TRIMESTER 2: The 1940’s

The forties were dominated by WW II. Millions of young Americans proudly served their country as soldiers and the wartime economy helped to jolt the United States out of the depression.  Scores of women joined the workforce to replace men who were serving overseas. Faced with the bloodiest conflict in human history, which included the extermination of Europe’s Jews and the dropping of two atomic bombs on Japan, many deeply questioned if human civilization really possessed a moral and rational center. This doubt was reflected in the art (abstract expressionism), cinema (film noir), and philosophy (existentialism) of the time. It was also an era of great technological and scientific innovation. In addition, the decade included important events like the beginning of the Cold War and the breaking of the color barrier in major league baseball.   

Focus Questions 

• How did WW II affect the role of women in the U.S. economy?  
• What were the defining trends of the decade in art, music, and film?
• Why did the U.S. enter WW II, and how was the war viewed at home?
• What stories and insights about the decade do people who were alive then have to tell us now?
• What legacies did this decade leave?

Activities/Assignments:

• Lectures and note taking
• Test on WW II, the role of women, and history/culture in the 1940’s
• Recreating art from the 1940’s
• Mock newspaper article  
• Primary Source analysis of an important photograph from the 1940’s

5) Reading an independent book written during or about the 1940’s.

• Book groups, with discussion, reading logs and other writing activities.
• Oral History of somebody about their experiences in the 1940’s 
• Learn to dance like they did in the forties
• Vocabulary
• Independent research topic, with written and visual product
• Creating a living 1940’s museum* at the end of the trimester. (*Tentative Date: Tuesday, February 5)  

Reading requirements will be discussed later.  You will be required to read a book that takes place, or was written in the decade. A separate list will follow.

Skills Emphasized: Critical thinking: question & inquiry, information handling, making connections;  Communication: writing, public speaking, Presenting in a Variety of Formats; and Collaboration