This age-appropriate lesson plan explores the contributions of Cole Porter to the history of classic American musical theater. As one of the most prolific composers of his era, Porter crafted some of the most memorable showtunes considered mainstays of The Great American Songbook. Porter was one of the few composers of the genre who crafted both the lyrics and the music of his innumerable hits – nearly all of which are today considered “standards”. Porter’s bon vivant personality belied an incredibly complex – and ultimately tragic – life story. Like all Legacy Project lesson plans, this document highlights four different learning tracks according to James Banks's multicultural education model and Bloom's Taxonomy. Tracks 1 - 4 are roughly structured to align with the cognitive retention and synthesis capabilities of students from early-to-mid Elementary School (Track 1); late Elementary-to-early Middle School (Track 2); late Middle School-to-early High School (Track 3); and early-to-late High School.
Suggested Study Subject Integration: Art, Music, Theater, American History, LGBTQ History
