Name:____________________________________________________Date:____Hour:____
1950s Essay Assignment - 100pts
Assignment: Plan and write an essay on a topic from the 1950s. You essay much be at least 5
paragraphs and a minimum of 400-500 words.
Goal: Students will create an essay that shows the demographic changes, domestic policies
conflicts, culture or tension of Post WWII America.
Potential Topics
People
Television and Movies
Other Topics
Harry S. Truman
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Elvis
Little Richard
Chuck Berry
Marilyn Monroe
Elizabeth Taylor
Doris Day
Lucille Ball
James Dean
Frank Sinatra
John Wayne
Arthur Miller
Sophia Loren
Dr. Benjamin Spock
Mickey Spillane
Jackson Pollack
Jackie Robinson
Rosa Parks
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Person of your choice
approved by teacher
I love Lucky
Gunsmoke
The Ed Sullivan Show
On the Waterfront
Perry Mason
Leave it to Beaver
Lassie
Candid Camera
1950s Suburbs
1950s Urban Renewal
1950s Inner City
1950s Inventions
1950s Cars
Rock
Fashion
Lansing (Eastern) in the 1950s
Brown vs. Board of Educ.
Little Rock Nine
Bus Boycott
Malcolm X
SNCC
NAACP
Sweat v. Painter
Television of Movie of your
choice approved by teacher
Other topic of your choice
approved by teacher
Step 1: Notes - 25 points formative
Complete and turn in notes and sources worksheet. Your notes must be relevant to your topic
and your topic must be clearly stated. You must use a minimum of two properly cited sources.
Step 2: Outline - 25 points formative
Complete and turn in 5 paragraph essay outline. Your outline must include a thesis that clearly
states the objective of your essay. It must also include clear topic sentences and a concluding
sentence.
Step 3: Typed Essay - 50 points summative
Your essay will be graded using the rubric. Points will be deducted if your spelling and grammar
make it difficult to understand your essay. You must use complete sentences and appropriate
language. Your essay must be at least 5 paragraphs (10 points each paragraph).
Name:____________________________________________________Date:____Hour:____
Source #1
Citation ( Last Name, First Name. Title. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year)
Page Numbers
Notes, Quotes, Ideas
Source #1
Citation ( Last Name, First Name. Title. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year)
Name:____________________________________________________Date:____Hour:____
Page
Numbers
Notes, Quotes, Ideas
Introduction (paragraph 1) : What will this essay explain and/or argue?
(Give a little bit of background about the 1950s. What is your specific thesis? Your thesis should
contain the topics of your 3 body paragraphs. It should be the last sentence of your
introduction.)
Thesis: Write your thesis statement below:
Name:____________________________________________________Date:____Hour:____
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Paragraph II (First Body Paragraph)
What is the topic of this paragraph? (What specific point will this paragraph illustrate with three
examples?) WRITE IN A COMPLETE SENTENCE!
What are the three examples that illustrate the specific topic? (FIRST list the example and
SECOND be sure to explain what each example shows. This second part is your ANALYSIS.)
1.)
2.)
3.)
Paragraph III (Second Body Paragraph)
What is the topic of this paragraph? (What specific point will this paragraph illustrate with three
examples?) WRITE IN A COMPLETE SENTENCE!
Name:____________________________________________________Date:____Hour:____
What are the three examples that illustrate the specific topic? (FIRST list the example and
SECOND be sure to explain what each example shows. This second part is your ANALYSIS.)
1.)
2.)
3.)
Paragraph IV (Third Body Paragraph)
What is the topic of this paragraph? (What specific point will this paragraph illustrate with three
examples?) WRITE IN A COMPLETE SENTENCE!
What are the three examples that illustrate the specific topic? (FIRST list the example and
SECOND be sure to explain what each example shows. This second part is your ANALYSIS.)
1.)
2.)
Name:____________________________________________________Date:____Hour:____
3.)
Paragraph V (Conclusion)
What phrase serves as a transition from the body of the paper? (What connection can you make
from discussing your topic to the 1950s as a whole)
What more can now be said about the ideas expressed in the thesis statement? (Restate a
reworded version of your thesis statement. Add anything that the essay discovers or disproves.)
What catching statement concludes the essay? So what, why does your topic matter? Why is
the topic of this essay important? Think about how your topic impacted the 1950s as a whole.
