Subject Areas |
Art and Culture
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Visual Arts |
History and Social Studies
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U.S. History - Civics and U.S. Government |
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U.S. History - Immigration/Migration |
Literature and Language Arts
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Poetry |
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Time Required |
| Lesson 1: interactive activity online or mini-lesson
Lesson 2: 1 class period
Lesson 3: 1 class period
Lesson 4: 1 class period
Lesson 5: 1 class period
Lesson 6: 1 class period to introduce the project, additional time as required for work on posters and sharing
Lesson 7: 1 class period |
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Skills |
| primary document analysis
graphic design
research
presentation skills
collaboration |
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Date Posted |
| 5/21/2002 |
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The Statue of Liberty: The Meaning and Use of a National Symbol
We
will not forget that Liberty has here made her home; nor shall her chosen
altar be neglected." — President Grover Cleveland accepting the Statue
of Liberty on behalf of the U.S., October 28th, 1886
Introduction
A symbol stands for an idea. The Statue of Liberty
stands in Upper New York Bay, a universal symbol of freedom. Originally conceived
as an emblem of the friendship between the people of France and the U.S. and a
sign of their mutual desire for liberty, over the years the Statue has become
much more. It is the Mother of Exiles, greeting millions of immigrants and embodying
hope and opportunity for those seeking a better life in America. It stirs the
desire for freedom in people all over the world. It represents the United States
itself. How was the Statue of Liberty designed to be a symbol? How have
circumstances enhanced its meaning? Help clarify the nature of symbols for your
students as they study the Statue of Liberty, complete research on a national
symbol, and use their research to communicate a message of their own.
Learning Objectives
After completing the lessons in this unit, students
will be able to: - Identify symbols used to depict Americans' shared values,
principles and beliefs, and explain their meaning.
- List specific symbols
in the design of the Statue of Liberty.
- Use a symbol to communicate an
idea.
Guiding Questions: What is a
symbol? What are some of our national symbols? How do specific meanings get attached
to a symbol? How can a symbol be used to communicate an idea?
Preparing to Teach this Lesson
Suggested Activities Lesson 1: Isn't
It Symbolic? Lesson
2: A Mighty Woman with a Torch Lesson
3: Built-In Symbols Lesson
4: Using the Symbol Lesson
5: Choose a Symbol, Any Symbol Lesson
6: Create a Symbol Lesson
7: The United States Symbol Extending
the Lesson
Lesson 1 Isn't It Symbolic?
As a class, review what a symbol is and identify examples of symbols in
the classroom. Explain to students that a symbol brings to mind an idea. Over
the years, a symbol tends to take on a meaning related to its history, function
or appearance. For example, Bartholdi, the designer of the Statue of Liberty,
knew that for most people chains represent tyranny; likewise, a broken chain symbolizes
freedom. These associations were built in to the Statue during its creation.
Ideas can also be gradually transferred to an object over time. In this way,
an object can take on new, sometimes unintended meanings. As millions of immigrants
found themselves welcomed to America by the Statue of Liberty, it became associated
with their struggle for freedom and desire for a better life. In 1989, Chinese
students demonstrating in Tianemen Square made a model of the Statue of Liberty
to symbolize their revolution. When you see the Statue of Liberty, you may simply
see one of the largest statues ever built, or you may associate it with universal
qualities of freedom or democracy, or you may have personal feelings about it
based on your own experiences. If possible, give students the opportunity
to explore an interactive
lesson on symbols, available on the EDSITEment-reviewed website The
Metropolitan Museum of Art's Explore and Learn. If access to technology is
limited, adapt the lesson for direct instruction by downloading and duplicating
the image of one or both statues; then use the museum activity as a guide to your
discussion. Larger images of the statues referenced in this lesson are
also available:
Lesson 2 A Mighty Woman with a Torch
Have students brainstorm what they already know about the Statue of Liberty.
Write all ideas on the chalkboard or a large piece of paper. With the brainstormed
ideas displayed, encourage further discussion with these questions: - Why
does the statue face away from the U.S. if
it is a symbol of liberty? (Note: The statue faces France as a symbol of the enduring
friendship between the two countries. This positioning was fortuitous because
the statue was subsequently viewed by more than 12 million immigrants as they
entered the U.S., making it one of the first things they saw in America.)
