In this lesson, students will trace James Brown's rise from "Little Junior" in Depression-era Augusta, Georgia, to the "Minister of the New Super Heavy Funk" and create a collage that captures his impact on American music.

This lessonwill provide students with an understanding of the political and economic climate in which Woody Guthrie lived and examine how his music reflected his times.

Students will determine for themselves how political writing can shape our understanding of history, and debate Vidal's claim that America "wanted to be like Greece and ended up like Rome."

In thie lesson, using the AMERICAN MASTERS film Muddy Waters: Can't Be Satisfied and the Guided Reading strategy in their research, students will learn about the influential musician's childhood and trace his journey from the Mississippi Delta to Chicago.

In this lesson plan, students will view the AMERICAN MASTERS entitled Joni Mitchell: Woman of Heart and Mind, examine the concept of influence, and explore how Joni Mitchell and her work have influenced others.

Through Guided Reading strategies, students will use their findings to develop a proposal to the principal about improving the quality of food in the school.

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.

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.