Comparing Lifestyles

Level:

5th Grade

Focus:

Students examine some of the components that make up a lifestyle and compare different lifestyles during different time periods and different geographic locations

Standards:

History Standard 3: Students understand that societies are diverse.
Art Standard 4: Students relate the visual arts to various cultures and traditions.

Assessment:

Discussion
Visual comparison of life styles through watercolor painting

Time:

seven, 50 minute periods

Materials:

Primary source artifacts of students' culture
Artifacts representing 1870 New York tenements and 1870 Nebraska homestead (can use pictures from internet)
18"x24" watercolor paper, pencils, markers, watercolors
Lifestyles worksheet (see support materials)
Computers with Internet access
Bookmark the following sites on the internet ahead of time:

• http://www.thirteen.org/tenement/logcabin.html
  
• http://www.autry-museum.org/explore/exhibits/sod/mattie.html
  
• http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/patterns/1878sacksuitinfo.htmll
  
• http://histclo.hispeed.com/style/foot/stock/stock-us.html
  
• http://www.fashion-era.com/mid-late_victorian_fashion.htm
  
• http://www.costumegallery.com/LadysFriend/
  
• http://guweb2.gonzaga.edu/faculty/campbell/enl311/1870.htm
  
• http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/gg70/gg70-main1.html

Possible Procedures:

1. Day 1: Read to the class the description at top of worksheet, Comparing Lifestyles. Ask students to give examples of their lifestyle including art, fashion, architecture, daily life, and world events.

2. Day 2: After the discussion, have students bring in primary source objects that represent their lifestyle. Alternatively, you can bring in objects.

3. Put students in groups of 4 and have them go through questions on worksheet, Comparing Lifestyles.

4. Day 3 and 4: Demonstrates how to use 3-column note taking to compare today's lifestyle with the lifestyle of a New York tenement and Nebraska homestead, both in the 1870's.

5. Have students use 3-column note format as they look through the two sites on the Internet.

6. Day 5: Assessment: Lead a discussion about students' findings, comparing the culture of 1870 New York tenement to the 1870 Nebraska homestead. Print off images from the websites of some of the clothes, architecture, and art. Hold up different artifacts and ask students to use words to describe what life was like how that particular artifact represents that time and place.

7. Day 6: Lead students on a field trip to Four Mile House in Denver (or any historic household in your community from the 1870's). Compare Denver culture to the New York and Nebraska sites. Keeping the same groups as worked on worksheet, have students discuss their findings.

8. Day 7: Assessment: Have students choose two artifacts from two different sites. They will need a visual representation of them. Examples: a piece of fabric, chair, hat, iron scrolling, farm tool.
On a sheet of 18" x 24" white water color paper divided in half, the students will draw one chosen artifact on each half. Students will try to show how that artifact represents a particular life style. The two drawings should show the contrast or similarities of the two lifestyles represented by the chosen artifacts. Students may use watercolors, markers, paper, and other collage materials to complete their picture.

Support Materials:

Comparing Lifestyles worksheet

Karen Chapman, Cory Elementary School, Denver