The Progressive Era: Salvation Dinners

Lesson

1. As an opener, provide students with CAUSE/EFFECT chart for immigration/industrialization/urbanization. Give students about five minutes to fill in as much of this chart as they can using their prior knowledge (see paragraph at beginning of lesson).
   • What factors led to the increased immigration to the United States during the late 1800s? (Why were people leaving their homes in Europe and coming to the US and specifically to New York )?
   • What factors led to increased industrialization during the 1890s (What new inventions/technology/ways of running factories were developed in the late 1800s)?
   • What factors led to increased urbanization during the late 1800s (Why did cities grow so quickly)?
   • What were some of the effects of each of these (immigration/industrialization/ urbanization) on city life in the US and specifically New York City (How did these things change New York City )?

 

SLIDE 1 (PPT)

Each discussion question below includes, in parentheses, a rewording of the question in “student language” for increased discussion of topic. The PowerPoint for this lesson uses the “student language” questions.

SLIDE 2 (PPT)

1. Flash overhead or computerized picture of modern-day Salvation Army bell-ringer (see included PPT)/Ask these questions:
   • What do you see in this picture?
   • What are the people doing/Why are they doing these things?
   • What time of year is this and how do you know?
   • What is this organization called?
   • Why do you think it is called an “army?”

SLIDE 3

(PPT)
1. Flash the John Sloan piece Salvation Dinners on the overhead or PPT.
To begin “digesting” the images in the piece, provide students with 10-15 minutes to complete the Illustration Analysis Worksheet (as a class, individually or in pairs depending upon dynamics of class—see master and answer key) and discuss answers.

SLIDE 4

(PPT)
1. Flash PPT for note-taking on John Sloan and Salvation Dinners (teacher can have students take notes or simply use this PPT to conduct the SOAP exercise—at the very end of this lesson is additional information regarding Sloan and Salvation Dinners for your reference to add commentary to student comments). In addition, provide students with SOAP graphic organizer (also see included answer key).

 

1. Follow through the SOAP method either as a class, individually, or in pairs depending upon class dynamics. (for some added fun, place a time limit (12-15 minutes) on groups/pairs. Provide small pieces of candy for the first three sets of groups/pairs that SUCCESSFULLY complete SOAP graphic. Be sure you have your answer key with you for reference).

 

1. Discuss SOAP with class by asking students responses from the SOAP chart.

 

1. Project the Sloan piece (back to slide 3) once more on the overhead or PPT. In addition, project the “Visual Arts Questions for Discussing Salvation Dinners (see attachment)” on the overhead projector or write questions on the board. Discuss with class. (Again for some added fun, build some competition into this by using groups/pairs and time limits with candy for prizes).

 

1. Computer Lab Work! (see attachment for teacher (attachment 8) and student (attachment 9))

 

(See Computer Extension Assignment Sheet for Students)

 

1. Cause/Effect Charts (attachment 1)
2. Illustration Analysis Worksheets (attachment 2)
3. Overhead of SOAP Questions (attachment 3)
4. SOAP Charts (attachment 4)
5. Overhead of Visual Arts Questions for Discussing Salvation Dinners (attachment 5)
6. Cooperative Learning Analysis Rubric (attachment 6)
7. Computer Lab Work Activity Sheet--for teacher (attachment 7)
8. Computer Lab Work Activity Sheet--for student (attachment 8)

Answer Keys for all handouts (included on additional attachments included with this lesson-- NO answer key provided for attachments 3, 5-8)

 

 

Visuals	Text
1. List the object/people you see in the illustration.	A. Rewrite the illustration caption and/or title:
2. Which objects/people on your list symbolize other things? (ex: heart symbolizes love)	B. List the words in the illustration (not all illustrations have words):
3. Describe the action happening in the illustration:	C. Record any important dates/numbers:
4. List adjectives that describe the emotions of the people in the illustration:	D. How do any of the words/phrases/dates help you understand the illustration?
Create a quick blackline sketch of the illustration for future reference:

