Legend Days - Historic Hudson Valley

Transcription

Legend Days
An In-Classroom Curriculum
Joseph Jefferson as “Rip Van Winkle,” 1871. By George Waters, Oil on Canvas.
Sunnyside / Historic Hudson Valley
Tarrytown, New York
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Legend Days
Introduction .............................................................. 1
Goals & Objectives .................................................... 2
About Washington Irving ...................................... 3 - 4
About Sunnyside ................................................... 5 - 6
Vocabulary Words ................................................. 7 - 8
Pre-Visit Activities............................................... 9 - 10
Post-Visit Activities ........................................... 11 - 13
References .......................................................... 14 -15
A publication of Historic Hudson Valley
Dina R. Friedman, Site Director, Sunnyside
Laura J. Dickstein, Writer & Arts Education
Consultant
This material was supported inpart with funds from the New
York State Council on the Arts, Ciba Specialty Chemicals,
Charles E. Culpeper Foundation, the Hecksher Foundation
for Children, and the Westchester Arts Council.
INTRODUCTION
Legend Days
Dear Educator,
Thank you for participating in Historic Hudson Valley's "Legend Days"
program at Sunnyside.
This in-classroom curriculum includes background information about
Washington Irving and Sunnyside, his home in Tarrytown, New York,
suggests activities and discussion topics, and provides a resource list. Please
incorporate into your classroom activities as many aspects of this curriculum
as possible.
Please note the following important information:
1. Please have your students divided into groups of ten before you arrive at
Sunnyside. This is to allow for better viewing of artifacts and interaction
with museum interpreters.
2. Please ask your students to dress appropriately for the weather.
An educator will contact you one to two weeks prior to your class trip. If
you have any questions before your trip, please contact Sunnyside at 914591-8763 ext. 21.
We look forward to seeing you and your students.
1
GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Legend Days
These goals and objectives are for both your class trip to Sunnyside and the
classroom activities suggested in this curriculum.
1. to explore why certain stories have longevity
2. to understand the role of legends in American culture
3. to examine how stories are expressed /shared in a variety of formats (i.e.
oral, written, video, puppetry, plays, paintings)
4. to discover the significance of Washington Irving as a 19th-century
American author and legend maker
5. to learn how artifacts, primary resources, and historic houses can be used
to create stories
6. to make interdisciplinary curriculum connections by studying history,
literature, and art.
2
ABOUT WASHINGTON IRVING
Legend Days
W
ashington Irving was born in New
York City (near present-day Wall
Street) at the end of the Revolutionary
War on April 3, 1783. His parents, Scottish-English immigrants, were great admirers of General George Washington,
and named their son after their hero.
Portrait of
Washington Irving
By John Wesley
Jarvis
New York City,
1809
Oil on wood panel
Abbreviated
Chronology
1783
Born in NYC
1802–03
Traveled up
Hudson River to
Canada
1804–06
Traveled in Europe
1809
Diedrich
Knickerbocker’s A
History of NewYork published &
fiancée Matilda
Hoffman died
1819–20
The Sketch-Book of
Geoffrey Crayon,
Gent published
1822–32
Resided in Paris,
Madrid, and
Dresden
1835
Purchased
Sunnyside
1842–46
Minister to Spain
1859
Died at Sunnyside
Irving had many interests including
writing, architecture and landscape
design, traveling, and diplomacy. He is
best known, however, as the first
American to make a living solely from
writing. Initially, he wrote under pen
names; one was “Diedrich
Knickerbocker.” In 1809, using this
pen name, Irving wrote A History of New-York that describes and pokes
fun at the lives of the early Dutch settlers of Manhattan. Eventually, this
pen name came to mean a person from New York, and is where the basketball team The New York Knickerbockers (Knicks) got its name.
Irving enjoyed visiting different places and a large part of his life was
spent in Europe, particularly England, France, Germany and Spain. He
often wrote about the places he visited. For example, Bracebridge Hall
(1822) is a view of life in England, and The Life and Voyages of Christopher
Columbus (1828), is about the Italian explorer who sailed under the
Spanish flag. However, in spite of his foreign travels, Irving's imagination
frequently drew upon his childhood memories of New York State. These
memories are reflected in letters that he wrote to family and friends from
Europe, as well as in the stories from his most famous work, The SketchBook. Published in 1819 under another pen name, “Geoffrey Crayon,
Gent,” The Sketch-Book includes the short stories The Legend of Sleepy
Hollow and Rip Van Winkle. The literary Sleepy Hollow is actually the
lower Hudson Valley area near Tarrytown, NY, and Rip Van Winkle
sleeps through the entire Revolutionary War in the Catskill Mountains of
upstate New York.
