A History of New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina

After the Storm: New Orleans in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina

BIG IDEA:

Racism and discrimination are still significant issues in the United States and are often brought back to the forefront as a result of devastating events.

ISBE STANDARDS:

17.C.3a Explain how human activity is affected by geographic factors.

17.D.5 Analyze the historical development of a current issue involving the interaction of people and geographic factors (e.g., mass transportation, changes in agricultural sub­sidies, flood control).

14.F.5 Interpret how changing geograph­ical, economic, technological and social forces affect United States political ideas and traditions (e.g., freedom, equality and justice, individual rights).

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:

1. How did the United States government handle the situation in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina? Did the government deserve the criticism they received?

2. How did the demographics of New Orleans play a role in how the situation after Hurricane Katrina was handled, and what role did that play in the devastation of the event?

OBJECTIVES: Students will:

1. Understand the political, social, cultural, and economic consequences of Hurricane Katrina.

2. Be able to analyze and discuss cause-and-effect relationships, particularly in the case of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the United States as a whole.

3. Understand the government’s response to Hurricane Katrina and why it was criticized throughout the nation and the world.

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES:

Notebooks, 3 news articles (attached)

ASSUMED PRIOR KNOWLEDGE:

1. The actual event of Hurricane Katrina, how terrible it was, what happened, the facts about the incident (Katrina’s lesson the day prior).

2. Understanding of the culture, history, and politics of New Orleans as well as the social and racial makeup of the city

PROCEDURE:

1. Ask students to recap yesterday’s lesson about Katrina. What do they know about the size and magnitude of the hurricane? Do they think it still would have been as devastating if it was smaller, or would the levees have still given in?

2. Begin by discussing with the class the issues caused by Hurricane Katrina, the devastation to families, to homes, to businesses, to the economy. Begin talking about the political response to Hurricane Katrina.

3. Break class into three groups. Each group will receive a short news article that they are to read. Each group is to come up with two main points and two questions about the article in regards to what we are discussing in class.

4. After about 20 minutes of allowing them to read the articles and formulate main ideas and questions, regroup as a class and discuss the articles. What were they about? If they criticize, are they fair in their criticisms, judging on what we learned in class? What are some questions about the articles? Do you think more could have been done? What has happened to the social and racial demographics of New Orleans? How does that now affect their economy or politics? Etc.

Approximate time: 50 minutes

ASSESSMENT:

1. Students will be graded on in-class participation.

2. Students will also be asked to reflect on classroom discussion in their journals as a means to evaluate how they are understanding the information presented in class and also to push them to think critically about classroom content.

Articles:

Article 1

Article 2

Article 3

Lesson 1: Pre-Katrina New Orleans History and Politics

BIG IDEA:
Understanding the social and political history of an area is important to understanding why certain events are handled differently and why they may be more devastating in some ways that others.

ISBE STANDARDS:
14.A.4 Analyze how local, state and national governments serve the purposes for which they were created.
14.F.4a Determine the historical events and processes that brought about changes in United States political ideas and traditions (e.g., the New Deal, Civil War).
16.D.4b (US) Describe unintended social consequences of political events in United States history.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
1. How have landmarks in New Orleans political history, such as the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, helped shaped the character of the city?
2. Why is knowing the political history of New Orleans important to understanding New Orleans society, and why is this useful in explaining the later effects of Hurricane Katrina?

OBJECTIVES: Students will:
1. Understand the political and social history of New Orleans and how that still plays a role in the city’s structure today.
2. Be able to explain why the political history and structure of New Orleans might have a significant impact on the city’s situation during and after Hurricane Katrina.
3. Understand how racism still plays a role in politics today.

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES:
Notebooks, PowerPoint presentation, PBS website “American Experience – New Orleans” (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/neworleans/index.html)

ASSUMED PRIOR KNOWLEDGE:
1. Prior New Orleans history (taught in the beginning of the week, Katrina’s lesson, etc.)
2. Basic understanding of New Orleans culture and social/racial makeup.

PROCEDURE:
1. Discuss with students what they already know about New Orleans from previous lessons, from anything they may have read in the news, etc.
2. Begin with a continuation of the history of the city, delving more into the politics of the area.
3. Go into a discussion on the politics of the city – beginning with Plessy v. Ferguson, the landmark Supreme Court case centered around a New Orleans man and the segregation of railroad cars, the succession of mayors and other government officials, policies enforced in the city particularly regarding things like flood prevention and the levees and canal system, politics in relation to the United States federal government, etc.
4. Have students reflect on the themes discussed in class regarding how politics has shifted in New Orleans and how it has shaped the city in a brief journal entry. How might these political shifts have later affected the way Katrina was handled or responded to?

Approximate time: 50 minutes

ASSESSMENT:
1. Students will be asked to write brief journal entries reflecting on the material covered in class and asking them to think critically about what they learned and why they think Hurricane Katrina might have been so devastating for the city of New Orleans as a result.
2. Students will be graded on participation both in class and on the journal entry.

