Freedom from Fear: What do you worry about?

Overview:

We all have worries and fears. In this follow-up activity, student reflect on and share their fears and the ways in which they productively cope with and overcome them.

Enduring Understandings/ Essential Questions:

1. Everyone fears and worries about things.
2. Some fears that people have may be related to what is going on in the world.
3. People find different ways to overcome their fears and worries.
   • What are some things that you fear or worry about?
   • What do you do to overcome these fears and worries?

Objectives:

• Students will share fears in a safe and respectful environment.
• Students will discuss strategies they have employed to cope with or overcome fears.

Background:

Norman Rockwell’s Freedom from Fear was painted while Europe was under siege, and were it not for the headline in the father’s newspaper, the work might be read as a peaceful bedroom scene. The father of three sons, Rockwell intended to convey the notion that all parents should be able to put their children to bed each night with the assurance of their safety. Here, a mother, father, and sleeping siblings tell the story of a comfortable life. Though the children share a bed, pictures, clothing, and toys are present, and a warm light shines from the first floor of their home, implying that this family has attained fiscal security and the American dream.

Norman Rockwell lived in Arlington, Vermont when he painted the Four Freedoms. In Freedom from Fear, the father is holding a copy of The Bennington Banner, with headlines telling of the horrific events taking place in Europe. During the war overseas, many parents and children were separated, as they were sent to live with relatives in places that might be less likely to come under attack.

Materials:

Classroom  Supplies:

• Copy of activity sheet or drawing paper for each student
• Pencils, crayons
• Writing paper or sticky label for each student

 

Activities:

• Following the opportunity to view and discuss Norman Rockwell’s illustration, Freedom from Fear, students discuss their own fears.
• Discussion: Do student fears reflect issues relating to society and our times? Do they relate to things happening in their daily lives? Might people in other historical eras have shared similar fears? Why or why not? How might people in the past have dealt with their fears? Invite students to discuss strategies that have helped them overcome their fears. What are these strategies?  If talking with loved ones or friends,  helping others, exercising, or being part of a team, religious and or social group do not come up naturally in discussion do introduce as strategies that are helpful for many people.
• Have students illustrate the application of a shared personal or learned strategy to overcome a fear. On a sticky label or quarter sheet of writing paper, have students write a brief label explaining the illustration.

Assessment:

• Dis students support each other respectfully as they shared and discussed fears?
• Were students comfortable sharing both worries and strategies for coping?
• Did students create illustrations that reflected understanding of task?