Robert Rauschenberg is one of the pivotal artists of the 20^th century. His work, perhaps more than any other artist of his time, holds a mirror up to our culture. Using the American Masters online essay as a tool, this lesson will examine the cultural context of Robert Rauschenberg’s work. Students will be encouraged to draw inspiration, as Rauschenberg did, from the political, artistic, and social culture of our times.

Grade Level

6 – 8

Subject Areas

• Social Studies: American and Art History
• Language Arts: writing, reading and presenting research
• All kinds of Art

Students will be able to:

• Discover what popular art, abstract expressions, and various art movements have been over the last 50 years
• Learn the artistic influence of Robert Rauschenberg
• Understand how politics has been expressed in art and how art has become political
• Understand how history can be interpreted through art and art through history
• Understand how art can be used to deconstruct social messages
• Learn what materials artists use to communicate and why
• Discover how artists find inspiration
• Create new and inventive pieces of art using the world around them as resources
• Invent their own art movement and construct art that conveys their personal messages

Standards

This lesson integrates the national teaching standards of English and Technology. Students will apply a wide range of strategies for research, comprehension, interpretation, evaluation, languages (written and spoken), diversity, creativity, critical thinking and deconstruction of various mediums. Student will build an understanding of the many dimensions of the educational process including texts, technology, speech, themselves, cultures of the United States and the world, and the human experience. To learn more about national English and Technological standards go to: http://www.iste.org and http://www.ncte.org.

During World War II, Edward R. Murrow became the CBS news correspondent for CBS radio, delivering riveting reports on the bombing of London and the experiences of soldiers. He handpicked a group of reporters, “Murrow’s Boys,” who became known for their reliable news stories. After a brief stint in administration at CBS, he returned to broadcasting, this time in the relatively new technology of television. There, too, he gathered the best researchers and reporters with a commitment to accurate, no-holds-barred reporting. On the inaugural program of WNET (then WNDT) on September 16, 1962, Murrow said he hoped that public television would remedy any reticence on the part of network programming, asserting, “If newness be its vice, let boldness be its virtue.”

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.

Grade Level:

9-12

Time:

• two class periods or homework assignment for Murrow’s Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) speech
• one class period to go over answers to RTNDA speech
• one class period to explain and assign research topics
• three class periods to research background of topic
• one class period for students to share results of background research
• one class period to debrief research
• one class period to present scriptwriting assignment

Subjects:
Social Studies, Language Arts, Speech and Communication, Media Studies, Technology

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to do the following:

• critically read primary source documents
• read for specific content
• access, analyze, interpret, and comprehend media messages
• isolate factual statements from emotional appeals
• examine issues from several points of view

Standards:

MCREL VISUAL ARTS, Level 4, Standard 3
Knows a range of subject matter, symbols, and potential ideas in the visual arts.

MCREL BEHAVIORAL STUDIES. Level 4, Standard 1
Understands that group and cultural influences contribute to human development, identity, and behavior.

MCREL BEHAVIORAL STUDIES, Level 4, Standard 2
Understands various meanings of social group, general implications of group membership, and different ways that groups function.

MCREL ARTS AND COMMUNICATION, Level 4, Standard 4
Understands ways in which the human experience is transmitted and reflected in the arts and communication.

MCREL CIVICS, Level 4, Standard 11
Understands the role of diversity in American life and the importance of shared values, political beliefs, and civic beliefs in an increasingly diverse American society.

MCREL CIVICS, Level 4, Standard 13

Understands the character of American political and social conflict and factors that tend to prevent or lower its intensity.

MCREL CIVICS. Level 4, Standard 19
Understands what is meant by “the public agenda,” how it is set, and how it is influenced by public opinion and the media.

MCREL CIVICS, Level 4, Standard 21
Understands the formation and implementation of public policy.

MCREL CIVICS, Level 4, Standard 22
Understands how the world is organized politically into nation-states, how nation-states interact with one another, and issues surrounding U.S. foreign policy.

MCREL CIVICS, Level 4, Standard 23
Understands the impact of significant political and nonpolitical developments on the United States and other nations.

MCREL CIVICS, Level 4, Standard 28
Understands how participation in civic and political life can help citizens attain individual and public goals.

MCREL U. S. HISTORY, Level 4, Standard 27
Understands how the Cold War and conflicts in Korea and Vietnam influenced domestic and international politics.

MCREL WORLD HISTORY, Level 4, Standard 43

Understands how post-World War II reconstruction occurred, new international power relations took shape, and colonial empires broke up.

MCREL WORLD HISTORY, Level 4, Standard 44
Understands how post-World War II reconstruction occurred, new international power relations took shape, and colonial empires broke up.

