1950s

3/6: HOMEWORK: Read your two opinion pieces about Dana Schultz's painting (these are on the "who lives, who dies..." page see link on the Contemporary Am Culture page). For each: take notes about the main idea presented in the essay (and write down any questions inspired by those ideas), plus a 1-2 sentence summary of the main idea (for your partner). Then, choose a few ideas from the opinion piece to wrestle with. These should be ideas that allow you to see aspects of the controversy through a different light (or to understand the issues differently). Write a meaty paragraph exploring the ideas.

In class -we had a brief discussion about what we've learned from examining the photographs we have seen, then talked about Dana Schultz and the idea of cultural appropriation. Please see the "Who Lived, who died..." page (linked to from the Cont Am Culture page) for more.

3/5: HOMEWORK (b Block only): , please reflect upon your experiences with the photographs this week. To begin with, THINK about what you have gained/learned by working with these photographs: it could be skills you feel like you are developing, it could be recognition of bias or stereotyping, it could be about the light they shed on the 1950s or on your understanding of Emmitt Till’s death and its power, on how photographers use their art to challenge the norms, etc. Please try to use examples to help me to understand your experience. This part of the reflection should fill at least a page.

In class: we revisited Till' photographs to explore how Mamie Till and David Jackson and Jet magazine shaped the story of the murder and murderers in order to effect public change. We also looked at #IfTheyGunnedMeDown photographs (on 1950s + photographs) as a descendent of the work Till and Jackson had done.

3/2: HOMEWORK is on the 1950s+ photographs page (link below).

3/1: HOMEWORK: Work on part 2 of the assessment. Due Friday (no exceptions).

In class: KEEP IN MIND OUR PURPOSE: 1) to examine how photographs can be used to shape a view of America AND 2) how photographers can use their art to honor the full humanity of people (by breaking down/challenging stereotypes). Today, look through both Gordon Parks' photographs and Diane Arbus' photographs. Make the same kind of lists as you did for the Life magazine photographs. After you've seen them all and made your initial lists, choose two photographs from each artist that you find particularly interesting and spend some time looking at those (you should each choose different photographs). Work to stay away from stereotyping, especially by geographic are and by groupings. Gordon Parks shoots in the North (Chicago suburb and Harlem) and in the South. He chronicles Harlem Gangs, but do not let the title prejudice you.

2/28: HOMEWORK: Work on part 2 of the assessment. Take into account the response I gave in class and on your assessments as you revise. Reread grading criteria and tips for revising (below). In class: We're going to spend some time looking at the art of photography and especially how photography (as a form of media) began to challenge the status quo in the 1950s. To start, we'll look at some of Dorothea Lange's photographs from the 1930s and 40s in order to talk about photography as a way to portray the humanity in others (all photographs are on the 1950s photographs page - link below). Then on your own, take a look at the photographs on the 1950s photography page. Start with the Life magazine photographs - that was one of the most popular mainstream magazines of its time, so that's our baseline. In your journals, make a list of what you see in those photographs, and how they are shaping a particular view of America. Pair up and briefly share your ideas

2/27: HOMEWORK: Work on part 2 of the assessment. Take into account the response I gave in class and on your assessments as you revise. In class: We talked about some issues with the first assessment (see assessment board notes, attached below). Students had some time to apply these ideas to their 2nd assessment drafts. We also talked about Joseph McCarthy, Wheeling, Wisconsin , Communism and Margaret Chase Smith.

2/16: Students met in groups to discuss podcasts. They started by sharing their ideas about what was interesting and important about the podcasts, then looked to intersections between the podcasts that proved context for America today and discussed how that context helps to better understand issues we continue to face.

2/26: HOMEWORK: Work on part 2 of the assessment. Take into account the response I gave in class and on your assessments as you revise. In class: We talked about some issues with the first assessment (see assessment board notes, attached below). Students had some time to apply these ideas to their 2nd assessment drafts. We also talked about Joseph McCarthy, Wheeling, Wisconsin , Communism and Margaret Chase Smith.

2/15: HOMEWORK: Continue to revise.One assessment due tomorrow. Make sure to reread grading criteria and tips for revising, as I am using both to grade the papers. Also, complete podcast assignment (see 2/9 below) for Friday.Continued to work on assessments. Make sure to reread grading criteria and tips for revising, as I am using both to grade the papers. TURN IN ALL DRAFTS WITH THE PAPERS (I will not accept them afterward).

2/14: Continued to work on assessments. See "Cont Am Culture 1950s assessment (adjustment) attached below.

2/13: Both classes: Working on the assessments (see "Cont Am Culture 1950s text assessments" below). There are some tools attached below for you to use: "Student draft Lottery - with revision notes" and "Step one - sample (partial) mark up of the mother+" and "Tips for revising"

2/12: HOMEWORK: revisit your draft paragraphs and start the work of revision. See "Cont. Am Culture 1950s text assessment" and 'the mother' + 'Morning Song' (attached below). In class we talked about the assessments, looked at a student paragraph and discussed revision.