New Orleans: As Katrina Hits

Big Idea: Many elements come together in causing a tragedy or disaster; some of these elements can be avoided but others are inevitable.

Essential Questions:

1. How much of a role should government play in warning people about and preparing for impending potential natural disasters?

2. How can other non-humanities subjects (such as earth science, meteorology, atmospheric sciences, etc.) and examining primary sources help us understand historical events better?

Objectives:

1. Explain what people knew about Hurricane Katrina and its effects before it hit.

2. Describe how people prepared and survived the storm.

3. Understand fears about the levees.

Standards:

1. 16.A.3b Make inferences about historical events and eras using historical maps and other historical sources.

2. 17.D.3b Explain how interactions of geographic factors have shaped present conditions.

3. 17.C.3a Explain how human activity is affected by geographic factors.

Procedure:

1. Call students together, have them discuss as a class what they know about Hurricane Katrina, or what questions they have about the entire disaster. (~10 mins)

2. Bring up Powerpoint, relate the details of the storm: what was being said about it, the warnings given to people, who/how many people evacuated, what was known about the levees, the more scientific aspects of the storm. Draw directly from the Aug. 29, 2005 edition of the Times Picayune, a New Orleans newspaper, and show students at http://www.nola.com/katrina/graphics/wide.ssf?/katrina/graphics/ouryear/storm02.swf (~20 mins)

3. Have students watch two survivor videos from nola.com: “A Wing and a Prayer” and “Searching for Solace” at http://www.nola.com/katrina/graphics/wide.ssf?/katrina/graphics/ouryear/storm02.swf (~15 mins)

4. Bring class in to answer any questions students have, and assign a short writing assignment, due in three days and either handwritten or typed. Refer students back to the NOLA site if they need help remembering or completing anything. (~10 mins)

   --The prompt is: You have been stranded in New Orleans as Hurricane Katrina approaches. How do you feel as conditions progressively worsen, do you believe the levees will hold? What have you been told about the storm? Did you go to the Superdome, stay at your house, or somewhere else, and why? How do you think you will survive, how have you prepared? The prompt should be completed in at least a half-page but no more than one page, single-spaced if handwritten and double-spaced if typed.

   --Estimated time: 50 minutes

Assessment:

1. Informal assessment will occur through the use of questions on my part, as well as careful observation of student behavior and participation.

2. Formal assessment will occur through the above writing assignment about the impending hurricane, graded for completion.

Materials:

--Powerpoint, projector, computer, NOLA website

Lesson Plan: “When the Levees Broke”
Thursday, Week 3
Name: Justin Jordan

Class/Subject: 8th Grade Social Studies

Big Idea: How natural distracters can expose the foundational weakness within society both culturally and politically

Essential Question:
1) Does the movie affect you in any way? Was there anything you learned from seeing the documentary that enlightened you?
2) Do movies like “When the Levees Broke” bring a call to action? Does talking about activism get us anywhere?

Objective: For students to collectively discuss “When the Levees Broke” and gain from their fellow students a better perspective on what they just witnessed

Rationale: For students to use each other as sources; also this task will help them in their development of the final project which would be to create a documentary for themselves.

Content Standards:

18. B.3b Explain how social institutions con¬tribute to the development and transmission of culture.

18. B.3a Analyze how individuals and groups interact with and within institutions (e.g., educational, military).
17. B.3b Explain how changes in components of an ecosystem affect the system overall.

College Readiness Standards:

• Identify clear main ideas or purposes of complex passages or their paragraphs
• Draw complex or subtle generalizations and conclusions about people, ideas, and so on, often by synthesizing information from different portions of the passage
• Understand and generalize about portions of a complex literary narrative
• Determine, even when the language is richly figurative and the vocabulary is difficult, the appropriate meaning of context-dependent words, phrases, or statements in virtually any passage

Procedure:

1) Finish movie 12-15 min
2) Ask students to write down their reactions immediately after watching the movie 8 mins
3) Students will then as a class write out some of the key words that came to mind after watching the movie. 15 mins
4) After which they will present their thought with the rest of the class. 15 mins

List of materials: Movie "When the Levees Broke"

Assessment: Students will write a journal entry after watching the movie answering the question of how if possible the situation of Hurricane Katrina could be handled better.

Lesson Plan: Katrina Media Response
Friday, Week 2
Name: Justin Jordan

Class/Subject: 8th Grade Social Studies

Big Idea: How natural disasters can expose the foundational weakness within society both culturally and politically

Essential Question:
1) To what limit individuals will go to survive during a national disaster, do laws still apply or there exceptions made during times of distress?
2) Do the media portray the same actions differently due to race, sex, or religion?

