Summary
Behind every historical event there are stories. These stories expand our views through various narratives. Students will examine historical events through several different lenses: photography, factual information, non-fiction, and fiction. Using different lenses will allow students to analyze and evaluate the importance of a variety of genres, including fiction, on our understanding of history. While this lesson is currently aligned only to 10th grade standards, it would be appropriate to teach in 11th grade as well, adjusting standards as needed.
Essential Question(s)
How do writers shape our view of history?
Snapshot
Engage
Students view a landscape picture of Hiroshima after the atomic blast and respond to the picture through a free-write or a list of imagery.
Explore
Students create a KWL Chart to guide discussion in groups. The groups establish what they already know (K) about Hiroshima, what they want (W) to know, and the last column is left blank to insert new notes about what they learned (L) later in the lesson.
Explain
Students view pictures of the Hiroshima aftermath along with some basic background information. They also view historical thermal pulse videos and blast testing videos to gain a better understanding of this historical event.
Extend
Students read two pieces of historical fiction and discuss in groups the impact of the fiction in relationship to the historical knowledge they have gained. Students then use an H Chart to synthesize these two paired texts in relation to the essential question. Lastly, students individually write a CER paragraph focusing on their claim, evidence, and reasoning. The paragraph response is based on the essential question as a prompt.
Evaluate
Students locate a historical photograph and create a poem or short narrative using the historical event as inspiration.
Materials
Hiroshima Picture Engage (attached)
KWL Chart (attached)
Lesson Slides (attached)
H Chart (attached)
Writing materials: pen, pencil, paper, etc.
Student devices with internet access
Engage
Pull up the Hiroshima picture on an overhead, or place the picture on the SmartBoard for all students to view. Ask them to choose from the following to respond:
Free-write: Have students free-write for 5 minutes over what they see or how they feel when looking at the picture.
Imagery: Have students create a list of sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and touch that are inspired by the picture.
Allow students time to write in response to the picture. Then, ask each student to pair up with a partner to compare responses. Students should note similarities and differences between the two compositions. Ask volunteers to share their reactions to the photograph with the class. Understand that students may view the photo through their own experiences. Be prepared for students to assume this is a picture of tornado aftermath or other natural disaster their region has experienced.
Explore
Reveal the event to the students (the atomic bomb at Hiroshima).
Ask students to create their own KWL Chart. This will be a chart with three separate columns. At the top of the first column, write “K." The second column should be labeled “W," and the last column, “L."
Inform students that they will be filling in the chart as follows:
K column - fill in what you already know or think you know about Hiroshima
W column - fill in what you want to know about Hiroshima
L column - this column will be left empty until later
Allow students to work individually or in groups to fill in the first two columns. Encourage students to rely on prior knowledge and experiences — what they have seen, heard, or read in the past concerning this event. It would be helpful for students to work individually initially but then to compare and collaborate with a partner, as well.
Explain
Use the Lesson Slides (see Attachments) to give basic background on Hiroshima. The slides have photographs along with the information for you, the teacher.
The slides end with some of the government atomic testing videos showing both the thermal pulse and atomic blast. Knowledge of the power of the bomb is essential to understanding some of the damage described in the historical fiction.
Encourage students to begin filling their “L” column on the KWL Chart during these discussions. The “L” column stands for “learned." Ask students to write new knowledge they have learned from the presentation in this column. Students should pair up to compare information learned. Their peers might have picked up on something they didn't, so it is important for students to collaborate at this stage, too. After the PowerPoint, students' KWL Charts should be completely filled out.
Extend
Give students a copy of an excerpt from John Hersery’s Hiroshima. This piece of literature is a narrative retelling of the events written by a journalist. The fiction is based on real life interviews. Inform students to continue to fill in the “L” column in their KWL Chart with new information learned through the historical fiction.
Ask the class to create a list of ways this reading is different than a historical textbook reading. Create the list as a whole class and discuss.
Show the ball gunner pictures to the students to help them visualize the topic before reading the poem. Ask them to use the images to help them reflect as they work through the poem.
Give a copy of “The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner” by Randall Jarrell to students.
Have them first list the imagery: sights, sounds, tastes, touch, and smells.
Next have them discuss any symbolism.
Next have them make inferences about the tone and attitude toward this subject.
Last have them discuss and summarize how a poem can enhance our understanding of history.
Allow them to get into groups of three. Have the groups examine each text—Hiroshima excerpt(s) and "The Death of a Ball Turret Gunner"—separately. They can write down elements of each piece in the vertical column of the H. They can use elements already discussed in class.
Next, have the groups look at these two pieces together as a paired text. Ask them to consider: Even though they are different topics, what are the commonalities? How are they connected? Have them document this information on the horizontal bar of the H.
Create a giant H on poster board or on the SmartBoard and allow the class to create a communal chart using some of the most significant elements from their group H Charts.
Ask the students individually to consider the essential question. Students have viewed historical photographs and discussed some of the factual details revolving around this event. They have also read fictional representations of these events. Using their own KWL Chart and information discussed in the H Chart. Students should attempt to answer the essential question "How do writers shape our view of history?" in one paragraph. Remind them that their paragraph must have a claim, evidence, and reasoning.
Distribute the CER rubric (located under Attachments) so students will have a visual guide for their paragraph.
Evaluate
In addition to their CER paragraphs, students will create a fictional piece related to a photograph of a contemporary historical event.
First, ask students to go back and look at the items they listed when they were answering the essential question (during the Extend portion of the lesson). Students should be deliberate in the employment of these items they identified as they work through their creative writing piece.
Give students the Historical Fiction Project handout.
Ask students to find a photograph of a contemporary event from the past 10 years (Examples: Hurricane Katrina, War in Iraq, Sochi Olympics). This photograph will serve as inspiration for a creative writing piece.
Once a photograph has been chosen, have students find a newspaper article or encyclopedia entry giving a brief non-fiction description of the historical event.
Ask students to choose one of the following:
Write a brief narrative short story using the historical photograph as inspiration. Use details from the non-fiction to enhance your narrative.
Write a poem using the historical photograph as inspiration. The poem must have symbolism or figurative language developed from the non-fiction details.
Ask students to attach a copy of the picture and the non-fiction writing to their creative writing.
Students could present their narrative or poem to the class or to a group of peers for an extension of this evaluation activity.
Resources
Background information for teacher:http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/08/hiroshima_64_years_ago.html
Background information for teacher: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki
Example of H Charts: http://cccuwikis.pbworks.com/w/page/26034295/H-Charts
Example KWL Chart: http://surfari.editme.com/SampleKWL
Ball Gunner information: http://www.azcaf.org/pages/crew/ballturret.html
K20 Center. (n.d.). Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER). Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/d9908066f654727934df7bf4f506fc09