Winter Garden Heritage Foundation
Experience History Field Trip
Classroom Exercise
Classroom Exercise: Early Florida Tourism
Grade levels appropriate: Fourth and fifth grades
Objectives: What will students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?
In this lesson, students will:
- use a 1930s travel brochure as a primary source to learn about early Florida tourism;
- understand that Florida was considered "paradise" by early tourists who came to Florida;
- understand that mild climate, lakes, and fishing were some of the natural resources sought out by early tourists;
- understand that travel brochures were written to persuade people from the north to come to Florida on vacation;
- recognize words and phrases used to persuade tourists to come to Winter Garden.
Sunshine State Standards:
SS.A.1.2.2: The student uses a variety of methods and sources to understand history and knows the difference between
primary and secondary sources.
SS.A.5.2. 4: The student understands social and cultural transformations of the 1920s and 1930s.
SS.A.6.2.2: The student understands the influence of geography on the history of Florida.
SS.B.2.2.2: The student understands how the physical environment supports and constrains human activities.
SS.B.2.2.4: The student understands how factors such as population growth, human migration, improved methods of
transportation and communication, and
economic development affect the use and conservation of natural resources.
LA.A.2.2.2: The student identifies the author.s purpose in a simple text.
LA.A.2.2.3: The student recognizes when a text is primarily intended to persuade.
LA.B.1.2.1.4.2: The student establishes a purpose for writing (including but not limited to explaining, informing,
telling a story, making a request)
LA.B.1.2.3.4.7: The student uses creative writing strategies appropriate to the format (for example, using
appropriate voice; using descriptive language to clarify ideas and create vivid
images; using elements of style, such as appropriate tone)
LA.B.2.2.3: The student writes for a variety of occasions, audiences, and purposes.
LA.D.2.2.1: The student understands that word choices can shape reactions, perceptions, and beliefs.
Materials needed:
trailer city ad p. 1
trailer city ad p. 2 (one per student)
Introductory/background information for teachers and students:
This travel brochure was published in the 1930s to
encourage tourists to come to Winter Garden. Beginning in the 1910s and through the 1920s, the United States was
experiencing an economic boom. People were making more money than ever before. For the first time many middle class
Americans were making enough money to purchase their own automobile. Many could also afford to take time off from
their work for traveling vacations. This was the beginning of tourism.
Early travelers considered Florida a tropical
paradise. This was before Disney World and other theme parks. Tourists came to fish, hunt, enjoy the warm weather,
swim, and explore the natural beauty of Florida. Cities lured tourists by building travel parks for campers with
toilets, showers, hot and cold running water, electricity, and recreation opportunities like tennis courts.
Lesson process:
After the teacher gives a short lesson on early Florida tourism (based on introductory/background information on p. 1),
students are given the travel brochure and asked to look for details about the weather, campground activities, and
other nearby attractions that would be appealing to early tourists. Details are listed on the board as students name
them.
The teacher asks questions such as:
- The climate of Florida is considered one of its valuable natural
resources. Why is Florida's climate a valuable resource for tourism? What other valuable natural resources can you
identify from the travel brochure?
- Advertising brochures have a persuasive tone and use vivid words and phrases to
enhance the features of the attraction they are describing. Many travelers from northern states considered Florida a
paradise. A paradise is a place of extreme beauty or loveliness. The author of this brochure is trying to convince the
reader that this destination is like that. What are some of the desirable features that are described? Can you find
any features in the brochure.s pictures or written text that might persuade tourists to come?
- How is tourism in Central Florida different now than it was back in 1930 when this brochure was written?
Assessment: How will students demonstrate that they have accomplished the above objectives?
After discussion, students are asked to pretend that they are tourists at this trailer park in 1930. They are to write
a letter to a friend using vivid language and descriptive words from the brochure to describe their activities while on
vacation in Florida.
Reflection/follow-up activities: Provide key questions that could be used after this experience in classroom
discussion, writing a review, reflective journal entries.
Why do you think travelers coming from the north thought Florida was paradise?
What attracts tourists to Florida now?
Do you think that tourists would come to this campground now that Lake Apopka, the adjacent lake, is polluted?
Additional materials: What other activities or materials would help teachers prepare students for this arts
experience, and how can they be accessed? (Print, website, library, other.)
The website,
www.floridadream.org,
describes early Florida tourism and offers classroom lesson plans from the Florida Humanities Council.
The book entitled, Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams: A Social History of Modern Florida by Gary R. Mormino,
describes the growth of Florida through the 20th century.
Connections to other learning:
How does this experience connect with reading, math, science, social studies and other learning?
This Social Studies lesson connects to Language Arts lessons on writing for a purpose, such as to persuade, and writing
that uses descriptive and vivid words. In this lesson, students understand that word choices can shape reactions,
perception, and beliefs. See Sunshine State Standards addressed.
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