MCREL LANGUAGE ARTS, Level 4, Standard 4
Gathers and uses information for research purposes.

MCREL LANGUAGE ARTS, Level 4, Standard 7
Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational texts.

MCREL LANGUAGE ARTS, Level 4, Standard 8
Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes.

MCREL LANGUAGE ARTS, Level 4, Standard 9
Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret visual media.

MCREL LANGUAGE ARTS, Level 4, Standard 10
Understands the characteristics and components of the media.

Introduction

In this lesson plan, students study the biography and work of F.
Scott Fitzgerald. They learn how the author used autobiographical
elements in writing his stories, and they try a hand at writing a
Fitzgerald-style story with autobiographical elements of their own.

Grade Levels

6-8

Subject Areas

Language Arts, Writing

Objectives

Students will:

• Learn about the life and work of F. Scott Fitzgerald in the context
  of the Jazz Age
• Understand how an author may use elements from his own life in
  the creation of fictional characters
• Create their own autobiography scrapbook
• Write a Fitzgerald-style short story, creating their own characters
  and applying elements from their own lives

Materials

• A videotape of American Masters: F. Scott Fitzgerald
• VCR and monitor
• A copy of the story "The Camel’s Back," by F. Scott
  Fitzgerald from the book Six Tales of the Jazz Age (Charles Scribner’s
  Sons: New York, 1960.)

Standards

Language Arts:

Uses
the general skills and strategies of the writing process

• Evaluates own and others’ writing (e.g., applies criteria generated
  by self and others, uses self-assessment to set and achieve goals
  as a writer, participates in peer response groups)
• Uses content, style, and structure (e.g., formal or informal language,
  genre, organization) appropriate for specific audiences (e.g., public,
  private) and purposes (e.g., to entertain, to influence, to inform)
• Writes compositions about autobiographical incidents (e.g., explores
  the significance and personal importance of the incident; uses details
  to provide a context for the incident; reveals personal attitude
  towards the incident; presents details in a logical manner)
• Writes biographical sketches (e.g., illustrates the subject’s
  character using narrative and descriptive strategies such as relevant
  dialogue, specific action, physical description, background description,
  and comparison or contrast to other people; reveals the significance
  of the subject to the writer; presents details in a logical manner)

Uses
the general skills and strategies of the reading process

• Establishes and adjusts purposes for reading (e.g., to understand,
  interpret, enjoy, solve problems, predict outcomes, answer a specific
  question, form an opinion, skim for facts; to discover models for
  own writing)
• Uses specific strategies to clear up confusing parts of a text
  (e.g., pauses, rereads the text, consults another source, represents
  abstract information as mental pictures, draws upon background knowledge,
  asks for help)
• Understands specific devices an author uses to accomplish his
  or her purpose (e.g., persuasive techniques, style, literary form
  or genre, portrayal of themes, language)
• Reflects on what has been learned after reading and formulates
  ideas, opinions, and personal responses to texts

Lesson plan by Ann Willmott Andersson (akwa@earthlink.net)

Introduction

Lucille Ball was a great comic actress. After starring in more
than 60 movies and being known as the "Queen of the B-movie",
she found her identity as a clown on the long running TV series
I Love Lucy. In this lesson plan, students study images of
women in movies and television, contrasting the ideal of physical
beauty with the risks an actress takes to be funny. They also learn
about physical comedy, discuss what makes clowning funny, and get
to try it themselves.

Grade Levels

5-6

Subject Areas

History, Drama

Objectives

Students will:

• learn about images of women in Hollywood cinema, in the 40s and
  50s and today


• participate in a warm-up and comedy improv exercise

Materials

• Video of episode(s) of I Love Lucy (or you can use video
  clips from the web — see Selected Websites, below.
• Optional: A videotape of American Masters: Lucille Ball
• VCR and monitor
• Internet-connected computers in the classroom for student research.
  Alternatively, you can print materials from the web for handouts
  — see Selected Websites, below.
• For the improv exercise, it will help to have a list of emotional
  states written up in advance. See the improv exercise for some ideas.

Selected Websites

Bookmark or print pictures of female actresses from
these sites. The goal is to contrast pictures of glamourous actresses
of the 30s and 40s and 50s with pictures of Lucille Ball, as a comic
actress. This will be part of a discussion activity.

I
Love Lucy still pictures

I
Love Lucy video clips

I
Love Lucy episode guide: with stills and video clips

Lucy
video clips

Internet movie database
(IMDB): search for Judy Garland, Lucille Ball and others to find
movie stills.

Jean
Harlow: click on Photos

Ingrid
Bergman

Reel
Classics: Classic Actresses

Standards

Historical Understanding:

Understands
the context in which theatre, film, television, and electronic media
are performed today as well as in the past.

