private access to federal lands (drilling, mining, timber harvest) / “Call of the Wild” in 1979 developers wanted access to Alaskan wilderness that was federally protected.
“Maybe He Should Be Cited for Contempt of Public Intelligence”1964 Wilderness Act closed federal land to development in 1983 indefinitely. Intelligence” Sec. of Interior James Watt proposed to reopen in 2000.
“Boy, We Could Develop That Into Some Fine Stumps”
Congress was debating conservation legislation increasing federal park lands and funding for protection.“We Could Compromise and Paint Them Green” House approved bill to allow oil drilling in Arctic Wildlife Reguge, Alaska. Senate did not pass.
“Are You Sure You Wouldn’t Like a Red Carpet?”
1997 Worldwatch Institute reported on taxpayer money used for environmentally destructive activities.Nuclear waste discharge / “Good News – We’ve Reduced the Nuclear Threat from Abroad” Cold War ended but nuclear waste still a risk for both US and USSR.
“This is an Emergency – We’ve Got to Prevent Any Leaks of Information” Three Mile Island nuclear power plant, Middletown, PA, March 28,1979, core meltdown, radioactive water discharged into river and radioactive gas into air.
“What We’d like is about a Twenty-Mile Island” After Three Mile Island leakage, suggested nuclear power plants should be isolated.
“I Hear the Cold Part of the Cold War is Over” 1989 –90 brought further dissolution of tension between US and former Soviet states but increase debate over where to store nuclear weapon’s waste.
Industrial waste discharge in water
Water pollution / “We Can Even Improve On Turning Things Over to the States – We Can Let the Industries Regulate Themselves”
1995 proposed changes to Clean Water Act exempting some industries for cleaning water before discharge.
Billboards/Clutter landscapes / “Billboards Are Good For You” Proposed changes to 1965 Highway Beautification Act would lessen restrictions on billboards & advertisers.
Alternative Energy – Solar, Wind, etc / “Nah – It Wouldn’t Be Practical” Support of need to explore solar energy as an alternative to fossil fuels. 1980s saw reduce of federal funding to research solar energy.
Air pollution/smog / “ … An Atmosphere that Could Support Life …” 1976 revision of Clean Air Act. Cities need funding to curb smog. Comparison made between polluted air on Earth and Mars atmosphere.
Ocean pollution / “There Goes the Entire Neighborhood” Feb 1973 NOAA reported 700,000 mi2 of ocean pollution – global problem.
Global warming / “All Right, All Right – I Believe It” 1998 Congress and Clinton Admin. Disagree on funding climate initiatives and implementing Kyoto Protocol to deter global warming.
Pesticide pollution /
“I’ve Figured a Way to Get Rid of That Stuff – Use It Up”
1988 EPA administrator allows continued use to banned dangerous herbicide.
Primary Resources from the Library of Congress
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Source / Description / Citation / URL/ Herblock. Toxic Wastes, 1985. Black pencil, India ink, porous point pen, and opaque white over blue pencil underdrawing. Published in the Washington Post, December 15, 1985 / Herbert L. Block Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (001.00.00)
[LC-DIG-hlb-11166] / http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth/exhibition-items/ExhibitObjects/Toxic-Wastes.aspx
/ Herblock. The Formerly Good Earth, 1970. India ink, graphite, and opaque white over graphite underdrawing with paste-on. Published in the Washington Post, December 31, 1970. / Herbert L. Block Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (002.00.00)
[LC-DIG-hlb-07676] / http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth/exhibition-items/ExhibitObjects/Formerly-Good-Earth.aspx
/ Herblock. Call of the Wild, 1979. India ink, porous point pen, graphite, and opaque white over blue pencil underdrawing. Published in the Washington Post, March 23, 1979. / Herbert L. Block Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (007.00.00)
[LC-DIG-hlb-09619] / http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth/exhibition-items/ExhibitObjects/Call-of-the-Wild.aspx
/ Herblock, “Good News—We’ve Reduced the Nuclear Threat from Abroad,” 1993. India ink, porous point pen, graphite, and opaque white over blue pencil underdrawing. Published in the Washington Post, October 5, 1993. / Herbert L. Block Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (009.00.00)
[LC-DIG-hlb-12645] / http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth/exhibition-items/ExhibitObjects/Reduced-Nuclear-Threat-from-Abroad.aspx
/ Herblock. “Maybe He Should Be Cited for Contempt of Public Intelligence,” 1982. India ink, porous point pen, graphite, and opaque white over blue pencil underdrawing with overlays. Published in the Washington Post, March 8, 1982. / Herbert L. Block Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (011.00.00)
[LC-DIG-hlb-10291] / http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth/exhibition-items/ExhibitObjects/Contempt-of-Public-Intelligence.aspx
/ Herblock. “We Can Even Improve On Turning Things Over to the States—We Can Let the Industries Regulate Themselves,” 1995. India ink, porous point pen, graphite, and opaque white over blue pencil underdrawing with overlays. Published in the Washington Post, May 19, 1995. / Herbert L. Block Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (013.00.00)
[LC-DIG-hlb-13030] / http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth/exhibition-items/ExhibitObjects/Let-Industries-Regulate-Themselves.aspx