Visuals	Text
1. List the object/people you see in the illustration. Lady with a hat, a kettle, and a sign, a man looking at the sign, another smaller sign. A car in the upper left corner, lots of people in background.	A. Rewrite the illustration caption and/or title: N/A
2. Which objects/people on your list symbolize other things? (ex: heart symbolizes love) Car and people in it represent the rich, background people represent majority of people living in NYC at the time—poor immigrants/factory workers. Man may represent middle class people. Lady represents help/reform. Kettle represents help/reform , too.	B. List the words in the illustration (not all illustrations have words): On her sign – Salvation Army, 25, 000 Christmas Dinners On sign to right: Coming . . . Theatre, December 15.
3. Describe the action happening in the illustration: Lady is ringing a bell probably calling people to donate to Salvation Army kettle. Rich people driving by quickly. People in background crowding together probably for warmth. Wind is blowing harshly. Man is turned back looking at sign and reaching into his pocket hopefully for a donation.	C. Record any important dates/numbers: 25,000 December 15
4. List adjectives that describe the emotions of the people in the illustration: Lady – hopeful Man – hesitant Dreary	D. How do any of the words/phrases/dates help you understand the illustration? Date (Dec 15) tells us that it is Christmas Time. New York is very cold at this time of year. Christmas Time is usually the time we see more charities out collecting donations. 25,000 tells us that many people need help and assistance Also, the number tells us the goal of the Salvation Army in New York City at this time. Theatre sign tells us that the city is choosing to spend money on things other than helping its poor/homeless.
Create a quick blackline sketch of the illustration for future reference:

 

 

 

1. Does this look like a happy or a sad picture?
2. How would the tone of the image change if Sloan used color?
3. What technique does Sloan use to show movement (How do you know it is windy)?
4. Through the use of shading (contrasts of light/dark strokes) Sloan show definition of some faces but not others.
5. Which faces can you see clearly? Whose faces are blurred with shading?
6. The two people in the foreground are more defined through darker and more numerous lines, why did Sloan do this?
7. Do you think this piece looks like a finished product or part of a process piece of art?
8. Sloan had available to him all sorts of mediums. Why do you think he continuously chose to show many of his interpretations of life through etchings?
9. What do you think Sloan is saying about life in New York City during the early 1900s?

Attachment 6
Name: ___________________________________
Date: _____________
Partner's Name:____________________________

SOAP and The Progressive Era – Partner Evaluation
Directions : Now that you have finished your project, please take the time to evaluate your partner's contributions. Carefully answer the following items:

Scoring: 0 = not at all
1 = sometimes
2 = often

____ 1. My partner helped to organize our focus and time.

____ 2. My partner stayed on task with the assignment.

____ 3. My partner listened to my ideas.

____ 4. My partner shared their own ideas.

____ 5. My partner shared materials.

____ 6. My partner asked me for help when he/she did not understand something.

____ 7. My partner offered suggestions/was helpful.

____ 8. My partner found/helped fix mistakes in our work.

____ 9. My partner followed through on their share/part of the project.

____ 10. My partner did their fair share of the work.


Do you feel like your partner contributed as much time and effort to the project as you? Explain.





Attachment 7 - Computer Lab Learning—Extension Activity

This activity is designed to be worked in pairs and should be completed on computers independently of the teacher. The due date should be determined by the teacher. The suggested websites are provided in this handout and on the student handout.

Objective for Activity:
•  Use the SOAP Method and Internet resources to independently analyze political illustrations/etches to:
1. explain why cities grew in the late 1800s,
2. list the hazards faced by city dwellers, or
3. describe how reformers helped to improve city life

Short Description of the Activity:
This activity asks students to use the SOAP method to independently find, examine and report upon an image from a set of given websites (provided by teacher) that is related to the 1890s-1900s era of rapid industrialization/immigration/urbanization.

History/Social Science Skills Addressed: •  Cause/Effect Determination Skills •  Illustration Analysis Skills •  SOAP Analysis Skills •  Internet Navigation Skills •  Microsoft PowerPoint Skills •  Cooperative Learning Skills •  Writing Skills

Arts Skills Addressed: •  Examine and describe or report on the role of a work of art created to make a social comment or protest social conditions.

Sequence for Students:

1. Assign or allow students to form groups of 2.
2. Provide students with Assignment Sheet (see attached)
3. Allow students about 20 minutes to search the websites to find an image they would like to SOAP and report upon.
4. When students are ready, they must get your approval signature upon their assignment sheet (this way you can insure that all groups have different pictures).
5. Students begin filling in their assignment sheet with the name of the piece and the URL.
6. Students then SOAP the piece (this is where they will use that second SOAP chart)
7. Students then connect their piece to the topic of the lesson (industrialization/immigration/ urbanization) by writing a paragraph regarding the piece (see Student Handout for prompt)
8. Students create a PowerPoint Presentation of their image, their SOAP, and their paragraph.

