A Preview of Modern America Through the Media

Do you ever find yourself in class daydreaming about that one TV show, wishing you were watching that instead of learning about the periodic table or the Pythagorean theorem? Is your favorite part of language arts watching the movie adaptations of the books you read? If you answered “yes” to these questions, Modern America Through the Media might be the class for you! 

This elective, offered to juniors and seniors, examines American history through the lens of Hollywood film, popular music, television, and comic books. Students are introduced to media from as early as the 1890s and travel throughout time by analyzing history-defining figures such as Charlie Chaplin and Lucille Ball and watching classics like Casablanca and Rebel Without a Cause. Students also compare the past to the present by paralleling films from two eras, such as Rocky (1976)  and Creed (2015). 

A course with a relatively small workload, students who take Modern America Through the Media are expected to complete only one assignment per week and execute one research project per marking period. Most of the class time is usually spent watching movies, television episodes, or documentaries relating to comics and music. 

Modern America through the media is a half-year elective worth 2.5 credits and does not require a prerequisite course. This class is not credited toward the social studies requirement for graduation. For more information, please see the attached flyer and video.

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzrWvSMU1Uc