50's Song Project

The 1950's were a time of growth and change in almost every aspect of American culture.

Your task will be to introduce the class to 1 element of that growth.

Each of you will be required to rewrite a 50's song, making it about a topic that you identified in your list of 50's people, places, events, and fads.

You MUST clear your topic with me before writing your song. I don't want 25 songs about jukeboxes.

If you are hurting for ideas, be sure to consult your book or think about the issues we address in class.

Class Quiz

Following each presentation, I will ask the class to identify, out of 5 possible choices, the theme of your presentation. Not only will they receive a grade on the 'quiz,' but your group will as well. See the scoring rubric for more information.

Ideas of types of topics (NOT the topics themselves)

Demographics: how many people there were, where they lived, and how they lived
Fads and fashions: what people did for fun
Science and industry: what the people were learning about and how the economy was growing

Grading:

	Excellent	Good	Adequate	Unsatisfactory
Points	10	8	6	0
Actual 50's song rewritten	Completed	N/A	N/A	Not completed
Lyrics connect with a theme from the 50's	Complete, easy to recognize, and relevant connections	Difficult to recognize or somewhat incomplete connections	Very difficult to recognize or incomplete connections	No connections
Presentation	Presentation includes many extras, such as costumes, background music, or other 'artifacts'	N/A	Presentation completed in a professional manner	Presentation not completed in a professional manner
Class grades on connection quiz	85 - 100%	70 - 84%	55 - 69%	0 - 54%

Elvis Presley - Heartbreak Hotel	Mr. Stutz's example
Well since my baby left me I found a new place to dwell Down at the end of Lonely Street at Heartbreak Hotel I get so lonely baby I get so lonely I get so lonely I could die	Well since my baby came home We found a new place to dwell Down at the end of Boomer Street on Suburban Hill We got our newborn babies We got our newborns We got our newborns, and they cry
Although it's always crowded I still can find some room Where those broken hearted lovers Cry away their gloom, oh! I get so lonely I get so lonely Get so lonely I could die	Although it's getting crowded You still can find some room With all those winding peaceful streets And new cars going vroooom We got our new washer We got our new washer We got our new washer, and a drier
The bellhop's tears keep flowing Desk clerk dressed in black They been so long on lonely street They ain't never comin' back I get so lonely I get so lonely Get so lonely I could die	The sprinkler's tears keep flowing The front yard's dressed in green Been waiting so long all down the 'burb For my new power mowing machine We got our new garden We got our new garden We got our new garden, for pumpkin pie
If your baby leaves you And you have a tale to tell Just take a walk Down Lonely Street to Heartbreak Hotel I get so lonely baby I get so lonely I get so lonely I could die	So if your old home crowds you And you've got the GI Bill Just take a walk Down Boomer Street to Suburban Hill And live with the Boomers And live with the Boomers And live with the Boomers, 'til you die