Materials Needed:
•  Computer Lab(s) with Internet Access
•  SOAP Charts (1 per group or 1 per student if you wish)
•  Grading Rubric
•  Cooperative Learning Analysis Rubric (for students to fill in regarding their partners)

Assessment:
•  Teacher will collect the SOAP charts as well as the assignment sheets that the students filled in as they completed the process of their projects. The students will complete a PowerPoint Presentation as well as a paragraph within that presentation that adequately connects their image back to the topic of the Standard 8.12.5.
•  See Grading Rubric for easy assessment.
•  Teacher's Choice: Have the kids present their piece to the class, ask the best presentations to be presented by students, you can present them to the class or do not present at all—depending upon your time limit)

Additional Tips:

1. Assign students a computer number and save the PPT under their names ahead of time.
2. If possible, have computers ready to go on the Internet and with blank PPT templates saved and ready for the students to work.
3. Provide students time limits along the way (ex: 20 minutes to find image, 20 minutes to SOAP image). From here, students can work on their own outside of class to finish the PPT and the paragraph.
4. It is best to assign the pairs based upon ability—don't pair two students who are unfamiliar with using computers—pair stronger students with less strong students).
5. Suggest that students get the telephone numbers of their partners.
6. Be sure to provide manageable due date.
7. Be sure you have enough SOAP charts for each group/student.
8. The Grading Rubric includes two rubrics per page—be sure to count appropriately before copying, and cut the paper in half (this principle also applies to the students' Partner Evaluation Form).
9. To use the paragraph rubric simply mark an X (or highlight) on the appropriate box for each item, then add up the scores OR use your own paragraph rubric.
10. Have a backup activity in case the computers are not working—tell kids this plan before entering the lab.
11. Tell students behavioral expectations before entering the lab.
12. Be sure you are familiar enough with computers to help students in need.
13. If computers are not available, you may find the images yourself, print and laminate them, and ask students to make a booklet or flipchart instead or a PPT presentation, they can complete a quick sketch of their image for “Slide 1” of their presentation.

 

Task: You must choose an image from one of the websites listed on this assignment sheet. You must SOAP the piece using your SOAP Graphic Organizer. Furthermore, you must gather the image, your SOAP analysis, and your written paragraph regarding the image into a PowerPoint Presentation. You may need to conduct further research regarding the artist and/or the image in order to effectively SOAP your image. You can use the back of this assignment sheet for any notes.

Group Members:
1.
2.

Teacher Approval of Image:_________________________________

Name of Piece for SOAP:

Website URL:

SOAP it!

• Using a SOAP Graphic Organizer, SOAP your chosen piece.

Write it!

• Decide which of these categories your piece of art is an example of:

1. why cities grew in the late 1800s
2. hazards faced by city dwellers in the late 1800s
3. how reformers helped to improve city life in the early 1900s

Just as John Sloan's image “Salvation Dinners” provided an active commentary about life in New York City during the early 1900s, in a well-crafted paragraph, discuss your image and what it shows us about life in the cities of the United States in the late 1800s or early 1900s (remember to focus on one of the three topics above and use your Prior knowledge)?

Create it!
Create a PowerPoint presentation with the following four slides:

• Be sure to use background color, animation, and slide transitions in your presentation.
• Use Titles on your slides.
• Be sure you edit your presentation for completeness and accuracy (including grammar/spelling/punctuation).

Artist

About John Sloan (1871 – 1951)

John Sloan was born in 1871 in Pennsylvania , growing up in a world of fine books and illustrations. His great uncle had a large library, which included folios of Hogarth (English artist) and prints and books illustrated by fine art illustrators Cruikshank and Dore. This early exposure to fine art illustrators had a great influence on his later graphic style. At sixteen his father's business failed, and he left school to work and to help support the family. Sloan's first job was as an assistant cashier in a firm, which sold books, greeting cards and fine prints. At this time he taught himself to etch, a printmaking technique.