2/9: HOMEWORK : See "Cont A Culture Green Book +" (attached below). Please listen to 2 podcasts by Thursday. Here are the links to the podcasts: 99% Invisible (it's episode 201 if you need to search for it. Press the play button that appears on the illustration), The Nod ( "The Haristons Part 2." This is part 2 of a two parter. They recap part 1 at the beginning, so I hope you can follow it. Part 1 is really worth listening to...) The episode explores differences in opinion about continuing impact of slavery. Stuff You Missed in History Class (about Joseph McCarthy and the Red Scare), Fresh Air (an interview with Melba Patillo Beals - one of the Little Rock Nine).

2/8: HOMEWORK : See "Cont A Culture Green Book +" (attached below). Please listen to 2 podcasts by Thursday. Here are the links to the podcasts: 99% Invisible (it's episode 201 if you need to search for it. Press the play button that appears on the illustration), The Nod ( "The Haristons Part 2." This is part 2 of a two parter. They recap part 1 at the beginning, so I hope you can follow it. Part 1 is really worth listening to...) The episode explores differences in opinion about continuing impact of slavery. Stuff You Missed in History Class (about Joseph McCarthy and the Red Scare), Fresh Air (an interview with Melba Patillo Beals - one of the Little Rock Nine).

C BLOCK: In class: We looked at Rockwell's Game Called Because of Rain (attached below) and talked about Rockwell's quiet subversion. Then students worked in groups with Gwendolyn Brooks' "The Mother" (attached below).

B BLOCK: We worked with "the Enormous Radio" and sought intersections between it and "The Lottery" in order to think about how artists critique the values of their time.

2/6: C Block: HOMEWORK: Choose a close reading section from each story (a paragraph to half a page) and read closely, looking for words that stick out, contradiction, pattern, repetition, "double" effect (words that read differently now that you've read the story) etc. Then, for each story, explore a new insight gained from the close reading in a paragraph. Use what you noticed when you read and explain how this evidence leads you to understand an aspect of the story. In class: we discussed "The Enormous Radio" and practiced close reading.

B BLOCK: HOMEWORK: Read “The Enormous Radio” (Here's the text online. You can find an audio version here:). On the front of the notecard, bullet points you want to make sure to talk about and/or questions or confusions you have about the story. On the back of the card, compare the world John Cheever creates with the one Shirley Jackson created in “The Lottery.” THINK about the differences in setting, in character type, in tone, in theme. THINK about any similarities you see in character type, in concerns these authors are wrestling with, their view of the world, etc. Fill the back of the card. In class: We looked at and analyzed Rockwell's Freedom from Want (attached below) and looked at and discussed the darker side of Levittown and its lingering effects. Students read an excerpt from Quiet by Susan Cain (attached below) and talked about the Culture of Character vs Culture of Personality. Finally, we practiced close reading wth the beginning and end of "The Lottery."

2/5: C BLOCK: HOMEWORK Read “The Enormous Radio” (Here's the text online. You can find an audio version here:). On the front of the notecard, bullet points you want to make sure to talk about and/or questions or confusions you have about the story. On the back of the card, compare the world John Cheever creates with the one Shirley Jackson created in “The Lottery.” THINK about the differences in setting, in character type, in tone, in theme. THINK about any similarities you see in character type, in concerns these authors are wrestling with, their view of the world, etc. Fill the back of the card. In class: We looked at and analyzed Rockwell's Freedom from Want (attached below) and read and discussed the introduction to Bill Bryson's book The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid (attached below) to get a sense of the way the 1950s was/appears to us now. Then we dove into "The Lottery" in all groups (see "Lottery topics (board)" attached below).

B BLOCK: HOMEWORK: Use what you discussed today in class as a way to dig a little deeper into the story. Choose 2 close reading passages (about 2 paragraphs each) as a way to add to/sharpen your understanding of one of the topics (below "Lottery topics"). Write a paragraph about an idea you developed through the close reading - use specific evidence and explain how that evidence helped you develop your idea. In class: We read and discussed the introduction to Bill Bryson's book The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid (attached below) and watched this video about domestic life and the 1950s to get a sense of the way the 1950s was/appears to us now. Then we dove into :The Lottery" in all groups (see "Lottery topics (board)" attached below

2/2: HOMEWORK: Please see "The Lottery + Letters" for instructions. If you did not pick up materials from me, please print out "The lottery letters (New Yorker)" and "The Lottery text" attached below.You can find an audio version of "The Lottery" here. If you did not pick up copies from me on Friday, print out both the story and the letters and bring with you to class.

2/1: We talked about models, about their place in society and brainstormed about the 1950s.