(contributed by Steve Ethridge)

Task

To write an essay that investigates an issue that was brought up in the film The Breakfast Club and provides a commentary. Each student will work in groups but will be responsible for his or her own final essay.

Purpose

• To design an appropriate rhetorical context.
• To select and arrange details appropriate to the rhetorical context.
• To use the film medium to choose an important issue.
• To use analysis and interpretation to explore the context of a specific issue.
• To identify and define the issue to a specific audience.
• To use a personal voice to write a subjective commentary.

Process

Each group will select an issue from the list we constructed in Core 1. Groups will work together to divide the tasks involved, which consist of the following:

• Review the film for the manner in which the screenwriter/director presents the issue.
• Search for editorials, letters to the editor, political speeches, etc., that define or take a stand on the issue.
• Search for advertisements, TV commercials, cartoons, etc., that show a side of the issue.
• Based on the materials presented by members of each group, engagement and discussion within the group, and individual analysis and reflection concerning the issue, each group member will write a 3-5 page essay that provides a social commentary concerning the group's selected topic.
• The writer's relationship to the subject should be clear and need not reflect the consensus of the group, but rather provide an individual perspective, and the essay should engage its readers in the issue, but not necessarily offer a solution.
• Any sources used must be documented in MLA style and be listed on a Works Cited page.

(contributed by Michelle Manning)

Research the following, making sure to explain your answers:

Social:

1. How were family structures impacted by the ____________ War?
2. Were dating and socializing routines changed?
3. Were gender roles altered in any way?
4. What were the ethnic/racial impacts?
5. In what other significant ways were citizens impacted by the war?
6. What were popular forms of entertainment before and after the war?

Religion:

1. What were the major religious movements during this era?
2. How did religions influence the US involvement in other areas, such as economic or political arenas?
3. What impact did the _____ War have on religious involvement?
4. Did religion play a role in the ____ War?

Economic:

1. What was the US's economic status before, during, and after the war?
2. What actions were taken to keep the economy functioning properly?
3. Were there any major predictions made about the economic future of the US? Were they valid?
4. What were the US's main industries and to whom were they available?
5. How did race, religion, and/or gender affect job opportunities?
6. Did the economy play a role in the ___ War?

Political:

1. What political parties were active during this time period?
2. What were the parties' positions on the war, the economy, education, and social interactions?
3. What issues divided the partisan party lines?
4. What "politics" (events, positions, crises, or other political aspects) played a role in the ___ War?

Educational:

1. What was the educational philosophy of this time period to the ones during and after the war? (Compare)
2. Did the war alter the way that children and young adults were educated?
3. What types of educational opportunities were available before, during, and after the _____ War?
4. In terms of gender, age, and race, were there changes?
5. In terms of topics taught and the way school was conducted, were the changes?

Technological/Medical:

1. What were the major technological i8nventions before during and after the _____ War in the US?
2. Were there any major technological breakthroughs elsewhere in the world? What were the implications in the US?
3. What inventions connected with the war actually served to influence domestic use?
4. What technology/medical breakthroughs played a role in the ___ War?

Task #5: Create a Casebook on your era that contains a 1-2 page essay on each modality and copies of all sources consulted.

Task #6: Create a time line on paper and on disk marking important events in the modalities of the war.

Task #7: Using multi-media, present the findings about your time period to the class.

Task #8: Using the History Channel, select a speech that was given during your designated time period. Have it approved by your instructor. This speech provides the basis for your Core 1 paper.

Format:

The casebook should be an actual three-ring binder containing the following:

• A title page, which includes all group members' names
• A table of contents
• A one-page introduction that provides an overview of the era: overview of the topic, what is significant about the war and its era
• Divided sections for each modality with a one to two page essay that provides a summary of the modality, followed by copies of all the sources used to research the subject area
• A conclusion--what, in your group's opinion are the most significant outcomes and impacts of the era you studied
• All essays should be typed and double-spaced. Please indicate author(s) of the individual essays

Purpose:

• To introduce and consider the time period and the impact of war on the US and beyond
• To provide group members with the background needed to properly respond to a speech given during the era
• To familiarize students with credible, appropriate, scholastic research

Due Date: _______________________