- What do people use torches for? What does the torch make you think about the
statue?
- Who uses a crown? What does the crown make you think
about the statue?
- How does the tremendous size of the statue
affect the way you feel about it?
- Why are so many people are
familiar with the Statue of Liberty? Why are so many people aware of what it represents?
Kid-friendly
background information on the Statue of Liberty is available on America's
Library, via a link from the EDSITEment resource American
Memory, and on Ben's
Guide to U.S. Government for Kids and The
National Park Service, two links from the EDSITEment resource The
Internet Public Library.
Lesson 3 Built-In Symbols
The class is now ready to take a detailed look at the Statue, beginning
with its symbol-packed design. Divide the class into five groups. Have each group
look closely at one of the following images of the statue from the EDSITEment
resource American Memory
and record the details each group member observes: Have each group share its photo
and observations. What details about the Statue did the students note that were
not mentioned during the brainstorming session in Lesson
2? The tablet, axe, broken chains, seven rays in the crown, 25 windows? Hypothesize
about their meaning.
Lesson 4 Using the Symbol
Using the Symbol
Now your students will look at some examples of how the Statue of Liberty
has been used for its symbolism. As a class, analyze one or all of the archival
materials listed below. (Note: The first item, Emma Lazarus's famous poem, "The
New Colossus," contains difficult language that will probably require teacher
direction; the remaining items are digital images of photographs, posters and
song sheets.) As students review the items, they should ask: Why did the creator
choose to use the Statue of Liberty as a symbol? What message does the Statue
of Liberty communicate in each instance? Poetry
- The
New Colossus, available from the EDSITEment resource American
Verse Project
Written by Emma Lazarus in 1883 as a fundraiser for the
Bartholdi Pedestal Fund, the poem is inscribed on a bronze plaque that was placed
on the interior wall of the pedestal in 1903. Concentrate on elements of the statue
the class has discussed that are mentioned in the poem (e.g., torch, size, location
in the harbor). What does the poet emphasize about the statue? Why do students
think this poem was inscribed on the pedestal of the statue?
Sheet Music - Liberty
1916
Both the cover sheet and the lyrics are of interest. What does the
songwriter say liberty is? In 1916, there was a war going on in Europe. Do you
think the songwriter would have been in favor of having the U.S. enter the war?
- When
you come back: and you will come back, there's the whole world waiting for you;
March song 1918
Of special interest is the cover sheet with songwriter
George M. Cohan's picture flanked by images of the Statue of Liberty and the Capitol.
Why did Cohan, a very famous entertainer of his day, place his picture on the
cover between the two symbols? Why did he choose the Statue of Liberty for the
cover of this song written for soldiers going off to fight in World War I?
Posters
Photos - "Human Statue of Liberty. 18,000 Officers and Men at Camp
Dodge, Des Moines, Iowa. Colonel William Newman, Commanding. Colonel Rush S. Wells,
Directing. Mole & Thomas. (NWDNS-165-WW-521B(1)) 09/1918." (Locate the image by
searching for the terms "Human" and "Statue" in NAIL
on the EDSITEment resource The
Digital Classroom.)
This 1918 photo depicts a "human statue of liberty"
composed of 18,000 officers and men at Camp Dodge in Des Moines, Iowa. This is
an interesting picture, but why was this chosen as an activity for troops training
for World War I?
- "The announcing of the armistice on November
11, 1918, was the occasion for a monster celebration in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Thousands massed on all sides of a replica of the Statue of Liberty on Broad Street,
and cheered unceasingly. Philadelphia Public Ledger." (Locate the image by searching
for the terms "replica" and "Statue of Liberty" in NAIL
on the EDSITEment resource The
Digital Classroom.)
Why celebrate the end of World War I with this Statue?
- "Liberty Enlightening the World (circa 1920)" (Locate the image by searching
for the exact phrase "Liberty Enlightening the World" on the EDSITEment resource
American Memory.)
From what vantage point does the photograph appear to have been taken? Why did
the photographer frame the photo with the window? Who else got to see the Statue
of Liberty this way? What is the message of the photo?
- Locate
the following photos in the NAIL
Standard Search on the EDSITEment resource The
Digital Classroom by searching for the exact titles:
- "Trash
covers dumping area designated as a future park (Liberty State Park). Statue of
Liberty appears in background."