• Understands the knowledge, skills, and discipline needed to pursue
  careers and avocational opportunities in theatre, film, television,
  and electronic media
• Understands the emotional and social impact of dramatic performances
  in one’s own life, in the community, and in other cultures
• Knows ways in which theatre reflects a culture
• Knows how culture affects the content and production values of
  dramatic performances
• Understands how social concepts such as cooperation, communication,
  collaboration, consensus, self-esteem, risk taking, sympathy, and
  empathy apply in theatre

Understands
the historical perspective

• Knows how to view the past in terms of the norms and values of
  the time

  ]]> http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/lessons/lucille-ball-whats-so-funny/lesson-overview/1285/feed/ 0 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/lessons/diego-rivera-art-as-the-universal-language/lesson-overview/125/ http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/lessons/diego-rivera-art-as-the-universal-language/lesson-overview/125/#comments Sat, 27 Aug 2005 22:25:21 +0000 daniel ross http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/?p=125 The question of ownership of art has been debated for centuries. Many support the view that since art is essential for human life it can’t just belong to the few. Diego Rivera, a renowned artist, said that art is the universal language and it belongs to all mankind. The American Master’s series lessons for teachers on Diego Rivera will involve students in discussions on the topics including the nature of art, what purposes it serves, and how Rivera’s art reflected what was happening in the world during the time period of his paintings. Activities in this lesson include writing a short story based on one of Diego Rivera’s murals, as well as creating a class mural.

  Grade Level

  7 – 12

  Subject Areas

  Visual Arts; Language Arts; History

  Objectives

  In this lesson students will

  • reflect on what (visual) art is and what it means to them.
  • critique works of art.
  • relate the themes of Rivera’s murals to the given time period.
  • write a short story based on one of Rivera’s murals.
  • create a class mural.

  Standards

  Arts

  Understands and applies media, techniques, and processes related to the visual arts

  • Understands what makes different art media, techniques, and processes effective (or ineffective) in communicating various ideas
  • Understands how the communication of ideas relates to the media, techniques, and processes one uses

  Understands the visual arts in relation to history and cultures

  • Knows a variety of historical and cultural contexts regarding characteristics and purposes of works of art
  • Understands relationships among works of art in terms of history, aesthetics, and culture
  • Understands how factors of time and place (e.g., climate, resources, ideas, technology) influence visual, spatial, or temporal characteristics that give meaning or function to a work of art

  Understands the characteristics and merits of one’s own artwork and the artwork of others

  • Understands how one’s own artworks, as well as artworks from various eras and cultures, may elicit a variety of responses
  • Identifies intentions of those creating artworks
  • Knows how specific works are created and relate to historical and cultural contexts

  Language Arts

  Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the writing process

  • Writes fictional, biographical, autobiographical, and observational narrative compositions (e.g., narrates a sequence of events; evaluates the significance of the incident; provides a specific setting for scenes and incidents; provides supporting descriptive detail [specific names for people, objects, and places; visual details of scenes, objects, and places; descriptions of sounds, smells, specific actions, movements, and gestures; the interior monologue or feelings of the characters]; paces the actions to accommodate time or mood changes; creates a unifying theme or tone; uses literary devices to enhance style and tone)

  Demonstrates competence in the stylistic and rhetorical aspects of writing

  • Uses a variety of techniques to convey a personal style and voice (e.g., stream of consciousness, multiple viewpoints)

  Uses grammatical and mechanical conventions in written compositions

  • Uses complex and compound-complex sentences in written compositions

  History

  Understands the causes of the Great Depression and how it affected American society

  • Understands the social and economic impact of the Great Depression (e.g., the impact of the depression on industry and workers; the response of local and state officials in combating the resulting economic and social crises; the effects of the depression on American families and on ethnic and racial minorities; the effect on gender roles; the victimization of African Americans and white sharecroppers)
  • Understands the impact of the Great Depression on American culture (e.g., art, literature, and music, and the government’s role in promoting artistic expression; how the works of various American artists reflected American conditions in the 1930s and influenced the New Deal)

  Understands how Progressives and others addressed problems of industrial capitalism, urbanization, and political corruption
  

  • Understands the spread of Progressive ideas and the successes of the Progressive movement (e.g., how intellectuals, religious leaders, and writers alerted the public to the problems of urban industrial society; Progressive social reforms in education, conservation, and the “Americanization” of immigrants; contributions of governors such as Hiram Johnson, Robert La Follette, and Charles Evans Hughes)
  ]]> http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/lessons/diego-rivera-art-as-the-universal-language/lesson-overview/125/feed/ 0