19th CENTURY REFORM MOVEMENTS

DOCUMENT ANALYSIS

Learning Targets: Evaluate the impact of 19th century reform movements. (8.1A, 8.24B); Describe the characteristics and development
of 19th century reform movements. (8.24A, 8.24B)

Materials Needed: placards, brainstorming notes page, script for group discussion, graphic organizer for summaries, wrap-up page

Allotted time: 2 instructional days (90 minutes total)

Teaching Strategy:

1. GROUPING: Arrange strategically students in groups of 4. Each group is assigned a placard and each student
should have a copy of the placard examine it closely. Each student should have a copy of the script for the group
discussion so that they can prepare their thoughts and notes accordingly. Note: print the scripts and placards on
cardstock so they may be reused in other classes.

2. MODELING: Teach students to how to analyze the documents by modeling one of the documents whole class:
a. Model for students what to look for and think about while brainstorming (Step 3).
b. Model for them how to follow the script for the group discussion (Step 4).
c. Then, model for them how to summarize the documents (Step 5) and complete one bubble on the
graphic organizer (Step 7).

3. BRAINSTORMING: Have students take out the brainstorming notes page to record their observations and
thoughts. Students spend 4-5 minutes closely analyzing their assigned documents before discussing with their
peers.

4. SCRIPTED DISCUSSION: After students have individually brainstormed the documents, they should spend
about 20 minutes having a scripted discussion. The scripted discussion has four parts. Each part should take
about 5 minutes:
a. Each student in the group of four will begin and end one of the steps of the discussion. For instance,
Student A will begin step 1 by completing the sentence stem.
b. Students B, C, and D, will respond, and then Student A will conclude the conversation.
c. Students may need to repeat a step multiple times to allow all of the observations and ideas to be
shared.
d. The teacher should monitor groups as they think, write, and discuss.

5. SUMMARIZING THE DOCUMENTS: Students will summarize the message of their assigned documents on the
corresponding section of the graphic organizer.

6. PRESENTATIONS: Each group will present their documents to the whole class. Other groups will listen and take
notes using the other sections of the graphic organizer. The teacher should project each placard as it is being
presented so all students can see it.

7. CLOSURE: After all documents have been presented, students should complete the gray section in the center of
the graphic organizer by summarizing why there was a need for reform movements in the 19th century.
Students should then respond to the three open-ended questions on the wrap up page for their exit ticket.
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 BRAINSTORMING NOTES PAGE
STEP 1: OBSERVATIONS WHAT STEP 2: SYMBOLISM WHAT DO THE
DETAILS DO YOU NOTICE IN THE DOCUMENT? DETAILS IN THE DOCUMENT REPRESENT?

STEP 3: CONTEXT WHAT HISTORICAL STEP 4: PURPOSE WHAT MESSAGE IS

EVENTS OR ISSUES CONNECT TO THIS THE ARTIST/AUTHOR TRYING TO
DOCUMENT? COMMUNICATE WITH THIS DOCUMENT?
BRAINSTORM: Before beginning your group discussion about the document,
spend 4-5 minutes quietly analyzing the document on your own. Use a blank
piece of scratch paper to write down your observations and your thinking.
Write down as many details as you can think of!

STEP 1: OBSERVATIONS WHAT DETAILS DO YOU NOTICE IN THE DOCUMENT?

Begin with group member A:

One detail I see in the document is ___.

Other group members respond one at a time:

Another detail I see in the document is___.

Repeat until all observations have been shared.

Finish with group member A:

I think the most important detail in the document is___ because ___.

STEP 2: SYMBOLISM WHAT DO THE DETAILS IN THE DOCUMENT REPRESENT?

Begin with group member B:
I think ___ represents, or symbolizes, ____ because ____.

Other group members respond one at a time (choose from the following):
I think ___ represents, or symbolizes, ____ because ___
I disagree with ____ because ____.
One thing in the document I dont understand is ___, because ____.
I agree with your thinking and would like to add __.

Repeat until all thoughts have been shared.

Finish with group member B (choose any of the following):

I disagree because ____.
I also think ___ represents, or symbolizes, ____ because ____.
One thing in the document I dont understand is ___, because ____.
STEP 3: CONTEXT WHAT HISTORICAL EVENTS OR ISSUES CONNECT TO THIS
DOCUMENT?

Begin with group member C (choose one of the following):

The historical event I think this document connects to is ____ because ____.
The historical issue I think this document connects to is ____ because ____.

Other group members respond one at a time (choose from the following):
Another historical event I think this document connects to is ____ because ____.
Another historical issue I think this document connects to is ____ because ____.
I disagree with ____ because ____.
I agree with your thinking and would like to add __.

Repeat until all thoughts have been shared.

Finish with group member C (choose any of the following):

I think the main historical event this document connects to is ___ because ____.
I think the main historical issue this document connects to is ___ because ____.

STEP 4: PURPOSE WHAT MESSAGE IS THE ARTIST/AUTHOR TRYING TO

COMMUNICATE WITH THIS DOCUMENT?

Begin with group member D:

I think the [artists/authors] message is ___ because ____.

Other group members respond one at a time (choose from the following):
I disagree with ____ because ____.
I agree with your thinking and would like to add __.
I think the [artists/authors] point of view on the issue of __ is __
because __.

Continue until all thoughts have been shared.

Finish with group member D:

After listening to the group, one thing we can agree on about the
[artists/authors] message is ____.
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#1 #3:

19th Century
Reform Movements

#4: #5:

#6 #7
WRAP UP: Think about the reform movements of the 19th century and
today. Answer the following questions:

Why do people get involved in reform movements?

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In your opinion, are reform movements worth the effort?
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Why or why not?

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Which reform movement in the 19th century do you think was the
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most important? Why?

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