The Windy WhiteCity

1893 Columbian Exposition – The Fair Felt ‘Round the World

Mary Loudon

PontiacJunior High School

Linda Ambrose

PrairieCentralJunior High School

Summer 2005

The Ferris Wheel at the World’s Fair.

The Manufacturer and Builder: a Practical Journal of Industrial Progress.

Image 176. August, 1893.Cornell Digital Library Collections.

Students will create a newspaper reporting on the Columbian Exposition of 1893 held in Chicago, Illinois. They will gain an understanding of the effects of personal experiences on newspaper reporting. They will also explore how world events from the past impact their lives today.

Overview/State Standards/Resources/Procedures/Evaluation

An Adventure of the American Mind

IllinoisStateUniversity

The Windy WhiteCity 1

OverviewBack to Navigation Bar
Objectives / As a result of this project students will be able to:
  • Write articles as if they were experiencing the various new inventions displayed at the Columbian Exposition.
  • Plan the layout and produce a newspaper using the written articles.
  • Participate in a group discussion evaluating the effects of the new inventions described in their papers on everyday life in the 21st century.

Recommended time frame / 5 – 7 days
Grade level / 7th and 8th
Curriculum fit / Language Arts and Social Science
Resources /
  • PowerPoint
  • ImageTable
  • Interactive Guide
  • Answers.com
  • Chicago Fair
  • Web-Book of the Fair
  • Encyclopedia of Chicago
  • Resource Table

IllinoisStateLearning StandardsBack to Navigation Bar
Language Arts:
GOAL 3: Write to communicate for a variety of purposes.
3.A. Apply word analysis and vocabulary skills to comprehend selections.
  • 3. A.3Write compositions that contain complete sentences and effective paragraphs using English conventions.
3.B. Compose well-organized and coherent writing for specific purposes and audiences.
  • 3.B.3a Produce documents that convey a clear understanding and interpretation of ideas and information and display focus, organization, elaboration and coherence.
  • 3.B.3b Produce documents that convey a clear understanding and interpretation of ideas and information and display focus, organization, elaboration and coherence.
3.C. Communicate ideas in writing to accomplish a variety of purposes.
  • 3.C.3a Compose narrative, informative, and persuasive writings (e.g., in addition to previous writings, literature reviews, instructions, news articles, correspondence) for a specified audience.
  • 3.C.3b Using available technology, produce compositions and multimedia works for specified audiences.
  • 5.A.3a Identify appropriate resources to solve problems or answer questions through research.
  • 5.C.3a Plan, compose, edit and revise documents that synthesize new meaning gleaned from multiple sources.
Social Science:
GOAL 16: Understand events, trends, individuals and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the United States and other nations.
16.A. Apply the skills of historical analysis and interpretation.
  • 16.A.3b Make inferences about historical events and eras using historical maps and other historical sources.
  • 16.A.3c Identify the differences between historical fact and interpretation.
Fine Arts:
GOAL 25: Know the language of the arts.
25.A. Understand the sensory elements, organizational principles and expressive qualities of the arts.
  • 25.A.3e Analyze how the elements and principles can be organized to convey meaning through a variety of media and technology.

ProceduresBack to Navigation Bar
Activity One:– Intro to Columbian Exposition/newspaper Unit (1 class period)
  • Show students Famous FirstsPPT, discuss what they have in common.
  • Students will receive handouts/web information.
  • Image Table
  • Interactive Guide
  • Answers.com
  • Chicago Fair
  • Web-Book of the Fair
  • Encyclopedia of Chicago
  • Resource Table
  • Students will be divided into groups of 3-5.
  • Students will draw or will be assigned topics.
  • Students will preview material on the web.
Activity Two:– Group Brainstorming
(1 class period)
  • Each student must offer an idea/suggestion/observation for their article about the topic they are researching.
  • The group will collaboratively select the facts to be used for their newspaper articles and a name for the newspaper.
  • Students will use Microsoft Word to write their articles.
Activity Three:– Application
(1 class period)
  • Students will receive a brief review of Microsoft Publisher and a guide sheet for laying out the newspaper format.
  • Students will designate an editor who will copy and paste each article into the document.
  • Students in the group will all receive a copy of the rough draft to proof read and make suggestions before the next day’s class period.
Activity Four: – Finished product
(1 class period)
  • Students will be encouraged to share their reflections of the group’s rough draft.
  • With the group’s consensus, changes will be made.
  • The final documents will be printed and copies shared with the other groups.
Activity Five– Group Discussion
(1 class period)
  • Students will examine all group articles and will discuss:
  • Biased points of view,
  • Word choice
  • Facts included
  • Sentence structure
  • Differences in information either included or excluded
  • Impact of 21st century point of view
  • Implication of these issues in newspaper reporting
  • Time for sharing other questions/observations about the Columbian Exposition will be given.

EvaluationBack to Navigation Bar
  • Teacher observation of participation in the small group activities.
  • Individual assessment of articles, group assessment of newspaper as a whole.
  • Observations of class participation of students during the group discussion.

ExtensionsBack to Navigation Bar
Using the descriptions given here, designate the location of as many attractions as you can on a current map of Chicago.
Click here for current Chicago map.
Using a map from the Columbian Exposition, identify the different venues as listed on the map. Read information contained in ‘additional links’ websites to find locations.
Research other world fairs and write a 300-500 word paper detailing other inventions that affect our lives today.

An Adventure of the American Mind

IllinoisStateUniversity