In this lesson, the students will watch a performance of choreographer Paul Taylor's "Black Tuesday" and "Promethean Fire." They will also conduct research on the Great Depression and issues facing today's teenagers to create a dance that captures a dark period in our nation's history and people's resiliency when facing difficult times. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: The students will be able to: 1. Synthesize information from a variety of sources 2. Interpret facts and express meaning through writing activities 3. Create a dance that captures a historic era 4. Create a dance to communicate the resiliency of the human spirit Materials: A copy of Great Performances' DANCE IN AMERICA: ACTS OF ARDOR: TWO DANCES BY PAUL TAYLOR Internet access Bookmark the following sites: Bing Crosby Internet Museum: Lyrics to Bing's Hits: "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" http://www.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/pennvalley/biology/lewis/crosby/brother.html Find lyrics to the song Bing Crosby made into a hit, "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" on this site. Library of Congress: America from the Great Depression to World War II: Photographs from the FSA-OWI, 1935-1945 http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/fsowhome.html A vast collection of black-and-white and color photographs that provide a documentary record of America during the Great Depression can be found here. New Deal Network http://newdeal.feri.org/ This site contains articles, speeches, letters, and photographs from the Great Depression. The Authentic History Center: 1930s: Great Depression http://www.authentichistory.com/1930s.html Included on this site are links to the music of the Great Depression, political speeches, news broadcasts, letters and diaries, and images from the 1930s. MuseumLink Illinois: Depression Era Art: The Federal Art Project http://www.museum.state.il.us/muslink/art/htmls/de.html Browse the work of Illinois artists who participated in the New Deal art projects during the 1930s and 1940s on this site. Grove Music Online http://www.grovemusic.com Access a comprehensive selection of articles, biographies, audio samples, and more from a wide range of musical genres on this subscription-based site. STANDARDS: Dance Standard 3: Level IV Grade: 9-12 http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?SubjectID=10&StandardID=3 Understands dance as a way to create and communicate meaning. Reading Standard 5: Level IV Grade: 9-12 http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?SubjectID=7&StandardID=5 Uses the general skills and strategies of the reading process. Standard 7: Level IV Grade: 9-12 http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?SubjectID=7&StandardID=7 Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational texts. Working with Others Grade: K-12 http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?SubjectID=22&StandardID=1 Contributes to the overall effort of a group.   Top banner photo: Cast from the Met Opera's production of "The Barber of Seville." Visit PBS Teachers