- "A view of the Statue of Liberty seldom
seen by tourists-trash-littered dumping ground is proposed Liberty State Park."
- "Oil
slick surrounds the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor."
(Please note that, today, over a quarter century of local citizen activity and vigilance has created, protected, and nurtured Liberty State Park, which opened on June 14, 1976, and is the busiest state-operated urban park in the USA. More than 4 million visitors a year and countless wildlfe now enjoy its many pleasures, and individuals and organizations continue to support the park's future as "a free, green and non-commercial, urban waterfront oasis."-- From the Liberty State Park website).
What
message does each photograph send? How does the image of the Statue of Liberty
in each picture help the photographer get across that message?
Lesson 5 Choose a Symbol, Any Symbol
In this lesson, students will work in small groups to research another
familiar symbol of the U.S. Their goal is to understand the history of the symbol
and to gain an appreciation for its significance. Have each group choose a symbol
(some examples are listed below) and locate information about it online or in
the library. To get started, students can peruse the following resources available
through EDSITEment. All are general in nature and searchable, except for The Internet
Public Library, which is organized as a directory. Here are some sources of information on specific symbols—most
designed for young people—available through EDSITEment:
The Alamo Link from American
Memory American Flag Links
from American Memory
Links from The
Internet Public Library Bald Eagle
Links from The Internet Public
Library Empire State Building
Link from American Memory
Liberty Bell
Links from The Internet Public
Library Taps
Link from The Internet Public
Library Uncle Sam
Links from The Internet Public
Library Link from American
Memory
Lesson 6 Create a Symbol
Continuing to work in small groups, students will now create a poster
that conveys a message using the national symbol they researched in Lesson
5. Each group will share its poster, clarifying its message and the reason
behind the choice of symbol and design. In preparing to create their posters,
the students should become familiar with some of the design principles illustrated
by the following posters: Point out such design features as:
- a limited amount of words
- a few large images
- one color
used for words that go together
- even lettering in straight lines
- a
limited number of colors used
- particular use of the national symbol
Using
a rubric designed with your students' skill level, class curriculum, and specific
goals for this assignment in mind will help your students understand what is expected
of them and how they will be evaluated. The following is a sample rubric you may
wish to use when designing your own. This rubric is designed to demonstrate the
kinds of standards by which one teacher might evaluate posters and presentations;
it is not intended to set a universal standard for what makes a good poster. Review
your particular standards in class before students begin working on their posters.
NOTE: Exemplary posters will include all of the positive qualities of very
good and satisfactory posters. Click
here to download the rubric in rich-text format.
Using a rubric designed with your students' skill level, class curriculum, and specific goals for this assignment in mind will help your students understand what is expected of them and how they will be evaluated.
Lesson 7 The United States Symbol
As a culminating activity, assess students' understanding of symbols and
their use in depicting Americans' shared values, principles and beliefs with a
brief writing assignment. Ask students to list some American symbols and what
they represent. Then, have students select a symbol that they believe to be the
symbol of the U.S. and explain their choice. As a follow-up to this lesson,
ask students to make note of any movies, books, magazines, documentaries, etc.,
they see that include some reference to the Statue of Liberty (or any other symbol
discussed in the lesson). Have them explain to the class the feelings the reference
intended to conjure.
Extending the Lesson - Students interested in the construction of the
Statue of Liberty should be fascinated by the 230 photos available through the
EDSITEment resource American
Memory's Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering
Record. These pictures reveal the interior structure of the statue and the restoration
that was completed in 1986.
- Emma Lazarus's poem, "The New Colossus,"
alludes to the Colossus of Rhodes. Lazarus's allusion to the ancient wonder adds
information to the poem, which begins by telling the reader that although the
statues are similar (almost exactly the same height, for example), there are important
differences. In this way, Lazarus transfers ideas one associates with the Colossus
of Rhodes to the Statue of Liberty. Students might be interested in learning more
about the Colossus of Rhodes and sharing with the class the ways in which it compares
with and contrasts from the Statue of Liberty.
- If your school
has a music teacher, he or she may be able to help the students learn one of the
songs from the sheet music in Lesson
4. The EDSITEment resource American
Memory contains a searchable collection of many digitized versions of sheet
music from various periods.
