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Living History Project Transplants: Stories of individuals who migrated to Central Florida

Most people in Central Florida came from somewhere else. Students first analyze life histories from American Life Histories, 1936-1940 to learn oral history techniques. They then interview and photograph these "transplants" and collect their life stories. In the process, students strengthen their communication skills and learn of the diverse experiences of people who now call Central Florida home.

Procedure

Part I - Stirring the pot: accessing students' prior knowledge

1. Conduct an in-class discussion/survey of students’ family connections to Florida.
   • How many moved from elsewhere?
   • Whose parents/grandparents moved from elsewhere?
   • From where?
   • What brought you/them to Florida?

2. Discuss some of the unique peculiarities of Florida which are attributable to the different cultures which have imprinted the state (Indian and Spanish place names for example). Explain that there are many interesting stories of how these people migrated to Florida. Through this unit they are going to learn about the experiences of some of the people who migrated (were 'transplanted') to Florida.

3. Begin by introducing students to the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and its mission during the Great Depression. In 1935, as part of the New Deal, the WPA hired unemployed writers to collect life histories of people from all walks of life. The WPA also hired photographers to take pictures all across America. In this unit students will learn more about this work and then assume the role of a modern-day WPA writer and photographer to collect a life history of someone who migrated to Florida - a 'transplant.'

Part II - Photo analysis: developing visual literacy

1. Show students a photograph (see Florida Photograph Gallery or Selected Collections on Florida for ideas) and the Photograph Analysis Guide, an organized process for analyzing the photograph. Model/complete the process with the whole class.

2. Then using photographs in your textbook or America from the Great Depression to World War II, 1935-1945, assign students in small groups to analyze photographs using the form and then share their analysis with the class. The analysis guide compels students to examine their photograph closely, separate knowledge provided by the photograph and students' prior knowledge, and prompts questions for further investigation.

NOTE: This activity can be done in the classroom without a computer. Photographs in the collection can be printed, copied, and distributed to small groups. Displaying a photograph to the class can be done by printing the photograph to overhead transparency film or by sharing from the Web site using an LCD projector.

Part III - Search and rescue: searching an online photo collection

1. Pre-select 10-15 photos (see Florida Photograph Gallery for examples) from America From the Great Depression to World War II, 1935-1945 and print the large version without a caption.

2. Pair students and give each pair a different photograph to examine.

3. Ask them to brainstorm keywords, topics, or subjects that might apply to the photograph.

4. Student pairs should then go to the computer and access America From the Great Depression to World War II, 1935-1945. They should select Search by Keyword and type their "key words" in the search box to locate their chosen photograph.

   NOTE: There are two search pages: one for black-and-white images; one for color images.

5. Once students have located their photograph, they should write down as much written information as is provided about their photograph (title, caption, date, photographer, LC number, etc.).

6. Follow up with a class discussion. Ask students questions like:
   • How is this information helpful/not helpful?
   • Were all the keywords/topics you typed successful?
   • What problems did you have in locating your picture? Why?

Part IV - What does it look like? Connecting online primary source documents with visual materials.

1. Read an excerpt of "He Never Wanted Land Till Now" from American Life Histories: Manuscripts from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1940.

2. Ask students to describe a photo that could possibly illustrate the excerpt.

3. Ask students what keywords or subjects they would use to locate an appropriate photograph to illustrate the life history excerpt.

4. Write their ideas down and then show students a photograph you pre-selected to illustrate the story.

5. Search the America From the Great Depression to World War II, 1935-1945 using the student-generated keywords to see if the pre-selected photograph is located.

6. Identify the keywords (like sharecroppers, cotton plantations) that will locate the photograph.

7. Assign students to search American Life Histories: Manuscripts from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1940. for a story that interests them. The worksheet, Examining a Life History will guide them in this process.

8. Once students have found a life history, ask them to find a photograph to illustrate their life history.

9. Model for students how to copy an excerpt from the life history into a word processing program, edit the excerpt and then illustrate the story with an appropriate photograph from the photograph collections.

10. The worksheet, Editing a Life History, provides step-by-step guidance to accomplish this phase.

Part V - Connecting primary souces with the students' community.

Use oral history techniques to connect students with history in their communities.

1. Select a theme for the interviews. This lesson has used a different theme each year: Transplants; Heroes; and Family Themes and Traditions.
2. Provide adequate practice for students to develop interviewing skills before they proceed with the interview. See the procedure for lesson 2, Heroes: A Museum Celebrating Heroic Traits in the Lives of Ordinary People for suggestions.