Historical Literacy Guide:

History

AMERICANIZATION

Table of Contents

Introduction

ObjectLiteracy...............................................................................................3

ThinkingLikeaHistorian................................................................................4

BackgroundInformation............................................................................................5

ImagesfortheClassroom..........................................................................................6

StudentActivity.......................................................................................................7

DictionaryEntries....................................................................................................8

Teacher-ledStudentInquiryandAnalysisQuestions....................................................9

BibliographyandAdditionalResources.....................................................................10

Reflection..............................................................................................................11

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Object Literacy: Learning from ObjectsTheWisconsinHistoricalMuseum,aspartoftheWisconsinHistoricalSociety,has

developedthefollowingguidetoassistintheteachingofstandardsforsocialstudies.

Byfocusingonobjects,artifacts,maps,photographsandotherprimarysourcesfromits

collection,studentswillbeabletoredefinehowtheylearnfromobjectsandfromhistory.

Object-based learning is

•Usingavarietyofobjectsascentraltothedevelopmentoflessonconcepts

•Utilizingobjectsthroughposingandinvestigatingquestions

•Utilizingwell-thought-outinitialquestionstostimulatefurthercriticalthinking

•Usingstudents’naturalinterestandinclinationforquestion-posingtoguide

instructioninallsubjects

•Leadingstudentstotheirownanswersbyrespondingtoopenendedquestions

and/orreturningthestudents’focustotheobject

•Student-directedlearningfollowingpathscreatedbythestudents

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4

TLH CATEGORIES

CAUSE AND EFFECT

CHANGE AND CONTINUITY

TURNING POINTS

USING THE PAST

THROUGH THEIR EYES

Thinking Like a Historian: Rethinking History Instruction

and Common Core State Standards Initiative

Thinking Like a Historian: Rethinking History InstructionbyNikkiMandellandBobbie

Maloneisateachingandlearningframeworkthatexplainstheessentialelementsof

historyandprovides“how-to”examplesforbuildinghistoricalliteracyinclassroomsat

allgradelevels.Withpracticalexamples,engagingandeffectivelessonsandclassroom

activitiesthattietoessentialquestions,Thinking Like a Historianprovidesaframework

toenhanceandimproveteachingandlearninghistory.

Thinking Like a Historian: Rethinking History Instruction

(TLH) inquiry-based educational theoryprovidesacommon

languageforeducatorsandstudents.Thetheoryallowsfor

theeducationalprocesstobecombinedwithcategoriesof

inquirywhichpromotehistoricalliteracy.

ItistheintentoftheWisconsinHistoricalMuseumthat

thisguideserveseducatorsandstudentsinproviding

object-basedlessonstobeusedaftervisitingand

experiencingthemuseumonafieldtrip.Ourfieldtrips

supportCommon Core English Language Arts Standards

forReading:InformationalTextandSpeaking&Listening

standardsaswellasCCSSforEnglishLanguageArts&

LiteracyinHistory/SocialStudies.

Educatorsshouldusethisguideasapost-museum

visitactivity.Itwillcontinuetochallengestudentsto

“ThinkLikeaHistorian”byencouragingthemtothink

critically,makepersonalconnectionswithhistory,andto

evaluateinformationbyasking“why”,“how”,andmost

importantly,“Howdoyouknow?”

Background Information

“Americanization”isatermusedtodenoteattemptsmadebyofficialsandsocial

workerstointroduceanAmericanlifestyletoimmigrantsandNativeAmericans.Schools,

settlementhouses,andotherserviceprogramsencouragedminoritygroupstoadoptthe

valuesandpracticesofmainstream,English-speakingAmericans.

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Americanization Pageant, 1919 (WHi Image ID: 5348).Scene from Poale Zion Chasidim, an Americanization pageant, held in a Milwaukee auditorium to welcome Milwaukee’s new citizens.

Images for the Classroom

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Student Activity

Resources:

The Dictionary of Wisconsin History: Americanization

www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=9110

The Dictionary of Wisconsin History: Bennett Law

www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=831

Askstudentstobrainstormanexplanationofwhattheythink“Americanization”means.

Selectstudentstosharethesedefinitionswiththeclass.ThenshareDictionaryof

WisconsinHistoryentriesforAmericanizationandBennettLaw.Askstudentsifthey

wouldchangetheirdefinitionbasedontheinformation.Projectorpassoutaphotocopy

ofAmericanization Pageant, 1919(WHiImageID:5348)withstudentsandshare

photographbackgroundinformation.Givestudentsplentyoftimetoconsidertheimage

andarticlesbeforeintroducingthediscussionquestions.

Dictionary Entries

Term: Americanization

Definition:Atermusedtodenoteattemptsmadebyofficialsandsocialworkersinthelate

19thandearly20thcenturiestomainstreamimmigrantsandNativeAmericans;through

schools,settlementhouses,andotherserviceprograms,itencouragedorattemptedto

compelminoritygroupstoadoptthevaluesandpracticesmainstream,English-speaking

Americans.

Term: Bennet Law

Definition:An1889lawthatrequiredallWisconsinschools,publicandparochial,to

teachcertainsubjectsonlyintheEnglishlanguage.ViewedbyGermanCatholicsand

Lutheransasanattacknotonlyontheirparochialschoolsbutalsoontheirlanguageand

culture.

Thefulltextofthelawisgiveninchapter519ofthe1889Wisconsinsessionlaws.

Section5,themostcontroversialsection,reads,“Section5.Noschoolshallbe

regardedasaschool,underthisact,unlessthereshallbetaughttherein,aspartofthe

elementaryeducationofchildren,reading,writing,arithmeticandUnitedStateshistory,

intheEnglishlanguage.”ThefulltextisavailableatGoogleBooks.

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Teacher-led Student Inquiry and Analysis Questions

1. Whymightpeoplewanttoleavethecountrytheywereborn

inandmovetoAmerica?Whatopportunitiesmightbein

Wisconsinthatwouldpullnewcomerstothestate?

2. Whowouldwanttheimmigrantspicturedtobecomemore

American?Why?

3. WhymightimmigrantswanttobecomemoreAmerican?

4. Howdidthepageantexpresstheimmigrants’feelingsfortheir

newcountry?WhatsymbolsofAmericadidtheyusetoexpress

theirhopes?Howdoyouthinktheymighthaveviewed

becomingcitizens?

Bibliography and Additional Resources

ImagesandobjectssharedinthisdocumentcanbefoundonthefollowingWisconsin

HistoricalSocietywebpages:

Wisconsin Historical Imageswww.wisconsinhistory.org/whi/

Curators’ Favoriteswww.wisconsinhistory.org/museum/artifacts/

Additionalinformationcanbefoundat:

A Short History of Wisconsin by Erika Janik

Dictionary of Wisconsin History: Americanization

Dictionary of Wisconsin History: Bennett Law

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01.25.11

TheWisconsinHistoricalMuseumisinterestedinhearingmemoriesoffavoriteexperiencesorexhibits.Havestudentsusethenextpagetoillustrateanddescribewhattheyenjoyedmost.Pleasereturnto:

Museum Education

Wisconsin Historical Museum

30 N Carroll Street

Madison, WI 53703

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Reflection

Pleaseillustrateyourfavoriteexhibitinthespacebelow.

Pleasedescribewhyyouenjoyedthisexhibitthemost.

Name

Date

Teacher