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The American Dream Introduction If you could describe the essence and spirit of America, you would probably refer to “The American Dream.” First coined as a phrase in 1931, the phrase “The American Dream” characterizes the unique promise that America has offered immigrants and residents for nearly 400 years. People have come to this country for adventure, opportunity, freedom, and the chance to experience the particular qualities of the American landscape. Consequently, different groups of people have left their imprint on the philosophical foundations of this country and contributed to what has become a modern American Dream. In this unit you will explore the foundations of the American Dream and some of its modern representations. The unit will prepare you for a wide body of literature that continues to incorporate this concept. In fact, one of the goals of this unit is to expose students to the wide variety of genres that they will need to become proficient in analyzing through the course of the year. In addition to the O.Henry short story, “Mammon and the Archer,” and the excerpt from A Raisin in the Sun, the following texts are included in this unit: Poetry Essays Interviews “Ellis Island,” Joseph Bruchac New England Primer “They Live the Dream,” Dan Rather “Europe and America,” David “The Trial of Martha Carrier,” Cotton Ignatow Mather “Lifelong Dreamer — Vietnam Boat “I Hear America Singing,” Walt “Moral Perfection,” Benjamin -Beth Whitman Franklin Person,” Mary McLaughlin “I, Too, Sing America,” “Sayings of Poor Richard,” from Poor “Roberto Acuna Langston Hughes Richard’s Almanack, Benjamin Talks About Farm Franklin “Indian Singing in Twentieth Workers,” from Century America,” Gail Excerpt from “Self-Reliance,” Ralph Working, Studs Tremblay Waldo Emerson Turkel “next to of course god america Excerpt from Walden, “Where I Lived i,” e. e. cummings and What I Lived For,” Henry David Thoreau “Money,” Dana Gioia Excerpt from Nickel and Dimed: On “Who Burns for the Perfection (Not) Getting By in America, Barbara of Paper,” Martín Espada Ehrenreich Excerpt from Atlantic Voyage, Olaudah Equiano Excerpt from Fighting Rebels with One Hand, Frederick Douglass 2 Unit Template: The American Dream Priority Standards: 11.02 Analyze an author’s unstated ideas and meanings and analyzing evidence that supports those unstated ideas. (11.6.4)* 11.03 Draw conclusions about the author’s purpose, basic beliefs, perspectives, and philosophical assumptions. (11.7.1) 11.06. Demonstrate familiarity with major literary periods, authors, subjects of U.S. literature. 11.07 Use textual evidence to develop/support an interpretation of a work from U.S. literature. (11.9.3)* 11.11. Describe and evaluate the author’s tone. 11.12 Analyze the way in which a work of U.S. literature is related to the themes, issues, political movements, and events of its historical period. (11.10.17)* 11.13.1 Adjust tone and style as necessary to engage the interest of the reader. (11.12.1) 11.13.3 Use organizational structures 11.15.5. Draw from both primary and secondary sources. