Here are four assignments I have used or still use in my History and Philosophy of American Mass
Media class. –Tammy Baldwin
Guided Discussion Writing Assignment: The Entertainment Media
Entertainment through the mass media has played a tremendous role in our lives. So much of our culture
and our social experiences (and our shared cultural experiences) center around or at least include things like
movies, comic books, television, books, etc.
For this Guided Discussion Writing Assignment, locate a visual (from any source available to you) about
one significant “entertainment something” to your life (it could be a particular movie, TV show, favorite
book, radio program, video game, or even a person or character in one of these, etc.). Bring or copy the
visual for us, and then, in a paragraph response of 150-200 words, tell us a little about this “something” you
picked and WHY it is significant to you. We will use these in class to start a discussion about the history of
many of these entertainment media.
Editorial/Political Cartoon Assignment
Locate an editorial/political cartoon (these are found on the editorial/op-ed pages of newspapers, and some
reprints of editorial cartoons can be found in some newsmagazines such as Newsweek). These do not
appear on the traditional comics pages of newspapers. Also, please do not use a cartoon from the student
newspaper for this assignment.
Photocopy the cartoon or bring the original (as long as you are not destroying some library’s holdings) with
you to class. Please choose one that you understand (and understand the issue/issues to which it is
referring; if you do not, it will be difficult for you to write a paragraph about it.)
In a typed or word-processed paragraph of about l00-150 words, tell where you found the cartoon (name
and date of publication and page or web address where found) and who drew it (if the creator’s name is
evident) and describe what your cartoon is about. What political or social statement is the cartoon making?
How does it go about this? In your opinion, does the cartoon communicate its statement effectively?
After we have some lecture material on political cartoons throughout history, we will share yours with class
members and maybe put some up on the overhead to look at also.
History is All Around Us Assignment
SHARE INFORMATION WITH US ABOUT A MUSEUM OR HISTORICAL SITE (A PHYSICAL
PLACE OR ONE FOUND ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB/INTERNET) THAT YOU THINK WE
SHOULD KNOW ABOUT IN A PARAGRAPH RESPONSE OF APPROXIMATELY 150 WORDS.
In a paragraph response of approximately 150 words, tell us about a really neat, interesting, fun, weird,
useful, or memorable MUSEUM/HISTORICAL SITE or HISTORY-RELATED WEBSITE that you think
we should know about. This can be a "real" museum or historical site that exists in a town or city
somewhere that you actually walk into, OR it can be an online or virtual museum or history-related site.
It's up to you. Also, this can be a place you have visited or one that you hope to visit some day. Your
choice does NOT have to be restricted to mass media history either. You can choose to share with us
information any museum or history-related website on any topic you choose. This assignment
acknowledges and celebrates that HISTORY IS ALL AROUND US TO BE ENJOYED!
To earn full credit for this, be sure you do ALL of the following: 1. Tell us the name of the
museum/website AND give us good "directions" on how to find it (city and state or the full web http://
address); 2. In at least 150 words tell us WHY you chose this one to share with us. What about it is neat,
unusual, memorable etc.? Is there one really outstanding or neat or weird, etc. thing that we should
definitely look for if we visit?
Foretelling the Future A Bit: Media History Issues Assignment
This assignment asks you to "foretell the future" just a bit! It also requires you to have a fairly good
understanding of the information covered in at least one of the chapters in this unit (which chapter that is
depends upon which statement below you choose) Please be sure your answer focuses on the twentieth
century only (1900-1999) AND offers some specific information to back up or substantiate your position.
Choose one of the statements below and write a 200-250 word response (typed or word-processed):
A. What do you think media historians will say was one of the most significant influences on RADIO
or one of its greatest contributions during the twentieth century (1900-1999) when they talk about it
in 50 years and WHY?
B. What MOVIE OR FILM made between 1900-1999 do you believe people will still be talking
about and/or watching 50 years from now and WHY?
C. Of all of the ADVERTISING campaigns/strategies/tactics to be used during the twentieth century
(1900-1999), which one do you think will be considered one of the most significant or controversial 50
years from now and WHY?
D. What do you think media historians looking at the profession and practice of PUBLIC
RELATIONS during the twentieth century (1900-1999) will say was one of the most significant
contributions or one of its greatest controversies was and WHY?
Grading Criteria:
1) Did you respond to one of the statements in a response that focused on the 20th century and that
used specific information to back up or substantiate your position?
2) Does your response reflect genuine thought backed up by evidence?
3) Is your response error free?