Lesson Plan - The Difficult Art of Giving

Transcription

1 D. Kohavy Teaching Fellow Rockefeller Archive Center Summer 2011 Lesson Plan - The Difficult Art of Giving Essential Questions: 1. How might Philanthropy get involved in coping with an international problem? In other words, how did John D. Rockefeller affect international cooperation? 2. In what ways can the past be uncovered through original documents? And what is the experience of doing research with primary documents? Student Objectives: 1. Students will know the philanthropic mission of JDR and the legacy he provided for in the creation of the Rockefeller Foundation. Specifically, students will familiarize with the campaign to end malaria in Palestine in the early 20 th Century. 2. Students will understand that international cooperation may be fostered through philanthropy. 3. Students will be able to gain a deeper understanding of research methods and the personal experience of doing research. Rationale: The rationale of this lesson is both personal and pedagogical. My hope is to convey to students the purposefulness and process of working with primary documents. After an initial investigation into the Rockefeller Foundation archives dating before the creation of the State of Israel, my interests were sparked when I discovered studies relating to the eradication of malaria. These documents interested me personally because my grandmother died unexpectedly in Palestine in the 1930 s, probably due to a misdiagnosis of malaria-like symptoms. Due to political chaos in both Europe and the Middle East many documents of interest were unattainable but the Rockefeller Foundation documents are available and could offer insight into the conditions that may have surrounded my grandmother's death. Secondly, since the Rockefeller Foundation was heavily involved in this issue (and many others), further investigation and collaboration of this topic suggested that although this era is generally considered an era of Isolation on the part of the United States government, international engagement and cooperation took place under private direction. Connection to Curriculum: The lesson s objectives may be of relevance to a United States or World History ( Between the Wars period) curriculum or an introduction to research methods.

2 Learning Activities: A. Teacher as Detective: Initially, students will be presented with my motivation and personal experience with research (see Rationale). B. Witnessing the possibilities. Students will then be presented with preliminary pictures of documents 1 C. Let s take a look at what philanthropy does. Together, we will next walk through a document that refers to the cooperation of international agencies: the Rockefeller Foundation, the Department of State, Department of Health under British Mandate. D. Student Detectives - Now you try! N.B. Teachers should use the Analyzing Primary Sources model from the Library of Congress i.e. students will use the Observe, Reflect, Question protocol to assess the documents. 2 Students will convene in pre-arranged historical investigative teams and inspect five documents using their document analysis worksheet This component of the lesson is intended to present students the opportunity to engage in research methods. Documents to Assess the Capabilities of Philanthropy: 1. Random Reminiscences of Men and Events 4 2. Rockefeller Foundation Charter 5 3. Rockefeller Foundation Expenditures 6 4. The Campaign to End Malaria 7 5. Correspondence for Experts 8 1 Field Reports, RF, 1.1, Series Department of State Letter with Enclosure, The Campaign to End Malaria 3 s.pdf 4 Rockefeller, John Davis. (1909). The Best Philanthropies. pp Doubleday Press 5 Annual Report, 1913, RAC 6 Annual Report, 1926, RAC 7 Department of State Letter with Enclosure, The Campaign to End Malaria 8 Department of State Letter with Enclosure, The Campaign to End Malaria

3 Exit Slips: (Summary Options) 1. Categorize the documents you ve viewed today according to the 3 philosophies of philanthropy by John D. Rockefeller: a. Rely on wisdom of others b. Share in the work c. Responsible stewardship 2. In writing: If philanthropy (giving) is a difficult art, how does it relate to contemporary problems? 3. Write an acrostic poem based on what you learned today regarding working with primary documents, philanthropy and/or international cooperation using the word: Philanthropy

4 Learning Activity B: Witnessing the possibilities. DOCUMENT MONTAGE FOR LESSON MOTIVATION:

5 Learning Activity C: Let s take a look at what philanthropy does. What type of cooperation does philanthropy make possible? Campaign for the Elimination of Malaria, Correspondence between various agencies, 1931

6 Learning Activity D: Student Detectives - Now you try! What is the philosophy of philanthropy, according to JDR? Document I: The Difficult Art of Giving The best philanthropy, the help that does most good and the least harm, the help that nourishes civilization at its very root, that most widely disseminates health, righteousness, and happiness, is not what is usually called charity. It is, in my judgment, the investment of effort or time or money, carefully considered with relation to the power of employing people at a remunerative wage, to expand and develop the resources at hand, and to give opportunity for progress and healthful labour where it did not exist before. No mere money-giving is comparable to this in its lasting and beneficial results. John Davison Rockefeller Random Reminiscences of Men and Events 1909

7 Document II:

8 Document III: Expenditures on Malaria, Rockefeller Foundation

9 Document IV: Excerpts from Campaign Report

10 More on Malaria:

11 Document V: Correspondence on Logistical Elements of Field Reporting