(continues on next page)
3
ABOUT WASHINGTON IRVING
Legend Days
By the late 1820s, Irving had gained a reputation throughout Europe
and America as a great writer and thinker. Because of his popularity,
Irving received many important honors. The Spaniards were so
pleased with Irving's writing that in 1828, they elected him to the
Real Academia de la Historia or Royal Academy of History. In 1830,
Irving received a gold medal in history from the Royal Society of
Literature in London, and also received honorary degrees from Oxford, Columbia, and Harvard.
Trained as a lawyer, Irving was active in the field of diplomacy. In
1842, American President John Tyler (1841-1845) appointed him
Minister to Spain-a position we would now call ambassador. This
meant he traveled throughout Europe as a diplomatic representative of
the United States.
Feeling that it was finally time to return to American and his family, in
1832 Irving returned from Europe to New York. In 1835, he established his home Sunnyside in Tarrytown. Irving never married or had
children. Rather, for the next twenty-five years he shared Sunnyside
with his brother Ebenezer and Ebenezer's five daughters. During this
period, when Irving traveled or was sent on a diplomatic mission, he
always had a home and family to which to return.
Many artists, politicians, writers, and other influential people visited
Sunnyside. His home was publicized throughout the world in lithographs, magazines, and tourists maps. Images of Sunnyside could even
be found on cigar boxes, sheet music, and ceramic pitchers.
On November 28, 1859, Washington Irving died at Sunnyside surrounded by his family. On the eve of the Civil War, he was buried in
the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery at the Old Dutch Church in Sleepy
Hollow, NY.
4
ABOUT SUNNYSIDE
Legend Days
Sunnyside
By Currier & Ives,
Mid-19th century
Lithograph
S
Suugested
DiscussionTopics
architecture-styles
and design
collecting
immigration and
labor
technology
19th-century
family life
19th-century
leisure activities
local history
lithographers
Currier & Ives
John D.
Rockefeller, Jr.
historic
preservation
landscapes
unnyside stands on the banks of the Hudson River in Tarrytown,
New York, and was purchased by Washington Irving in 1835 for
$1,800. The house was originally a two-room Dutch farmhouse, and its
earlier colonial history appealed to Irving. However, the farmhouse was
too small to accommodate his large extended family. Irving also wanted
to create a home that reflected his own ideas about beauty as influenced
by the Romantic Movement. Over the next fifteen years, with the help of
an artist friend George Harvey, Irving redesigned and added to the original house. The end result of their efforts is the Sunnyside that exists today
which includes many examples of Irving's interests and souvenirs from his
travels.
Irving and Harvey designed Sunnyside in the Romantic style. This meant
that a variety of styles could be matched together as long as the final
result was beautiful. The landscape was also arranged in a particular way
to give the effect of a peaceful and natural-looking environment.
Irving was particularly interested in adding historical architectural elements such as a stepped-gable roof and weathervanes to the farmhouse
that he called “the cottage.” These were typical features of Dutch homes
that Irving saw while growing up in Manhattan. (During his childhood,
many Dutch structures still existed in New York City from the 1600s
when the Dutch established the area as New Amsterdam.) Throughout
the years he lived at Sunnyside, Irving added more rooms and other
features. Some of his ideas came from interesting buildings that he saw in
Europe, such as the world-famous Alhambra in Spain, the inspiration for
5
ABOUT SUNNYSIDE
Legend Days
the three-story tower of Sunnyside. Irving also outfitted his home with
the most advanced technology of the period, such as a refrigerator (ice
box), a cast iron stove, and indoor kitchen plumbing.
Irving paid special attention to the landscape that surrounded the
cottage. He wished to have it not only look beautiful, but also serve a
practical purpose. For example, Irving transformed a small pond into a
larger body of water that was pretty to look at and provided water to
the animals on the farm. A neighboring cistern provided water for the
cottage. Irving enjoyed spending time in the outdoors and he encouraged his family and friends to join him on walks throughout his property.
Sunnyside was always filled with guests and relatives who often would
gather in the parlor for lively discussions, dancing, tea, and music.
Irving enjoyed being host to many artists, politicians, writers, and
other influential people. The people who shared his home on a permanent basis included Irving's brother and five nieces, as well as Irish
servants who had escaped the Potato Famine of the 1840s.
When Irving died in 1859, his brother and nieces inherited
Sunnyside. Other family members lived in the house until 1945 when
it was purchased by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. In 1947, Sunnyside was
opened to the public; it was named a National Historic Landmark in
1966. Rockefeller, a supporter of historic preservation, viewed
Sunnyside as a place where the public could learn about Irving, historic architecture, as well as interior and landscape design.
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VOCABULARY
Legend Days
Please share the following vocabulary words with your students.
