They had to leave their homes.
Characters:
Theme: Descriure fotografies.
Competencies
Competence in Linguistic Communication
Multilingual Competence
Personal, social and learning to learn competence
Citizen Competition
Competence in cultural awareness and expressions
Subjects and year by Educational System
Spain > English > 4th ESO > Communication
Spain > English > 4th ESO > Interculturalism
Enunciation
We are going to comment some photographs taken by the American photographer Dorothea Lange (1895-1965).
First, watch a short video.
WARMING UP. WATCH the video History brief. The Dust Bowl.
Answer the questions:
a.- Were the refugees previously poor and homeless?
b.- How did the Dust Bowl originate?
c.- Can you mention some places which suffered the problem in the USA?
d.- How long did it take?
e.- Name some measures to control it
ACTIVITY 1
DESCRIPTION A: Migrant Mother series, by Dorothea Lange (1936), They had to leave their homes.
1) 
2) 
3) 
4) 
1. Look at the photos attentively and comment/ answer the questions:
(Follow this link, or ask your teacher)
a. What do the photos show?
b. How do you think the people in the photos lived?
c. And before that moment?
2. What is where? (Central idea)
Describe the central idea in photos 1, 2 and 3 (where the focus is).
Comment other points, from left to right/ from top to bottom, in the foreground/ background, etc.
Example:
In photo 1, we can see a group of people in the countryside. They are probably a family. Four of them are on the right, sitting under a canvas. The elder daughter ... They look miserable and... They occupy the central part of the picture. In the foreground we can see..., and in the background…
Continue: In photo 2...
In photo 3 ...
3. Now describe What is where? in photo 4.
Point out which is the focus/ central point of this picture
Comment other points, from left to right/ from top to bottom, in the foreground/ background, etc.
Look closely. Can you see a triangle suggested by the arrangement of the figures? What part of the figures form the sides? Where is the triangle point?
4. Who is doing what? in photo 4.
the children (How many? Doing what? Why? Their clothes, hair...) and
the mother (Her face / Her gaze / Her arm / Her clothes...)
5. INTERPRETATION.
When a photographer frames a photograph, she or he chooses what to include within the edges of the photograph, or what to leave out.
What has Dorothea Lange left out of this photograph, compared to the other three upwards?
Why did she move close for the shot, eliminating the setting?
6. YOUR IDEAS ABOUT THE PHOTO(S)
What feelings do you experience when you look at Lange's most famous picture, Migrant Mother?
Why do you think Dorothea Lange's work was so important?
ACTIVITY 2
DESCRIPTION B: Migrants today. They also had to leave their homes
Look at these photographs
a) 
b) 
1. Comment/ Answer the questions:
a. What do the photos show?
b. When were they taken? (Follow the link in each photograph)
c. How do you think the people in the photos used to live? And now?
d. What is a migrant? Why do they leave their countries?
e. Describe one of the photographs.
2. Present your description of one of the photographs to the class.
You can describe / analyse any other photograph(s) you prefer.
Observations and context
A partir del visionat del vídeo, el professorat guiarà una discussió sobre la duresa de la vida dels migrants. Aquestes idees seran necessàries per a introduir l'activitat principal que se centra en les fotos de Dorothea Lange, de la sèrie Migrant Mother.
- Activitat 1. Descripció A: introduir elements biogràfics sobre Dorothea Lange, especialment els referits al seu treball per a la Farm Security Administration.
Collections: Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Black-and-White Negatives (15/05/2022).
Part of: Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection (Library of Congress).
- Activitat 2. Descripció B: l'activitat està pensada per a desafiar els prejudicis que puga tindre l'alumnat sobre migrants i migracions.
En presentar elements de la biografia de Dorothea Lange, és important mostrar el seu treball com a part d'un panorama més ampli, amb moltes altres dones fotògrafes:
- Marion Post Wolcott 1910-1909: va ser la primera dona a la qual se li va oferir un treball com a fotògrafa a temps complet per a la Farm Security Administration.
- Louise Rosskam (1910-2003): va fotografiar Washington DC i Vermont, centrant-se en la justícia racial.
- Marjory Collins (1912-1985): va fotografiar les vides de persones afroamericanes, jueves i immigrants, entre altres.
- Berenice Abbott (1898-1991): va documentar els canvis a la ciutat de Nova York, prestant especial atenció a com les infraestructures afecten la vida quotidiana dels éssers humans.
- Altres dones fotògrafes, pertanyents a altres moviments artístics, van anar Imogen Cunningham (1883-1976), Kati Horna (1912-2000) o Tina Modotti (1896-1942), així com Gerda Taro (1910-1937) a Europa.
<https://www.history.com/topics/great-depression/artists-of-the-new-deal (15/05/2022)
L'activitat pot il·lustrar diversos aspectes de les migracions i dels migrants, considerades des d'altres assignatures com a Literatura, Història, Art, Geografia, Economia, Ètica.
Description
L'objectiu és proporcionar a l'alumnat un context que els permeta entendre el significat de la sèrie de fotografies, descriure-les i posar-se en la pell de les persones migrants.
Descripció d'estats i situacions. Relació d'accions en el temps.