Making Art with WPA Posters

The Works Projects Administration (WPA) produced over 2,000 posters in the United States between 1936 and 1943. These posters were created to advertise public resources such as libraries, community events, exhibits, and educational programs. The WPA was one of the first U.S. Government programs to support the arts. Using the WPA Poster Collection through the Library of Congress, students will have the opportunity to learn more about these works and create their own posters that address contemporary public issues.

Weblink address (URL): 
Making Art with WPA Posters
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Standards & Objectives

Essential and guiding questions: 

Why are posters effective tools in getting a message across to the public? Are posters as common as they were in the 1940s? Why or why not?

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Applying
Extension suggestions: 

Provide students with access to the WPA Poster Collection on the Library of Congress Web site if they have access to computers. Prompt students to write a short description of their favorite poster on the website and why they think the message conveyed is particularly strong.

Helpful Hints

MATERIALS:

  • Printed copies of the fourteen primary sources in this lesson activity (images on each page)
  • Computer paper or poster board
  • Colored pencils, markers or crayons
  • Rulers or straight edges