Antebellum period:
the period before the American Civil War between approximately 1820 to
1860
architect:
a person whose profession is designing houses, buildings, and bridges
contrast:
comparison of similar objects to set off their dissimilar qualities
diplomat:
a person who represents his/her country's government in a foreign country
and is responsible for developing relationships between the two countries
gentleman farmer:
someone who does not need to farm for a living but does it as a hobby
Hudson River:
315 mile river that flows from the Adirondacks in upstate New York to
Upper New York Bay (near New York City) which is part of the Atlantic
Ocean. The river is named after the early Dutch explorer Henry Hudson,
who in 1609 traveled up the river.
industrial revolution:
a period of time overlapping with the Romantic Movement marked by the
introduction of power-driven machinery such as textile mills, railroads, the
telegraph, and steamboat. These changes influenced operations of everyday
life. The first part lasted from approx. 1787-1859, Irving's lifetime.
interpret:
to explain the meaning of something (i.e. an object, person, event)
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VOCABULARY
Legend Days
interpreter:
someone who guides you and helps you understand what you are seeing and
learning about.
landscape designer:
a person whose profession is planning the arrangement of plants, trees,
bushes, gardens, etc.
legend:
a fictional story of a particular culture that has been handed down generation to generation, and usually that includes information about the past
19th century:
the period between 1800 to 1899
pen name:
a name used by an author rather than his/her true name
Romantic style:
a style in the art, architecture, music, landscape, and furniture design during
the 19th century that emphasized nature, emotion, mood, and irregular
shapes, sounds, and materials
stepped-gable roof:
a traditional Dutch roof that looks similar to steps and is part
of a sloping roof
8
PRE-VISIT ACTIVITY I
Legend Days
Washington and
Irving
By George Bernard
Butler, Jr. 1854
Watercolor on
paper
Introducing Irving & Sunnyside
Objectives: • to introduce students to Washington Irving and Sunnyside
• to help students understand what to expect while at Sunnyside
and other museums
• to give students the opportunity to share information about
their family history
1. Discussion: Discuss with your students the plans to visit Sunnyside.
Read aloud the information about Irving and Sunnyside provided in this
curriculum. You might wish to connect this material to a topic that you are
currently studying in class. For instance, if you are studying technology, you
might want to emphasize the difference in technology at Sunnyside—a
19th-century home—to that which might be found in today's homes.
2. Vocabulary Skill Builder: Share with your students the vocabulary list
provided in this curriculum. These words may be used on their field trip at
Sunnyside.
3. What’s In a Name? Sharing Experience: Ask your
students how they got their name and to share other family
legends. Share the following story about Washington
Irving:
Washington Irving was named after his parents' hero,
General George Washington. As a child in 1788, Irving
was privileged to meet Washington, who patted the boy's
head. As an adult, Irving romanticized a story about this
incident. He joked that his bald spot was created because
of that pat on the head.
Ask your students to create a story or picture about their
name.
9
PRE-VISIT ACTIVITY II
Legend Days
Legends
Objectives: • to introduce students to legends and storymaking
• to help students to think of themselves as storytellers
1. Discussion: Make a list of the various types of stories that can be considered legends (e.g., family stories, bedtime stories, ghost stories, tales that
teach a lesson, tales that teach history). Ask your students to describe various
legends and other stories that they have heard or seen. Suggested questions:
Which stories are the most well-known (e.g., Paul Bunyon, Johnny Appleseed,
Rip Van Winkle). Why are these stories so popular? Do they teach us anything? What different ways have you seen / heard these stories (e.g., video,
book, play). Perhaps you will read a short story with your class and then ask
them to discuss why the story might be of interest to many people.
2. Reading Exercise: Most cultures have legends that are past on from generation to generation. You can find in your local library books of legends
created by other cultures such as American Indian, Irish, Jewish, Hungarian,
and Italian. Select three or four to read with your students. Discuss similarities and differences. Ask your students to talk about what they can learn
about the specific cultures through their legends.
3. Writing Exercise: Washington Irving is perhaps best known for the legends he wrote such as Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. In
them, he created characters who many Americans are familiar with such as
the sad Ichabod Crane or the good-natured Rip Van Winkle whose wife
wouldn't stop pestering him. Ask your students to write a descriptive short
story about a certain type of person who is familiar to many people.
10
POST-VISIT ACTIVITY I
Legend Days
Storytelling Through Various Media
Objectives: • to examine how stories are expressed / shared in a variety of
media
• to experience different versions of Washington Irving’s The
Legend of Sleepy Hollow
1. Discussion: Discuss the different mediums in which stories can be told
(e.g., orally, in books, paintings, video, plays, puppet shows). Suggested
questions: Why are stories told in different formats? Which way do you
prefer to experience a story?