In 1892 Sloan joined the staff of a Philadelphia newspaper ( The Inquirer ) where he created illustrations to accompany feature stories. This was the heyday of newspaper illustrators, and dozens of young Philadelphia artists worked for the various newspapers of the period. Among Sloan's associates were artists William Glackens, George Luks and Everett Shinn. He also developed a friendship with artist Robert Henri. By 1904 the newspaper boom for illustrators was passing, and Sloan left Philadelphia for New York where his circle of artist friends were establishing themselves.

Sloan began making etchings and paintings of New York genre scenes (scenes from everyday life), but received some harsh criticism. His work was attacked for a commonness of subject matter a lack of beauty. In 1908 Sloan and Henri, Glackens, Luks, Shinn and three other artists held an exhibition of their paintings in the Macbeth Gallery. They called themselves The Eight. The critics dubbed them the Ash Can School for their paintings of New York City life in all its grittiness.

While sketching the vibrant life of New York , Sloan became increasingly political, and in 1908, he and his wife became involved with the Socialist Party. He began to contribute drawings to Socialist publications such as The Call and Progressive Woman . In 1912, he became the new art director for the Socialist magazine The Masses , contributing numerous drawings of city-life to the publication. Often his images were editorial from humorous, satirical drawings of local issues to powerful, visual indictments of social injustice. However, after two years Sloan began to withdraw from the periodical and the Party. In 1916 he resigned from The Masses and joined the faculty of the Art Students League of New York. He died at the age of 80 in 1951.

Artwork

About Salvation Dinners, 1909

• 

John Sloan, who produced over 300 prints, enjoyed the printmaking process, especially etching. In the etching process the design is cut into a layer of wax or varnish on a copper plate. After the design has been completed, the plate is immersed in acid, which etches, or eats away, the exposed metal. Leaving the plate in acid for a shorter time will make light lines, while leaving the plate in for a longer time will make dark lines. After the plate is completely etched, the ink is forced into the etched areas of the warmed plate. Then, the ink on the surface of the plate is wiped off (it stays in the etched areas of the design). Finally, paper is placed on the plate and passed through a heavy press. The paper is forced into the etched and inked areas and the ink transfers to the paper. In an etching, the inked lines actually rise above the surface of the paper. Because of his prints Sloan is ranked as one of America 's great 20th century printmakers.

Sloan's scene features two figures, one on each side of a kettle hanging from a tripod under a sign that reads, “2500 Christmas Dinners.” The Salvation Army kettle was adopted as a collections vessel for donations in the early 1900s. A Salvation Army volunteer is identified by the bell she rings. Her bonnet and cape represent the uniform worn by volunteers from 1890-1910. By contrasting the wealthy couple in the open-air car with the crowds and Salvation Army volunteers, Salvation Dinners provides a glimpse of the economic polarization that existed in many turn-of-the century urban environments.

Context

About America During Sloan's Time

America 's industrial growth, begun in the early 1800s and was centered in Northern cities which boomed after the Civil War. New business opportunities centered in cities, and the rising manufacturing industries created here lured hundreds of thousands of people from the countryside with the promise of jobs. Some Americans became very wealthy, while others lived in extreme poverty. The wide disparity between the rich and the poor as well as the major shift in the American way of life stirred discontent. A strong desire for reform swept through America during the late 1800s and the early 1900s. Reformers wanted to reduce poverty, improve living conditions for the poor and regulate industry. A group of writers and journalists called muckrakers , published stories about problems such as child labor, racial discrimination and corruption. They raised public awareness of social problems and helped prepare the way for many reforms.

About The Salvation Army

William Booth, a Christian minister and founder of The Salvation Army, held a series of meetings in 1865 in the East End of London, England, and became an instant success. Thieves, prostitutes, gamblers and drunkards, the truly down and outs of society, were his first converts. His mission was to advance the Christian religion and education, to relieve poverty, and to perform charitable work, like setting up soup kitchens for the homeless. To the desperately poor, Booth preached hope and salvation. In 1867 Booth had only 10 volunteers, but by 1874 he had 1,000 volunteers and 42 preachers. In 1878 he and his volunteers became known as The Salvation Army. In 1879 Lieutenant Eliza Shirley called the first meeting of The Salvation Army in America , held in Philadelphia . Within three years, the Salvation Army in America had expanded their service from coast to coast, serving the needs of the urban poor.