1. When and where was this image captured?

2.  What is happening in this image?

3. What specific people/objects do you see? 

4. What do you notice about the objects' condition or the people's expressions or appearance?

5. Why would the photographer choose this particular scene to photograph?

6. What information do the words accompanying the photograph provide?

7. What is missing from the photograph?

8. What problems for people are suggested by the images?

9.  What is interesting or surprising about this photograph?

10. What additional information about the event did you learn from  this photograph?
 
 

PERSONAL ACCOUNT ANALYSIS:

1. When and where did this interview take place?

2. What encounter with nature is described in this personal account?

3. How long after the event occurred was this inteview made?

4. What words or phrases does the person use which best creates, for you,  a visual image of the event?

5. What attitude towards this event does the person seem to have?

6. Who or what at does this person seem to believe is responsible for this event occurring?

7. What problems or effects does the event seem to have had on people's lives?

8.  What lesson does this person seem to have learned from this event?

9. Is there anything interesting or surprising to you about this person's reaction to the situation?

10. What new insights into the natural event does this interview provide you?
 

1. If there is a cover to this piece of sheet music, examine it carefully.  What message does the cover give you about the event?

2. What natural event is this song about?

3. Read through the lyrics. Write a  summary describing the main idea of the song.

4. List any words in the song with which you are not familiar. Find their meanings in a dictionary.

5. Choose one or two phrases of the song that are interesting to you. Explain why they caught your attention.

6. Who or what does the song writer feel is responsible for the event?

7. What problems or effects of the event are mentioned in the song?

8. What new insights does this song give you about the event described?

9. What surprises you about the song?

10. What questions do you have?
 

[Some victims of the] 1927 Mississippi River flood [gathered at] Hamburg, Louisiana

Click here.

Source document: American Experience - Fatal Flood

Bessie Smith's Backwater Blues
 

Other Resources

Boise State Site

Background of the Blues

USA Today Site on Flood