1. 50s Television! Perpetuating Conformity

2. Watch the following two clips for I Love Lucy & Leave It to Beaver together in your table groups & talk through what you see- What do you notice about conformity?

3. I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy shows clear FCC control.
While Lucy was zany and had crazy antics each week, her and Ricky still slept in separate beds.
CBS also refused to allow the word “pregnant” to be used on air.

4. Leave It To Beaver
Along with many other TV family “sitcoms”, this show perpetuated suburban social conformity by creating superficial problems for the perfect American family that could always be solved in a half hour.

5. 50s TV jigsaw
In your table groups, you will choose 4 TV shows from the list on the next slide.
Each person in your table group will choose 1 show (for a total of 4 different ones in your group) to focus on.
Watch your clip, then do a little research on your TV show and take notes. How does your show perpetuate 1950s conformity? If you can find a clip to represent conformity besides the one you’ve already seen, use it with your jigsaw to your group.
When everyone is done researching, take turns presenting for each of your 4 shows and take notes in your journals.

6. Other Popular Shows of the 1950s
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
Gunsmoke
Howdy Doody
Romper Room
Lassie
The Twilight Zone
The Lone Ranger

7. Dating: Dos and Don’ts (1949)
Instructional video for teens with Woody and Anne
1:15- Choosing a Date
4:43- Asking for a Date
10:52- Saying Goodnight