Prior to class each week in Units 1 and 2, students will engage with multimedia learning content (e.g., musical scene clips, core Black studies texts, theatre critic reviews, etc.) and conduct additional independent research on key themes to prepare for group discussion. 

Students will select one of the cultural values case studies to be considered in Unit 2. In assigned groups, they will be responsible for interdisciplinary research on that theme and related musical productions, examining issues such as the broader context, historical accuracy, compositional choices, creator biographies, and public responses. 

Building on in-class workshops, students will develop a musical concept, song, or scene that narrates a selected ethos in American public life and/or Black Studies. The piece might celebrate, challenge, and/or parody the student’s chosen issue.