Objective: For students to gain a better understanding of how race still plays a pivotal role in how images are presented through the media

Rationale: By creating captions students may be able to expose some of their own personal biases and gain a better understanding how biases my seep through the media


Content Standards:

18. B.3b Explain how social institutions con¬tribute to the development and transmission of culture.

18. B.3a Analyze how individuals and groups interact with and within institutions (e.g., educational, military).
17. B.3b Explain how changes in components of an ecosystem affect the system overall.

College Readiness Standards:

• Identify clear main ideas or purposes of complex passages or their paragraphs
• Draw complex or subtle generalizations and conclusions about people, ideas, and so on, often by synthesizing information from different portions of the passage
• Understand and generalize about portions of a complex literary narrative
• Determine, even when the language is richly figurative and the vocabulary is difficult, the appropriate meaning of context-dependent words, phrases, or statements in virtually any passage

Procedure:

1) Students will be given the two different pictures each showing an individual taking food from a store after hurricane Katrina struck and explain the task that they are to complete. 5 mins
2) In groups of 4-5 students will write a caption about what they feel the individual is doing and a paragraph rationale behind their caption 10 mins

3) Students will then present to the class their assignment, their caption and why they chose that particular caption. On the board key words will be chosen from each caption. 25 mins
4) The students will then be presented with the actual captions for the pictures. Afterward they will write a journal entry on their reaction to the actual caption. 10min

List of Materials: Print-outs of photo

Assessment: Students will be graded on their reflections. Within the reflections students will be asked to analyze the information and analyze the role race plays in how information is presented.

New Orleans: Culture

Big Idea: Culture is a vital part of place and is heavily influenced by people and history.

Essential Questions:

1. Why is culture important to place? Is it? Why do we value it?

2. How does history help determine culture?

Objectives:

1. Describe how jazz began in the city of New Orleans and who Louis Armstrong was.

2. Explain the origins of Mardi Gras and its significance.

3. Understand the role of New Orleans in the struggle for civil rights.

Standards:

1. 14.C.3 Compare historical issues involving rights, roles and status of individuals in relation to municipalities, states and the nation.

2. 18.A.3 Explain how language, literature, the arts, architecture and traditions contribute to the development and transmission of culture.

3. 17.C.3c Analyze how human processes influence settlement patterns including migration and population growth.

Procedure:

1. Call students together quickly and inform them that the class will be heading to the computer lab to explore a website that will help them learn about the culture of New Orleans. Have students get up, gather their belongings, and move to the lab. (~5 mins)

2. Let students be seated and quickly review the broad points of New Orleans history. Tell them the general plan: they need to go to http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/neworleans/index.html (write on any available board space) and click under the “People & Events” tab on the left-hand sidebar in order to explore three topics: Louis Armstrong (1901-1971) and Beginnings of Jazz, Mardi Gras as History, and Plessy v. Ferguson OR Ruby Bridges and Integration of New Orleans Schools. They are free to choose between the last two. (~5-10 mins)

3. Hand out a worksheet which will ask them several questions, and let them know that it is due by the end of the hour, so they should work efficiently and be on-task, asking people around them for help if they need it but otherwise keeping conversation to a minimum. (~2 mins)

4. Let students work on the worksheet, moving around the room to answer and ask questions or help students navigate the website if needed. (~25-30 mins)

5. Collect worksheets at the end of class. (~2 mins)

Assessment:

1. Informal assessment is completed through walking around to answer questions and help students who are not understanding the material. Asking questions of the students to ensure understanding is another informal method of evaluation.

2. Formal assessment is completed through the worksheet, graded for correctness.

Materials:

• Computers, whiteboard and marker if possible, worksheet

• Estimated time: 50 minutes

You will find below the worksheet I've created to go with this lesson plan. Please forgive any formatting issues that have occurred.

Name:

Period:

New Orleans Culture

Introduction:

In America, New Orleans is a city known for its rich history and the diversity in its cultural heritage and traditions. Today we will explore how culture developed in New Orleans throughout its history, and some of the important events which helped shape the city, through the internet.

Directions:

Please log on to your computer, bring up the internet, and go to: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/neworleans/index.html

Once you have navigated to this PBS site, look to the left sidebar and click on the “People & Events” link. Here you will see seven hyperlinked options. You will only need to use these 3:

Louis Armstrong (1901-1971) and Beginnings of Jazz

Mardi Gras as History

Plessy v. Ferguson OR Ruby Bridges and Integration of New Orleans Schools (your choice)

Questions:

Using a separate sheet of paper, please answer the following with complete sentences and explain your answers!

1. How did jazz start in New Orleans, and what role did Louis Armstrong play in its development? Why was he important?

2. Why and how did Mardi Gras begin? What is its significance?

3. How was New Orleans a part of the struggle for civil rights? Explain one event that had an impact on the movement for equality.

4. BONUS: If you have time, check out the rest of the PBS website. Describe the most interesting fact you came across and tell me why you think it is interesting.