Download FP5 AU TS Flanders Field Propaganda LP

Course/Grade Level: Intervention Reading 6/7/8
Lesson Title: Poppies: A Poetry and Propaganda Lesson on Symbolism
Teacher: Trisha Singer
1. Set Induction: I will schedule this lesson so that I can plant my poppy seeds and have
them blooming when I teach the lesson. As a class we will begin by creating a mind map
of occasions when flowers are given. (ie. Births, deaths, graduations, promotions, illness,
dance, date, etc.)
2. Aims/Objectives and Standards:
District 205 Social Studies Standard
HISTORY
Analyze and interpret historical stories and events using primary source documents,
timelines, images, maps, media, literary works, and non-literary works. SS7-04
Common Core State Standard
Reading
CC.6.R.L.2 Key Ideas and Details: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it
is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from
personal opinions or judgments.
3. Procedures, Assessments and Materials Required:
• My students may have limited background knowledge about WWI. We will take a
look at casualty numbers for wars before WWI to have a point of comparison.
This US Military site provides an easy to read chart that the students can
reference.
http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/american%20war%20casualty.htm#t1
• They will also be introduced to the Allied and Axis powers and the treaties that
brought them together. This is not intended to be a Social Studies Lesson on the
causes of WWI. I just want my students to realize why this war was so different
from wars before it.
• Introduce Lt. John McCrae- Canadian Soldier fighting in France: Bio and intro
source http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/history/firstwar/mccrae/flanders.
• Introduce Document –Poem “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae. This website
has a brief intro along with a photo and the poem.
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/flanders.htm Read poem.
• Share Document- Poppy field photograph from National WWI Museum. Explain
that each of the 9,000 poppies represents 1,000 combatants (9 million in total).
• Discuss the reality of trench warfare. Document- Flanders Field Panoramic
Photograph.
• War propaganda uses poppies to represent fallen soldiers and sacrifice.
Document- Victory Liberty Loans Poster. These flowers are being used to elicit a
strong reaction from the viewer. They are meant to feel moved to buy the bonds
because so many men gave their lives- what is just a little money to support the
•
war effort. Class discussion of propaganda and effective use of symbolism to
elicit emotions and motivate the viewers. Create a list of powerful contemporary
advertisements/propaganda.
Assessment: Create a propaganda/advertisement that includes an image. Your
objective is to elicit from the reader/viewer one of these three emotions: Fear,
Happiness and Sadness. What images/symbols will you use? How could you
represent fear, happiness and sadness visually as well as with words? A
suggestion would be to choose something like animal rights, political positions, or
any other controversial topic to give you a strong place to start from. Your
finished poster must include color and have a title. Do not include your emotion
in words. You will be scored based on if the viewer can feel the emotion as they
look at your poster.
4. Resources and Scholarship: Websites www.loc.gov and www.theworldwar.org as well
as all sites listed above.
Granfield, L., (2005). Where the poppies grow: A world war I companion. Fitzhenry and
Whiteside.
5. Conclusion/Lesson Wrap-up: Students will share their propaganda posters with the
class. Their classmates will rate the posters on their overall impact, use of symbolism and
the ability to make the viewer feel the desired emotion. Attached is the rating sheet.
Name of Reviewer: _________________________ Title of Poster: _____________________________ Propaganda Poster Rating Sheet Directions: Circle the answer that you feel the work has earned. Overall Impact 1. How strong was your reaction to this poster initially? 1 2 3 4 5 Use of Symbolism 1. How effectively did the poster utilize symbolism? 1 2. 2 3 4 5 What was one symbol used? ____________________________________ Emotional Response 1. Could you identify the emotion that the poster was trying to elicit? YES / NO 2. What do you think the emotion of the poster was? FEAR HAPPINESS SADNESS