Media Literacy Activity: Music Genres and American Society and Culture

Introduction

Activity Objective

In this activity, you will apply the critical process to explore the role of one music genre in American society and culture.

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Reviewing the Critical Process

Developing a media-literate critical perspective involves mastering five overlapping stages that build on one another. Let’s review the critical process you’ll be using below:

  1. 1. Description: paying close attention, taking notes, and researching the subject under study
  2. 2. Analysis: discovering and focusing on significant patterns that emerge from the description stage
  3. 3. Interpretation: asking and answering “What does that mean?” and “So what?” questions about one’s findings
  4. 4. Evaluation: arriving at a judgment about whether something is good, bad, or mediocre, which involves subordinating one’s personal taste to the critical “bigger picture” resulting from the first three stages
  5. 5. Engagement: taking some action that connects our critical perspective with our role as citizens to question our media institutions, adding our own voice to the process of shaping the cultural environment

Description

Choose one music genre. Here’s a list modified from Grammy Award categories: Alternative Bluegrass; Blues; Classical; Contemporary Christian; Country; Dance/Digital; Folk; Gospel; Jazz; Latin; Musical Theater; New Age; Pop; Rap and Hip-Hop; Reggae; Rock; R&B and Soul; Urban Contemporary; World Music.

Use the text boxes provided to answer the following questions.

Analysis

Next, use the information you gathered about the genre of your choice to find patterns in the music genre of your choice.

Use the text boxes provided to answer the following questions.

Interpretation

Through the following questions, interpret the role of the music genre of your choice in our society and culture.

Use the text boxes provided to answer the following questions.

Evaluation

Now, let’s explore what your view is.

Use the text boxes provided to answer the following questions.

Engagement

Let’s take action! At the end of your exploration of one music genre, reflect on what you’ve learned.

Use the text boxes provided to answer the following questions.