Challenger Explosion Photograph Analysis

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About this Activity

Created by:National Archives Education Team
Historical Era:Contemporary United States (1968 to the present)
Thinking Skill:Historical Analysis & Interpretation
Bloom's Taxonomy:Analyzing
Grade Level:Middle School

Students will hypothesize what the president and cabinet members were watching on television by analyzing facial expressions, body language, and the physical environment. Students will learn that President Ronald Reagan and his staff were watching a televised replay of the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion in January of 1986.

https://docsteach.org/activities/student/what-is-he-watching

Suggested Teaching Instructions

This activity focuses on photograph analysis and can be used in a variety of places, including a unit on the executive power or a unit on the Reagan presidency. For grades 6-12.

Present the activity to the entire class. Notice that initially only one individual will be revealed (President Reagan — but don’t share this information with students yet!). Ask students to closely examine his face and expression and other body language. Ask students to identify this person and hypothesize what he is doing.

Click Switch View to reveal the entire photograph. Use the following questions to model careful document analysis:

List the people in the photograph. What do you think they are thinking as they watch the television?
What questions does this photograph raise in your mind?
Based on what you have observed, where do you think they are?
What events could they possibly be watching based on your knowledge of events occurring during Reagan’s presidency between January 1981 until January 1988?

After students have analyzed the photograph, click on View Entire Document to reveal more information and explain that the President and his staff were watching a televised replay of the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion.

View President Reagan’s Speech on Space Shuttle Challenger for more information about the president’s response.

Documents in this activity

Photograph of President Reagan and his staff watching a televised replay of the Space Shuttle "Challenger" explosion

To the extent possible under law, National Archives Education Team has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to "Challenger Explosion Photograph Analysis".

Challenger Explosion Photograph Analysis

Focusing on Details: Zoom/Crop

About this Activity

Suggested Teaching Instructions

Documents in this activity

The National Archives