Students consider the role of American culture in society by watching a video of a jazz performance that displays traits of American popular culture. Then, they examine and report on the influence of American culture in eight specific fields. Next, they explore and evaluate why American culture is so popular. Finally, they reflect on how cultural diffusion is a complex phenomenon.
Students are introduced to the idea that American culture—especially popular culture such as music, films, television, fast food, and social media—has a global reach. They view an image of an American fast-food restaurant abroad and listen to the video performance Miles Davis—Tutu, then respond on a discussion wall to the prompt: “What looks and sounds distinctly American about the music?”
Teacher MovesClarify that the lesson focuses on U.S. cultural dominance rather than political dominance, emphasizing the global influence of American music, movies, and fashion across different administrations and political climates. Provide background on Miles Davis, jazz, and his influence on later genres such as hip hop. Use student responses on the wall to highlight distinctly American elements in the performance and to set expectations for upcoming small-group work in the next scene.
Students examine American cultural dominance as an example of cultural diffusion by considering key areas of influence: music, movies, dance, food, clothes, sports, business and brands, and technology. In small groups, they divide these topics, conduct Internet research (using suggested online sources as needed), and collaboratively create a group report that:
A designated group note taker posts the report to the group discussion wall or shares a link to a product created with a digital presentation tool.
Teacher MovesSupport groups as they research and plan their reports, guiding them to include diverse examples and contributors. Encourage students to compare and contrast their group reports to broaden their understanding of American cultural influence and to notice recurring individuals or themes; optionally have volunteers tally which American figures appear most frequently. When group work is complete, transition students to working individually for the remaining scenes.
Students read an explanatory text that traces historical reasons for the global popularity of American culture, including post–World War II U.S. power and affluence, military presence abroad, technological advances in transportation and communication, the spread of American brands, the fall of communist regimes, and the rise of computers, the Internet, and social media. The text also emphasizes how the diversity of U.S. culture and the prominence of figures such as Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Oprah Winfrey shape international perceptions of American diversity. Students then respond on a discussion wall to the prompt: “Overall, do you think the huge influence of American culture throughout the world has been positive or negative? State your opinion and give specific reasons and examples.”
Teacher MovesEnsure students understand the historical narrative connecting U.S. power, technology, and media to cultural diffusion. Prompt them to use specific evidence from the text and their prior research when forming opinions about the impact of American culture. Review wall responses and share one or more interesting or exemplary answers with the class to spark discussion about differing perspectives on American cultural dominance.
Students read about cultural diffusion as a two-way process, using examples such as baseball’s popularity in Japan and Central America, Tex-Mex cuisine, the exchange of gangster films and rock music between the United States and Japan, and the evolution of denim fashion. They then post on a discussion wall personal examples of non-American cultural influences in their own lives, explaining how other cultures have shaped what they like to do, eat, or play. After posting, they review classmates’ contributions and respond to at least two peers with a question or positive comment.
Teacher MovesReinforce the idea that cultural influence flows in multiple directions and that American culture is also shaped by other societies. Encourage students to make concrete, personal connections to non-American cultural influences and to engage respectfully and thoughtfully with classmates’ posts. Optionally direct interested students to additional articles in the student materials that further illustrate interactions between American and Asian cultural influences.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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