READ: George Washington Carver - Graphic Biography

In the post-Civil War American South, scientist George Washington Carver worked to restore both the land and those who farmed it.

The Graphic Biography below uses “Three Close Reads”. If you want to learn more about this strategy, click here.

First read: skimming for gist

This will be your quickest read. It should help you get the general idea of what the graphic biography will be about. Pay attention to the title, headings, images, and layout. Ask yourself: what is this graphic biography going to be about?

Second read: understanding content

For this reading, you should be looking for unfamiliar vocabulary words, the major claim and key supporting details, and analysis and evidence. You should also spend some time looking at the images and the way in which the page is designed.

By the end of the second close read, you should be able to answer the following questions:

What are some challenges that George Washington Carver faced as a young man?
In what ways did cotton have a negative impact on Southern famers?
How did Carver work to improve both the quality of the soil and the quality of life for Black farmers?
In the graphic biography, Carver and the plants he is working with are represented with bright colors and light, while the images get darker as you move away from the central image. Why do you think the artist chose to depict the scene in that way?

Third read: evaluating and corroborating

In this read, you should use the graphic biography as evidence to support, extend, or challenge claims made in the course.

At the end of the third read, you should be able to respond to these questions:

What does George Washington Carver's story tell you about the economic, social, and environmental impacts of industrialization? Who faced the biggest changes from industrialization?

Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to read! Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished reading.

George Washington Carver - Graphic Biography

Writer: Molly Sinnott

Artist: Kay Sohini

In the post-Civil War American South, scientist George Washington Carver worked to restore both the land and those who farmed it.

Download the Graphic Biography PDF here or click on the image above.

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