Charlie Henderson Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board Hill Park Secondary School Hamilton, Ontario

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1 Unit Author First and Last Name: School District: School Name: School City, State: Charlie Henderson Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board Hill Park Secondary School Hamilton, Ontario Unit Overview Course Title: Unit Plan Title: Curriculum-Framing Questions Essential Question Unit Questions Unit Summary: AMT2O/3M/4M: Musical Theatre Social Justice in the History of Musical Theatre Has our society been impacted socially due the musical theatre? How has musical theatre historically been used to shed light on important social issues, such as race, gender, and class? How has the nature of social statements in musical theatre progressed through its history? In this unit, students will explore the history of musical theatre, through the lens of social justice. Through the use of multimedia demonstrations, and class discussion, students will explore social issues throughout the 20 th century and examine specific examples of musicals and their impact. The unit will culminate in student presentations, in which students will pick specific shows and discuss their significance with regard to social justice. Subject Area(s): Click box(es) of the subject(s) that your Unit targets Business Education Engineering Home Economics Language Arts Music School to Career Social Studies Drama Foreign Language Industrial Technology Math Physical Education Science Technology Grade Level: Click box(es) of the grade level(s) that your Unit targets K ESL Gifted and Talented Resource

2 Curriculum Expectations Met: B. deconstruct the elements and other components in musical works through score study and purposeful listening B.2 listen in a purposeful way to selections from a wide variety of musical styles and genres, and analyse and reflect on their responses to and interpretation of them B.3 analyse, and assess the effectiveness of, music from a variety of styles and genres and in various performance modes B.4 gather information from reliable sources on the background of music and musicians, audience responses, and music criticism, and analyse and reflect on the information to enhance their critical judgements and ongoing interpretations of music B2. analyse ways in which traditional, commercial, and art music are a response to and reflection of the community or culture in which they were created B2.3 analyse the interrelationships between traditional, commercial, and art music B3. analyse the impact of the study of music on their personal growth (including the development of their values), their expressive capabilities, their awareness of social issues, and their understanding of other cultures C2. demonstrate an understanding of the development and function and/or theme of various musical forms and conventions Student Objectives/Learning Outcomes: By the end of this unit, students should be able to:. Indicate the major players in the development of musical theatre and state their significance. 2. Discuss how social issues are addressed in musical theatre, and cite specific examples of this. 3. Examine the impact that musical theatre has had on society. Procedures:. Each lesson will introduce a new decade/period. Through direct instruction, students will learn the major events and circumstances influencing society. Students will also be shown specific examples of musical theatre from that period. 2. Through discussion, students will examine the impact that society has on art and vice versa. Approximate Time Needed: 8 75min. periods. Prerequisite Skills: None

3 Materials and Resources Required For Unit Technology Hardware: (Click boxes of all equipment needed) Camera Computer(s) Digital Camera DVD Player Internet Connection Laser Disk Printer Projection System Scanner Television VCR Video Camera Video Conferencing Equip. Prezi Technology Software: (Click boxes of all software needed.) Database/Spreadsheet Desktop Publishing Software Encyclopedia on CD-ROM Image Processing Internet Web Browser Multimedia Powerpoint Word Processing Printed Materials: Accompanying worksheets Supplies: Internet Resources: Prezi Others: Accommodations for Differentiated Instruction IEP Student: English Language Learners: Gifted Student: Timelines to improve clarity. Specific accommodations as outlined in IEP. Pair with other students. Incorporate a word wall or vocabulary sheet to increase understanding. Use of visuals paired with new vocabulary. Challenge questions Enrichment projects Student Assessment: Students will be assessed each class through anecdotal notes based on their participation in discussions. Students will be evaluated with a final project.

4 2 3 4 Topic The Precursors to Modern Musical Theatre: The Depression and World War II: The Rise of Communism: Rock Musicals and the end of the Golden Age: Learning Objectives Students will look at the major genres that influenced what we know as modern musical theatre, including operetta, comic opera (and singspiel), and vaudeville. Examples: Mozart -Papageno/Papagena aria from The Magic Flute, Sullivan Modern Major General from Pirates of Penzance, Ziegfeld Follies clip Social Justice Focus: Minstrelsy or blackface in vaudeville. Students will explore early musical theatre, the rise of the movie musical during the depression, and Rodgers and Hammerstein. Examples: Kern: Ol Man River from Show Boat, Munchkinland Scene from The Wizard of Oz, The Lonely Goatherd from The Sound of Music Social Justice Focus: The reinforcement of negative stereotypes in Show Boat; poverty in the depression; Rodgers and Hammerstein s focus on social issues in their musicals Students will examine the artistic responses to the Red Scare of the early 950s. Examples: Loesser Sit Down, You re Rockin the Boat from Guys and Dolls, Mambo from West Side Story, Rodgers Happy Talk from South Pacific Social Justice Focus: McCarthyism and fear of the other Students will explore the relationship of the introduction of rock music in musical theatre and the increased examination of alternate points of view. Examples: Webber - Superstar from Jesus Christ Superstar, Smalls - Ease on Down the Road from The Wiz, Sondheim Please Hello from Pacific Overtures Social Justice Focus: The incorporation of non-white music in musical theatre Curriculum Expectations B.-4, B2., B2.3, B3., C2. B.-4, B2., B2.3, B3., C2. B.-4, B2., B2.3, B3., C2. B.-4, B2., B2.3, B3., C2. Number of Periods Required Page 4 of 5

5 5 6 7 New Commercial Realities and The Mega-Musical: Commercial Musicals and the rise of Off-Broadway : Looking Back - Revues and Meta- Musicals: 2000s 8 Presentations Students will look at the mega musical as a response to the economic circumstances of the 980s. Examples: Webber Chandelier Crashing Scene and Phantom of the Opera from Phantom of the Opera, Schonberg - Do You Hear The People Sing? from Les Miserables Students will explore the relationship of the introduction of rock music in musical theatre and the increased examination of alternate points of view. Examples: Larsen - La Vie Boheme from RENT, Flaherty - Prologue from Ragtime, John Highlights from The Lion King Social Justice Focus: Exploration of race relations in Ragtime, LGBTQ issues in RENT Students will look at the nostalgia of the Golden Age that arose. Examples: Lambert and Morrison Message from a Nightingale from The Drowsy Chaperone, Shaiman and Whitman I Know Where I ve Been from Hairspray, Sondheim - Not Getting Married Today from Company Social Justice Focus: Exploration of historical issues of social justice, such as segregation (Hairspray), and representations of Asians in early musical theatre (The Drowsy Chaperone) Students will choose a musical not addressed during the course of the unit and analyze it in terms of its connection to issues of social justice. B.-4, B2., B2.3, B3., C2. B.-4, B2., B2.3, B3., C2. B.-4, B2., B2.3, B3., C2. B.-4, B2., B2.3, B3., C2. 2 Page 5 of 5