- Students may be interested in learning
more about the creation of the Statue of Liberty. Both the initial construction
and restoration of the Statue of Liberty involved public fundraising. One significant
chapter in the history of the Statue was the difficulty experienced in raising
funds for the American commitment to build the pedestal. Though the statue was
intended to be dedicated in 1876 to celebrate the Centennial, its dedication was
delayed, partially because of a lack of funds. The newspaper publisher Joseph
Pulitzer is credited with using the power of the press to motivate the American
public.
On the EDSITEment resource American
Memory, students can read about one fundraiser in which small replicas of
the statue were sold for a dollar. Search by title for "The Great Statue of Liberty
and the Pedestal Fund. [Manufacturer and builder / Volume 17, Issue 6, June 1885]."
Students can also read a contemporary account of the dedication ceremony by searching
for "The Nineteenth Century in Print: Periodicals: The Inauguration of Bartholdi's
Liberty Statue. [Manufacturer and builder / Volume 18, Issue 11, November 1886]."
A
detailed account of the statue's origins, as well as information about the
centennial restoration of the statue and the many individuals
associated with the Statue of Liberty are accessible through The
National Park Service website, a link from the EDSITEment resource The
Internet Public Library.
- Understanding the statue's history
requires reviewing the history of the relationship between France and the U.S.,
beginning with the American Revolution. More information on this relationship
can be found at Ben's
Guide to U.S. Government for Kids, a link from the EDSITEment-reviewed website
The Internet Public Library.
- The Statue of Liberty is closely linked to the history of immigrants who entered
America through Ellis Island, a fruitful topic for student research. The EDSITEment
resource American Memory
features a lesson
on immigration (with information
for the teacher).
For more information on Ellis Island, visit these
links from the EDSITEment resource The
Internet Public Library:
Students might also be interested in viewing and
analyzing the film "An American Tail," which features an immigration storyline
and images of the Statue of Liberty.
- Students with access to
technology can search the websites listed below for examples of the use of other
national symbols in photos and posters.
Selected EDSITEment Websites -
American Memory
http://memory.loc.gov/ -
America's Library
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/ -
American Verse Project
http://www.hti.umich.edu/english/amverse/
-
The Digital Classroom National Archives and Records Administration
http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/index.html
- History
Matters
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/ -
The Internet Public Library
http://www.ipl.org -
Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids, Grades 3-5
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/symbols/index.html
-
Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids, Grades K-2
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/k-2/symbols/ladyliberty.html
- Department
of Veteran Affairs Home Page
http://www.va.gov/index.htm -
Celebrating America's Freedoms
http://www1.va.gov/opa/feature/celebrate/index.asp
- The
National Park Service Statue of Liberty Page
http://www.nps.gov/stli/
-
The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Explore and Learn
http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/index.asp
Other Resources
Recommended readings from American
Memory - Brill, Marlene Targ. "Building the Capital City." N.Y.: Children's
Press, 1996.
- D'Alelio, Jane. "I Know That Building!" Washington, D.C.:
The Preservation Press, 1989.
- Fradin, Dennis Brindell. "From Sea to Shining
Sea: Washington, D.C." Chicago: Children's Press, 1992.
- Lawlor, Veronica,
ed. "I Was Dreaming to Come to America: Memories from the Ellis Island Oral History
Project." N.Y.: Viking, 1995.
- Quiri, Patricia Ryon. "The White House."
N.Y.: Franklin Watts, 1996.
- Reynolds, Patrick M. "A Cartoon History of
the District of Columbia." Willow Street, Pa.: The Red Rose Studio, 1995.
- Sandler,
Martin W. "Immigrants. A Library of Congress Book." N.Y.: HarperCollins, 1995.
- Schackburg,
Richard. "Yankee Doodle." N.Y.: Half Moon Books, 1994.
- Spier, Peter. "The
Star-Spangled Banner." N.Y.: Dell, 1973.
- Young, Robert. "A Personal Tour
of Monticello." Minneapolis: Lerner, 1999.
Recommended reading from Carol
Hurst's Children's Literature Site, a link from The
Internet Public Library - Hesse, Karen. "Letters from Rifka." Reprint
edition: Puffin, November 1993.
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