/ Herblock. Billboards Are Good for You, 1986. India ink, porous point pen, graphite, and opaque white over blue pencil underdrawing with overlays. Published in the Washington Post, October 9, 1986. / Herbert L. Block Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (015.00.00)
[LC-DIG-hlb-11289] / http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth/exhibition-items/ExhibitObjects/Billboards-Are-Good-for-You.aspx
/ Herblock. “This Is an Emergency—We’ve Got to Prevent Any Leaks of Information!” 1979. India ink, porous point pen, graphite, and opaque white over blue pencil underdrawing. Published in the Washington Post, April 1, 1979. / Herbert L. Block Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (017.00.00)
[LC-DIG-hlb-9625] / http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth/exhibition-items/ExhibitObjects/Leaks-of-Information.aspx
/ Herblock, “What We’d like is about a Twenty-Mile Island,” 1980. India ink, porous point pen, graphite, and opaque white over blue pencil underdrawing. Published in the Washington Post, January 25, 1980. / Herbert L. Block Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (019.00.00)
[LC-DIG-hlb-9813] / http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth/exhibition-items/ExhibitObjects/Twenty-Mile-Island.aspx
/ Herblock. “Nah—It Wouldn't Be Practical,” 1989. India ink, porous point pen, graphite, and opaque white over blue pencil underdrawing. Published in the Washington Post, March 29, 1989. / Herbert L. Block Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (021.00.00)
[LC-DIG-hlb-14211] / http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth/exhibition-items/ExhibitObjects/Wouldnt-Be-Practical.aspx
/ Herblock. “. . . An Atmosphere that Could Support Life . . .” 1976. India ink, porous point pen, graphite, and opaque white over graphite underdrawing. Published in the Washington Post, August 1, 1976. / Herbert L. Block Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (023.00.00)
[LC-DIG-hlb-8999] / http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth/exhibition-items/ExhibitObjects/Atmosphere-that-Could-Support-Life.aspx
/ Herblock. “Boy, We Could Develop That into Some Fine Stumps,” 1953. India ink, graphite, and opaque white over graphite underdrawing. Published in the Washington Post, March 15, 1953. / Herbert L. Block Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (025.00.00)
[LC-DIG-hlb-03246] / http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth/exhibition-items/ExhibitObjects/Develop-That-Into-Some-Fine-Stumps.aspx
/ Herblock. “I Hear the Cold Part of the Cold War Is Over,” 1990. India ink, porous point pen, graphite, and opaque white over blue pencil underdrawing with overlays. Published in the Washington Post, November 23, 1990. / Herbert L. Block Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (027.00.00)
[LC-DIG-hlb-12159] / http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth/exhibition-items/ExhibitObjects/Cold-Part-of-Cold-War-Is-Over.aspx
/ Herblock. “There Goes the Entire Neighborhood,” 1973. India ink, graphite, blue pencil, and opaque white over graphite underdrawing. Published in the Washington Post, February 20, 1973. / Herbert L. Block Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (029.00.00)
[LC-DIG-hlb-8163] / http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth/exhibition-items/ExhibitObjects/There-Goes-Entire-Neighborhood.aspx
/ Herblock. “We Could Compromise and Paint Them Green,” 2001. India ink, porous point pen, graphite, and opaque white over blue pencil underdrawing with overlays. Published in the Washington Post, August 17, 2001. / Herbert L. Block Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (031.00.00)
[LC-DIG-hlb-14120] / http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth/exhibition-items/ExhibitObjects/Compromise-and-Paint-Them-Green.aspx
/ Herblock. “All Right, All Right—I Believe It,” 1998. India ink, porous point pen, graphite, and opaque white over blue pencil underdrawing with overlays. Published in the Washington Post, July 22, 1998. / Herbert L. Block Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (033.00.00)
[LC-DIG-hlb-13608] / http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth/exhibition-items/ExhibitObjects/All-Right-All-Right-I-Believe-It.aspx
/ Herblock, “You Want Business in this Town or Don’t You?” 1967. India ink, graphite, and opaque white over graphite underdrawing. Published in the Washington Post, May 10, 1967. / Herbert L. Block Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (037.00.00)
[LC-DIG-hlb-6798] / http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth/exhibition-items/ExhibitObjects/You-Want-Business-or-Dont-You.aspx
/ Herblock. “Are You Sure You Wouldn’t Like a Red Carpet?” 1997. India ink, porous point pen, graphite, and opaque white over blue pencil underdrawing. Published in the Washington Post, July 10, 1997. / Herbert L. Block Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (041.00.00)
[LC-DIG-hlb-13428] / http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth/exhibition-items/ExhibitObjects/Sure-You-Wouldnt-Like-Red-Carpet.aspx
/ Herblock. “I've Figured a Way to Get Rid of That Stuff—Use It Up,” 1988. India ink, porous point pen, graphite, and opaque white over blue pencil underdrawing with overlays. Published in the Washington Post, June 19, 1988. / Herbert L. Block Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress (035.00.00)
[LC-DIG-hlb-11708] / http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/herblock-down-to-earth/exhibition-items/ExhibitObjects/Use-It-Up.aspx
Presentation Rubric