Students reflect on the significant factors of freedom in today’s society, locally and in the world at large. They create an illustration reflecting a select freedom in today’s world. In addition, they write an argument defending the freedom their illustration reflects. The argument defends their argument with relevant facts and data. This project may be a collaborative work with the art teacher.

The written part of the activity will take a week or less to complete. The amount of time to create the illustration may vary depending on whether it is worked on outside of art classes.

GRADE
6-8

THEME
Four Freedoms

LENGTH
This activity could take a week or less.

DISCIPLINE
Social Studies; Language Arts:Reading History; Language Arts: Writing History and Science

VOCABULARY
Argument

1. The Four Freedoms are intended for all citizens of the world.
2. President Roosevelt named the Four Freedoms as Freedom from Want, Freedom from Fear, Freedom of Worship, And Freedom of Speech.
3. The Four Freedoms are reflected in our lives.

• Are the four freedoms named by President Roosevelt relevant today?
• How are the Four Freedoms reflected in your life?
• Do all citizens of the world enjoy these freedoms in the same way?
• What does “freedom” mean to you?

• Students will reflect on the world today, identify relevant freedoms and create an image which illustrates a chosen freedom.
• Students will write an argument defending the freedom illustrated in their illustration.

World War II began in 1939. The United States was not involved in the beginning of the war, however, President Franklin Roosevelt believed that the United States would eventually need to play a larger role. In January 1941, he made his speech to Congress. In his speech, President Roosevelt named the Four Freedoms, which he stated are the rights of everyone in the world. After the speech, in an effort to convey the underlying message of the Four Freedoms, the President reached out to the art world for help. Many artists created works to reflect the meaning of these freedoms in the form of paintings, sculptures, prints, musical compositions, and more. Norman Rockwell thought a lot about these ideals. In February and March of 1943, his completed Four Freedoms illustrations were published in The Saturday Evening Post, each along with a related essay. Exceedingly popular at the time and distributed widely as prints and posters, Norman Rockwell’s illustrations raised over 132 million dollars toward the war effort through the purchase of war bonds. Prints of Rockwell’s Four Freedoms were given as premiums when people purchased war bonds in varying denominations. His illustrations became the face of the Four Freedoms and they continue to represent the meaning of these freedoms today.

• Rockwell, Roosevelt & the Four Freedoms Exhibition Website RockwellFourFreedoms.org
  • Rockwell & Roosevelt Interactive Timeline
  • Sights + Sounds
  • Potent Pictures: Propaganda Posters
  • Contemporary Artists: Reimagine the Four Freedoms
  • Students: Reimagine the Four Freedoms

• Saturday Evening Post: February 10, 1943 (Complete Issue) – Freedom of Speech
• Four Freedoms – Presentation
• Speeches of Freedom: Voice Collage (PDF)
  • Eleanor Roosevelt – The Struggle for Human Rights (excerpt) (PDF)
  • W.E.B. DuBois – Niagara Movement Speech (excerpt) (PDF)
  • Franklin D. Roosevelt –  “The Four Freedoms” Speech (excerpt) (PDF)
  • Lyndon B. Johnson –  “Great Society” Speech  (excerpt) (PDF)
  • Malcolm X – Speech to Peace Corps Workers (excerpt) (PDF)
  • Ang San Suu Kyi – Freedom from Fear (excerpt) (PDF)
  • Elie Wiesel – “Perils of Indifference” – Nobel Peace Prize Speech (excerpt) (PDF)
  • Martin Luther King –  “I have a dream” Speech (excerpt) (PDF)
  • Margaret Chase Smith – “Declaration of Conscience” (excerpt) (PDF)
  • Lyndon B. Johnson – “The American Promise” Speech (excerpt) (PDF)
  • John F. Kennedy – Inaugural Presidential Address  (excerpt) (PDF)
  • Cesar Chavez – “Wrath of Grapes Speech” (excerpt) (PDF)
  • Abraham Lincoln – “Gettysberg Address” (complete) (PDF)
  • Winston Churchill – “Blood, Sweat and Tears” Speech (complete) (PDF)
• Norman Rockwell Museum Mobile App
  • GooglePlay Store (Free)
  • Apple iTunes App Store (Free)

Classroom Suppplies:

• Internet access for research
• Art materials for illustration
• Paper/writing implements
• Chart paper and marker

• Prior to this project, give students the opportunity to view and discuss the four freedoms illustrated by Norman  Rockwell and the world events which led to the speech given by Franklin D. Roosevelt.
• Hold an informal discussion of the freedoms relevant to today’s world affairs. Record ideas elicited from students.
• Students will think about the ideas recorded. From the list or additional ideas that they have, students will choose a freedom to illustrate and defend.
• If working in collaboration with the art teacher, students may make preliminary sketches in class and work on final illustration in art class.
• Students will research facts and data in support of the selected idea. They will publish an argument defending the selected freedom based on present world events and conditions which will serve as the placard to be displayed with the illustration.
• If students have not had previous experience writing arguments, mentor texts should be shared and analyzed, noting how this type of writing is different from other genres.

• Are students’ ideas relevant to today?
• Do the illustrations reflect ideas?
• Do students’ arguments provide evidence supporting the ideas based on today’s world?

This curriculum meets the standards listed below. Look for more details on these standards please visit: ELA and Math Standards, Social Studies Standards, Visual Arts Standards.