Loading...American Masters
Special Collection
American Masters, public television’s award-winning biography series, brings unique originality and perspective to exploring the lives and illuminating the creative journeys of our most enduring writers, musicians, visual and performing artists, dramatists and filmmakers – those who have left an indelible impression on our nation’s cultural landscape. This collection offers you access to classroom-ready videos and articles drawn from the Series broadcasts and website.
American Masters is made possible by the support of the National Endowment for the Arts and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Additional funding for American Masters is provided by Rosalind P. Walter, The Blanche & Irving Laurie Foundation, Rolf and Elizabeth Rosenthal, Cheryl and Philip Milstein Family, Jack Rudin, Vital Projects Fund, The André and Elizabeth Kertész Foundation, Michael & Helen Schaffer Foundation, and public television viewers.
| RESOURCE | GRADE LEVEL | MEDIA TYPE |
|---|---|---|
Abraham Lincoln: A Good Man? or A Good Man!In this lesson, students use video from American Masters: Bill T. Jones: A Good Man along with primary sources to investigate the life of Lincoln and write a one page argument essay on whether Lincoln was "a good man." |
9-12 |
Lesson Plan |
Bodies Move This video segment from the documentary American Masters: Bill T. Jones: A Good Man explores various aspects of contemporary dance.
|
9-12 |
Video |
Carl Sandburg: ChicagoThis video from American Masters: The Day Carl Sandburg Died features the poem Chicago written by Carl Sandburg, why he wrote it, the poem’s impact, and how it has influenced American Poetry. |
7-12 |
Video |
Carl Sandburg: Poet of the PeopleThis video from American Masters: The Day Carl Sandburg Died describes Carl Sandburg’s early years and how he came to be known as the “poet of the people.” |
7-12 |
Video |
Character Study: Scout FinchThis video from American Masters: Harper Lee: Hey, Boo focuses on the character of Scout, why she’s important to the story, and her impact on American culture. |
8-11 |
Video |
A Community of People Now In this video segment from the documentary American Masters: Bill T. Jones: A Good Man, Bill T. Jones struggles to find meaning and relevancy for the life of Abraham Lincoln in today’s social and political landscape. |
9-12 |
Video |
The Cutting Room FloorGet an insider's view of the film editing process in this video about the making of the American Masters documentary Bill T. Jones: A Good Man. |
9-12 |
Video |
Is To Kill A Mockingbird Still Relevant Today?This video from American Masters: Harper Lee: Hey, Boo provides a historical context for students reading the novel To Kill a Mockingbird and offers evidence as to why the story is still relevant today. |
8-11 |
Video |
The People, YesIn this video from American Masters: The Day Carl Sandburg Died, learn about one of Sandburg’s most famous poems, The People, Yes. |
7-12 |
Video |
Sandburg and LincolnLearn about Carl Sandburg’s biography of Abraham Lincoln in this video from American Masters: the Day Carl Sandburg Died. |
7-12 |
Video |
Setting: A Portrait of a Southern Town in the 1930sThis video from American Masters: Harper Lee: Hey, Boo describes what life was like in the South during the Great Depression, by examining the fictional town of Maycomb from To Kill a Mockingbird. |
7-12 |
Video |
To Kill a Mockingbird: Southern Reaction 1960In this video from American Masters: Harper Lee: Hey, Boo, important cultural and literary figures as well as average American citizens discuss the South’s reaction when To Kill a Mockingbird was first published in 1960. |
7-12 |
Video |
What Does He Have to Say to Us Today?This video segment from the documentary American Masters: Bill T. Jones: Good Man explores the creative process by examining the relationships between the artist and the work and between the artist and the audience.
|
9-12 |
Video |