2. Reading exercise: Read a version of Washington Irving's The Legend of
Sleepy Hollow (see References on page 14 for suggested books). You might
ask your students to act out some of the plot. Ask your students to describe
what they think the characters and scenery looks like. Suggested questions:
Does the scenery remind you of anything that we saw at Sunnyside or in
your neighborhood? How does the story make you feel? Scared? Angry?
What aspects of the story make you feel this way?
3. Video: Watch a video version of Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy
Hollow (see References on page 14 for suggested videos). Suggested questions: How is the video different from the book and the puppet show? Do
the characters look different from what you imagined? Do you feel the same
way about the story?
11
POST-VISIT ACTIVITY II
Legend Days
4. Letter writing exercise: From their experience at Sunnyside, your students
learned that Irving wrote family and friends carefully detailed letters describing the activities going on in the house. Irving enriched his letters with discussions of the weather, and what he was thinking and feeling. Some of his letters
were like stories in that they were highly descriptive and interesting. Ask your
class write someone a letter that describes their trip to Sunnyside. We would
enjoy hearing from your class and would respond in a group letter. You may
mail your students’ letters to:
Education Department, Sunnyside
Historic Hudson Valley
150 White Plains Road
Tarrytown, NY 10591
Ichabod Crane,
Respectfully
Dedicated to
Washington
Irving.
By William J.
Wilguss
c. 1856
Chromolithograph.
5. Drawing exercise: Ask your students to create their own version of the
Headless Horseman or other characters from Washington Irving’s The Legend
of Sleepy Hollow. You might make copies of the drawing worksheet provided in
this curriculum, or use construction paper. Feel free to copy the image below
to provide an example of how one artist interpreted the legend, or you may
purchase postcards in Sunnyside’s gift shop.
12
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
Drawing by:___________________________________
REFERENCES
Legend Days
Adult Books
Butler, Lynn Hyman. A Passage Through the Land of Sleepy Hollow. Secaucus, NJ: Glover
Press, 1998. (a retelling of Irving's story with photographs)
Chambers, S. Allen, Jr., Poppeliers, John C. & Schwart, Nancy B. What Style Is It? A
Guide to American Architecture. Washington, D.C.: The Preservation Press, 1983.
Clark, Clifford E. The American Family Home, 1800 - 1960. Chapel Hill, NC: University
of North Carolina Press, 1986.
Dutton, Thomas A. (ed.). Voices in Architecture Education: Cultural Politics and Pedagogy.
New York: Bergin & Garvey, 1991.
Irving, Washington. Rip Van Winkle and Other Selected Stories. New York: Tor Books,
Inc., 1993.
Irving, Washington. The Sketch Book. New York: Penguin Books, 1981.c
Johnson, Kathleen Eagen. Washington Irving's Sunnyside. Tarrytown, NY: Historic
Hudson Valley, 1995.
Johnson, Kathleen Eagen. Visions of Washington Irving: Selected Works from the Collections
of Historic Hudson Valley. Tarrytown, NY: Historic Hudson Valley, 1991.
Children’s Books
Chorpenning, Charlotte B. Rip Van Winkle; A Play for Young People from the Story by
Washington Irving. Chicago, IL: Coach House Press, 1954.
Irving, Washington. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle. New York: Dover
Publications, Inc., 1995. (in easy-to-read type)
Irving, Washington. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Nashville, TN: Ideals Children's Books,
1991. (a storybook adaptation of the original story)
Isaacson, Phillip M. Round Buildings, Square Buildings & Buildings That Wiggle Like A
Fish. New York: Alfred Knopf Publishers, 1988.
Macaulay, David. Cathedral: The Story of Its Construction. Boston, MA: Houghton
Mifflin, 1973.
14
REFERENCES
Legend Days
Children's Books (cont.)
Macaulay, David. Pyramid. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 1975.
Macaulay, David. Great Moments in Architecture. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 1983.
Macaulay, David. The New Way Things Work. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 1998.
Wilkinson, Philip. Buildings. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 1995.
Pedagogy Book
Blatt, Gloria T. (Ed.). Once Upon A Folktale: Capturing the Folktale Process with Children.
New York: Teachers College Press, 1993.
Videos
Legend of Sleepy Hollow
1949 - Movies Unlimited.
1979 - Movies Unlimited. Narrated by Jeff Goldblum.
1988 - Columbia Tri-Starr Home Video. Narrated by Glenn Close.
1992 - Golden Book Video. Narrated by John Carradine.
1998 - Lyrick Studios. Starring Wishbone, a terrier.
Rip Van Winkle
1914 - Grapevine Video. A silent production.
1969 - Paragon Home Video. A Mr. Magoo cartoon.
1978 - Golden Book Video.
1982 - Planet Video, Inc.
1984 - Faerie Tale Theater. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.
1992 - Movies Unlimited. Narrated by Anjelica Huston.
15

Legend Days - Historic Hudson Valley

Transcription

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