Great Depression
Photo Essay Project
Due: ______
Assignment
Your assignment is to find 7 pictures from the Great Depression. Each picture must include a subtitle description or caption. In addition, write a full paragraph about what you can tell about the great depression from the picture. What is your reaction to what is going on in the picture? What are the people going through? What can you learn about them and their situation? How desperate are they? Etc. etc. etc.
Your final project should be 8 pages. Each page should include a picture with a caption and a reaction. Pictures should represent at least 5 of the topic/categories from the Great Depression. Please note that your paragraph must be a reaction, not a description. The 8th page should be a works cited page with a minimum of 3 sources you used for the project (MLA format – see attached)
Topics/Categories: dust bowl, hooverville, soup kitchen, jobless/unemployment, Okies, bank runs, hobos
Websites:
yahoo or google image search will work as well
memory.loc.gov/ammem/fsowhome.html
newdeal.feri.org
pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dustbowl
usda.gov/oc/photo/histfeat.htm
rs6.loc.gov/wpaintro.intro01.html
Grading Rubric
A
7 excellent, original pictures that impart the gravity and devastation of the Great
Depression from at least 5 research categories (hooverville, dust bowl, etc.)
7 citations – one at the bottom of each page. Plus a “Works Cited Page” attached with
minimum 3 sources.
7 good captions of decent length, that describe the picture (who the ppl are, what they
went through, etc.)
7 excellent reactions in full paragraphs, with excellent spelling and grammar
B
7 good, original pictures that do not cover at least 5 categories.
7 captions of good length, but they may not describe the actual ppl in the pictures, rather
the general situation of the period.
7 full paragraph reactions of good length. May contain minor spelling or grammar errors.
These reactions may describe the picture rather than give your reaction to them.
C
7 pictures (May not be original. May not impart the gravity of the Great Depression or
cover at least 5 categories)
7 citations - one at the bottom of each page, but does not have a “works cited page”
attached or has less than 3 sources.
7 captions (Too short, very general)
7 reaction paragraphs
D
7 pictures of low quality (both visually, originality and content)
Captions – Pictures may not have captions, or they are too short and give no relevant info
7 bad descriptions/reactions (Too short, Too Descriptive, Poor spelling and Grammar)
F
Fewer than 7 pictures
No citations
No Captions
Reactions are unreadable, grammatically or otherwise, and/or make little sense. There
may be no reactions.
Picture grade ______
Citation grade ______
Caption grade ______
Reaction grade ______
Total/Average ______
Works Cited
Jones, Thomas, et al. Gun Control and America. Hartford: University of Connecticut
Press, 1996:57-61. Print.
Martinez, Juan. “Gun Control, An Issue for the Constitution.” NRA.com. Volume 65
Issue 16. National Rifle Association, 22 Nov. 2003. Web. 25 Dec. 2011.
<
Smith, Jim. “This Is My Gun and You Can’t Have It!” Time 5 Nov.
1998: 57-61. Web.
**** Please notice that the bibliography is in alphabetical order by the first word in
the line. Punctuation, indentation, and capitalization should be followed exactly. Source #1 is a book. Source #2 is an internet source. Source #3 is a magazine. Sources types not found in the above examples can be provided upon request.
Sample Picture Page #1
Category: Homeless/Hoovervilles
Caption:
Portrait shows Florence Thompson with several of her children in a photograph known as "Migrant Mother". The Library of Congress caption reads: "Destitute pea pickers in California. Mother of seven children. Age thirty-two. Nipomo, California." In the 1930s, the FSA employed several photographers to document the effects of the Great Depression on the population of America. Many of the photographs can also be seen as propaganda images to support the U.S. government's policy distributing support to the worst affected, poorer areas of the country. Lange's image of a supposed migrant pea picker, Florence Owens Thompson, and her family has become an icon of resilience in the face of adversity.
Reaction:
This picture makes me sad. I can’t imagine being homeless with a young child. How would I feed it? How would I make sure he stays warm? I would be desperate for help. I would do whatever it took to make sure my child was safe.
The amount of dirt on their faces shows me that they haven’t had real shelter for quite a long time. It actually looks like they are living in a tent. What if it gets cold? What if there is wind? How can someone live like this? I am glad I live in a time where people are not living in Hoovervilles. I am incredibly lucky to have a home and enough food to eat.
Source: George Eastman House