Overview
Using primary source documents from the Brooklyn Historical Society or other sources, students can adopt the role of museum curator. Creating a classroom exhibit is an excellent way for students to construct a visual representation of the interpretation of history. By creating their own exhibits students will construct interpretive accounts of the past, narrating not only what happened, but how and why.
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Suggested time frame- 1 or 2 class periods.
Learning Goals
Students will create their own exhibits to reinforce their understanding of the content by undertaking a project that involves both interpretation and publication. Creating their own exhibits will also help students to analyze the interpretive choices made by others in exhibits or other media. |
Step one: Assemble photocopies of primary sources from the mid-twentieth century. This body of material is now your classroom’s “collection.” Just as historians and curators must make decisions about what to include in an exhibit, students must also analyze their collection of historical documents to construct a historical narrative. Students may wish to organize their information chronologically or thematically.
Give focus questions, for example:
1. How did the economic and social changes occurring during the Great Depression and World War Two alter the type of work done by New Yorkers after the war?
2. During this same period, what changes occurred in the work performed by women outside the home?
3. How did New Yorkers, individually and collectively, advocate for the principles expressed by President Roosevelt in his Economic Bill of Rights?
Minilesson
Primary Source Exploration: As a large group, examine and discuss the primary sources in your collection of photographs, newspaper articles, artifacts, and narratives. Aloud, identify who/what/when/where/why in each
source.
Brainstorm: Discuss possible topics for exhibits.
Jot down your topics on chart paper. Examples:
industrialization in Brooklyn, women in the workplace
during WWII, the struggle for fair housing,
and so on. After you’ve identified topics, think
about main ideas. |
Materials
• Photocopies of primary source documents (photos, newspaper articles, documents)
from Brooklyn Historical Society, the Internet, and from the
core library in your classroom; this is your “collection.”
• Activity sheet.
• Chart paper + tape or clips for hanging.
• Construction paper.
• Markers.
• Scissors.
• Glue sticks.
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Student Activity
Primary Source Exploration: Divide into small groups and distribute one activity sheet per
group.* Choose one group member to write answers on the sheet. The activity sheet should
include space to record:
• Exhibit title.
• Main idea.
• 3-5 photographs or documents the group chooses from the collection.
• Exhibit labels for each photograph or document, including who/what/when/where/why.
(Make sure students write complete sentences.)
• Topic summary.
*Note: The activity sheet is for the group to draft their title, main idea, sources, labels, and summaries. Once the sheet is completed, the group will transfer what they’ve written to a piece of chart paper as their exhibit.
Assemble and Hang Exhibits:
Each small group should have materials to affix their photographs and labels to one piece of chart paper for display. Hang each group’s exhibit around the classroom. Each student should have the opportunity to do a “walk-through” (review) of all the exhibits.
Share:
After the review, each group should explain in turn their concepts and strategies for developing their exhibit (topic, main idea, etc.). Students should share their findings and conclusions about the photographs and documents in their exhibits.
Encourage students to make connections between their exhibits and other exhibits they have seen (idealy they would tour a "real" exhibit before creating their own) and how they created their own classroom exhibits. Chart their responses. |
