In this lesson plan, students compare and contrast the Hollywood film industry of the 30s and 40s with Hollywood today. They conduct research, present it in a creative posterboard project, and follow up with a discussion of the findings.

Students will read one or more of Ginsberg’s poems, will read about the work of other Beat writers, and will investigate the larger social and political climate in which they lived.

Through these activities students will explore various definitions about what constitutes art and how other periods in art history may have framed these definitions, develop their own ideas of what constitutes art, and use representative works of art to support their own definitions of art.

This lesson will expose students to one of the greatest American film writer/directors who shaped the landscape of American film today. Through the classic Noir film Double Indemnity, students will explore the historical and social impact of the 1930’s and 1940’s.

In this lesson students will explore the era in which Bob Dylan grew up as well as the musical influences that shaped his unique style. They will also have an opportunity to do an analysis of his lyrics for content and meaning.

Using Eastwood as an example of an American film icon, students will learn about and understand the concept of icons by watching the AMERICAN MASTERS episode "Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows" and by applying Guided Reading strategies to the essays and interviews featured on the AMERICAN MASTERS Web site.

Students will develop a sense of the stimulating company the Porters kept through a brief study of the personalities of that era, and to dissect lyrics in order to examine the breadth of allusion and wit that characterize a Cole Porter song.

Students will understand the school's vision and commitment to excellence. Using what they have learned, students will then create their own fictional top-notch school promoting excellence in a discipline of their choice.

Students will discuss the nature of art, what purposes it serves, and how Rivera's art reflected what was happening in the world during his lifetime.

This lesson plan will give students an in-depth experience of media literacy by providing an opportunity to analyze Murrow's thoughts on the responsibility of the media, examine modern issues in depth, and simulate Murrow's style in the SEE IT NOW format.