History Throughout the Year:
Making a Thematic Photo Calendar

By Mike Broverman and Lynn McMullin

Objectives:

Students will examine photographs of children from Connecticut History Online and compare these children's lives with their own in order to draw conclusions about changes in society over the past 125 years.

Suggested Grade Level: 4th and up

Time Required: 3-4 50-minute periods, plus homework

Work Packet:

• Calendar template (Word document)
• Directions for using the calendar template (Word document)
• Sample calendar page (Word document)

Other Materials:

• High quality white paper (photo/glossy paper optional)
• Hole punch, small binder rings (optional) or access to spiral binding machine

Procedure:

Day 1: Formatting the Calendar

1. The easiest way for students to format their calendars is to use Microsoft Publisher or another program designed specifically for making photo calendars. If you do not have access to any of these programs, you can use the calendar template and directions in the work packet.

2. If using Microsoft Publisher, have students select “calendar” under templates and select a format (e.g. “Art Left.”) Students will make a 10- or 12-month calendar, with dates running either September-June (academic year) or January-December (calendar year.)

3. If using the calendar template from the work packet, use the directions included.

Homework: Picking a theme

To encourage directed research, you may want to choose a specific time period (e.g. 1920-1945) for students’ calendars. Students may then select a theme of interest. If the calendar will be a gift for someone, they may pick a theme that would appeal to that person. Ideas might include:

• Medicine
• Children/Education
• Automobiles/Trains/Transportation
• Parades
• Families
• Sports
• Portraits
• Postcards
• Clothing
• Agriculture
• Military

Each calendar month must present a carefully chosen image that helps to create a clear historical theme, plus a well-written caption and descriptive paragraph containing some interesting fact or perspective related to the overall theme of the calendar. The calendar should also have a cover with a title and a back page with a list of citations for all 12 images used. Have students use the CHO citation guide to format their list.

Day 2: Choosing Images

1. Introduce students to Connecticut History Online and the various search functions.

2. Let students search for appropriate images, revising their themes and ideas according to the availability of photos in their area of interest. Depending on time restraints, access to computer labs, age and expertise of students, this may take longer than one class period.

3. If students find their images quickly, they can begin to compose captions and short paragraphs to accompany them.

Homework: Composing Text

Students work on composing captions and short paragraphs to accompany images.

Day 3: Completing the Calendar

1) Students add images, captions, and text to their calendars, make cover and citations page. Depending on time restraints, access to computer labs, age and expertise of students, this may take longer than one class period.

2) Once the calendars are completed, print on high-quality paper and assemble. For a simple calendar, punch one hole in the top margin and pin to a bulletin board or punch 2-3 holes and attach pages using small binder rings. If you have access to a spiral binder, punch one hole in the center of the top margin and then bind the top edge of the calendar so that pages can be flipped.