Primary Source Literacy Instruction with the Marcel Breuer Digital Archive

Breeann Austin • Syracuse University

INTRODUCTION
This poster walkthrough the creation of a WORKSHOP OUTLINE ASSESSMENT
primary source literacy workshop using
Hidden Voices
the Marcel Breuer Digital Archive.
Introduction • Hans Falkner, an Austrian ski instructor who was imprisoned
Defined primary sources, primary source literacy, Marcel for anti-German sentiment after the annexation of Austria
Breuer, and the Marcel Breuer Digital Archive. • Reginald Isaacs, a Jewish architect working for Hilyard “Primary sources
Robinson, a famous black architect do not exist in a
MARCEL BREUER MARCEL BREUER bubble! They are
DIGITAL ARCHIVE
Primary Source Walkthrough Demonstration • Gerda Sgalitzer, a Jewish doctor who fled Austria and
(1902-1981) What is the shaped by the world
A collaborative digital Walked students through a list of questions they should immigrated to England and then the USA most around them at that
Among one of the most time.”
influential architects and
repository for over 83,000 ask when evaluating a primary source. Each question used • Ying Li, a Chinese woman graduated from MIT as an architect valuable
materials related to Marcel
furniture designers of the Breuer and his career. a different primary source, allowing for more perspectives, thing you
20th century. topics, and voices to be heard. learned in
Hidden Perspectives the “I learned that
Mentimeter Primary Source Activity workshop? there are a variety of
• J Lueder attempting to use defense housing projects to avoid primary sources […]
WORKSHOP GOALS Using Mentimeter, students evaluated a primary source by the peacetime draft during WWII outside of my main
providing anonymous answers to the walkthrough • Maria Fenyoe discussing the destruction of Hungary during subject area that
demonstration questions. might have pertinent
To create a primary source literacy workshop that WWII and Russian control of Hungary after the War information.”
demonstrated that: • Marcel Breuer possibly implying that one of his draftsmen
Closing Thoughts “I really liked
1. That the Archive was a multi-disciplinary source of had committed suicide.
research materials. Discussed the benefits of working with primary sources but the use of the
• Multiple letters discussing the influence women had in the Mentimeter
2. That the Archive had preserved the voices of more also the possible pitfalls through my own cautionary tale
design of many of Breuer’s residential home projects. exercise to have Do you have any
than just white men. of working with the correspondence of “Peter” Norton
• Dorothea Ventris discussing everyday life under the threat of us practice using comments or
3. That by going directly to a primary source, the a primary
(aka Lady Noel Evelyn Norton) suggestions you
students could draw upon their own experiences German bombing in London source.” would like to
and backgrounds to craft original research • Crofton Gane describing the destruction of his home, factory,
questions and tell these hidden stories. share about the
and warehouse to German air raids workshop?
After
attending this “I think
LEARNING OBJECTIVES workshop, do primary sources
you feel can be a bit
At the end of this workshop, students will be able to… comfortable overwhelming for
1. Understand what Archives and Primary Sources are. working with those who aren't
primary as familiar with
2. Understand the importance of primary source them, so I
sources?
literacy skills. appreciated the
time spent
3. Identify and communicate information found within breaking them
primary sources. down.”
4. Understand how primary sources can help form a
research question.