Rosenwald School

This lesson plan is an adaptation of Katie Sutton Randall’shigh school lesson, “Education Reform During the Progressive Era and the Rosenwald Schools of the American South,” and is tailored to 5th grade Tennessee History. Students will learn about the Julius Rosenwald Fund and study images and drawings of the Cadentown Rosenwald chool in Lexington, Kentucky. The school was constructed in 1922-23, and the images were created after 1933 as part of the Library of Congress’ Historic American Building Survey. Students will analyze these sources to identify defining physical features of Rosenwald schools, develop historical research questions, and learn about the private-public partnerships that funded many Progressive Era reform efforts. An extension activity about Tennessee’s oldest Rosenwald School, West Bemis, is included.

Weblink address (URL): 
Rosenwald School
Home Page- source

Standards & Objectives

Learning objectives: 

Students will learn to evaluate primary source materials as artifacts, develop an understanding of the importance of historical inquiry based on primary sources, gain a better understanding that political, economic, and social history are connected, and recognize that private-public partnerships often funded reform efforts during the Progressive Era. 

Essential and guiding questions: 

How can buildings be used as primary sources? What kind of relationship model did the Rosenwald initiative create for Progressive reform efforts? 

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Applying
Extension suggestions: 
  • Play Verizon’s “Innovative Learning” TV Commercial, which references schools in Polk County, Tennessee, who received funds for new technology from Verizon. Why did Verizon choose to donate to these schools?
  • What did the company gain in doing so? How was education at these schools impacted? How does this relate to Rosenwald Schools?
  • Have students learn more about historic preservation efforts to save and restore Rosenwald schools by visiting the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s website. Ask students to search for Tennessee’s Rosenwald Schools and share what they find with the class.

Helpful Hints

Materials:

  • Primary Source Analysis Tool
  • Analyzing Photgraphs and Prints Teachers Guide
  • Paper/pencil