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Pete
Seeger
An
American Legend
A
WebQuest for 11th Grade U.S. History |
Introduction
| Task | Process | Evaluation
| Conclusion | Credits
| Teacher
Page
Introduction
America was in a
time of growth and change in between the 1930's to the 1970's. The
country went from a period of economic despair during the Great Depression,
to the 1940's when World War II established the U.S. as a world super power.
The 1950's were tumultuous times when African Americans were trying to
carve a place for themselves in the nation's identity, all the while Joseph
McCarthy, with the help of H.U.A.C., tried to eradicate communism from
the U.S. The 1960's and 1970's also brought women to the forefront,
as they began demanding equal rights and the country was going to war,
once again, to fight the evils of communism in Vietnam.
It is very rare in history
that you find one person that was actively involved in all major historical
events of their lifetime. However, America's history does have one
legend who never let time or opportunity pass him by and thus became an
emerging figure in America's identity from the 1930's and beyond.
If you traced Pete Seeger's life you would find yourself on a trail that
lead you through just about every major event in the 20th Century.
How can one person do so much? How did Pete Seeger's involvement
in these events shape not only him, but the nation as well? |
The
Task
The task that lays ahead for you is tracing
Pete Seeger's life. You and a partner will choose a decade of American
history from the 1930's to the 1970's and look at Pete Seeger's activities
during that time. You will prepare a brief report on that period
and what information you found. Your final task in understanding
how this man had an impact on our country and what music is able to accomplish,
you will make a compilation tape or CD of ten contemporary songs that you
feel have a message to society, at least one song must be a current artist
covering one of Pete Seeger's songs.
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The
Process
1. You will be allowed to work in pairs and
choose your partner. No groups larger than two will be allowed, unless
there is a uneven number of students in the class, so there may be one
group of three.
2. You and your partner will choose a
decade between 1930 and 1970 (1930, 1940, 1950, 1960, 1970).
3. First look at the decade and determine
the major events of that time period. How were these events affecting
average Americans? Use this information to create a timeline of the
events that you feel are the most significant. I would suggest looking
at History Channel to get
started, you may also use the material that we have already covered in
class: textbook, notes, supplemental reading and the school library.
4. Now, look at Pete Seeger's life during
the decade that you choose and determine which major events he was involved
in. Be sure to download sound bits so you may sample his music.
Explore the following web sites to investigate his life.
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/JimCapaldi/
www.livingmusic.com/catalogue/albums/pete/
www.beacham.com/seeger/seeger_radio.html
www.peacemagazine.org/9707/seeger.htm
www.english.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/seeger-bio-2.html
www.salon.com/weekly/seeger960527.html
www.mudcat.org/pete.cfm
www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAseeger.htm
www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/unitarians/seeger.html
www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/parton/2/where.html
www.wholeearthmag.com/ArticleBin/406.html
www.zmag.org/ZMag/articles/carterapr98.htm
www.marist.edu/summerscholars/96/ivpetes.htm
www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/1996/02.29/PeteSeegerToRec.html
www.kennedy-center.org/honors/years/seeger.html
www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/comm/csj/020802/seeger.shtml
web.mit.edu/newsoffice/tt/2000/apr12/seeger.html
www.geocities.com/Nashville/3448/dearmr.html

5. Citing information from five of the
provided sites on Pete Seeger and information that you have gathered from
other web sites, write a two page paper on why Pete Seeger is a significant
historical figure in America; why is he an American Legend?
6. From your research you should have
gathered that Pete Seeger had a strong influence on music, especially songs
that were about everyday people and social issues. Your final task
is to create either a tape or CD of ten songs by current artists, that
deal with social issues of today and/or have a message to society.
The music may be of any genre but must be contemporary. Also, one
song must be an original Pete Seeger song covered by a contemporary artist.
You must provide a list with the songs, artists, issue that is being dealt
with and the reason you choose the song. Please refrain from music
that contains explicit lyrics. |
Evaluation
|
Beginning
1 |
Developing
2 |
Accomplished
3 |
Exemplary
4 |
Score |
Timeline
|
The timeline
is indistinguishable, very few major events have been included, and all
or some of the dates are correct.
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The timeline
is readable, some major events have been included, and all or some of the
dates are correct.
|
The time line
is
readable, major significant events have been chosen, and all of the dates
are correct.
|
The timeline
includes pictures and other images, major significant events have been
chosen, and all of the dates are correct.
|
|
Report on Pete
Seeger
|
Report has incorporated
information from less than five of the listed web sites, information has
been improperly documented, many grammatical errors, and the paper is poorly
organized.
|
Report has incorporated
information from five of the listed web sites, some mistakes in the documentation
of information, grammatical errors, and the paper needs improvement on
its flow.
|
Report has incorporated
information from five of the listed web sites plus one additional site
that is not listed, information is documented properly, some grammatical
errors, and the paper flows well.
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Report uses
pictures, has incorporated information from five of the listed web sites
plus two to three additional sites that are not listed, information is
documented properly, report is free of grammatical errors, and the overall
flow of the paper is organized well.
|
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Musical Compilation
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Artists and
songs are listed, less than ten songs contain ambiguous social message
or issue, no reason for selection is explained, there is no Pete Seeger
song cover included.
ANY TAPE OR CD
TURNED IN CONTAINING VULGAR, EXPLICIT, OR OBSCENE LANGUAGE.
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Artists and
songs are listed, ten or less songs contain some vague social message or
issue, the issue and reason for selection is apparent, one Pete Seeger
song cover is included.
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Tape or CD has
a cover, artists and songs are listed, ten songs contain social message
or issue, the issue and reason for selection is explained, one or more
Pete Seeger song covers are included.
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Tape or CD has
a well designed cover, artists and songs are listed, ten songs contain
strong social message or issue, the issue and reason for selection demonstrates
analysis, one or more Pete Seeger song covers are included.
|
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Organization
and presentation of material
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Project is hard
to follow and unclear, partially or completely not word processed, information
is not cited, and is turned in late.
|
Project has
weak organization, is partially word processed, information has been improperly
cited.
|
Project is organized
chronologically, has been word processed, information has been properly
cited, representative pictures have been chosen.
|
Project is organized
chronologically or thematically, has been word processed, information has
been properly cited, clear and representative pictures have been chosen,
and the project is colorful.
|
|
Conclusion
Hopefully, you have the learned the significance
that music can have on people, history, and maybe even learned to appreciate
music that you would have never listened to before. By making the
tape or CD of contemporary music you have been able to connect the past
with the future and see how music has begun to do more than entertain.
If you found this topic interesting and would like to learn more about
the origins of folk music, especially in the Appalachian region, look at
this great site on Appalachian
Music.
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Credits
& References
I would like to say thank you to the web masters
of the following web sites for use material on this site:
- http://www.livingmusic.com/catalogue/albums/pete/
(album cover picture)
- http://www.historychannel.com/ (link to
the History Channel)
- http://users.boone.net/blueridgemusic (link
to Appalachian music)
- To all of the Pete Seeger linked sites,
thanks for keeping the music alive! |
Last updated
on August 15, 1999. Based on
a template from The
WebQuest Page
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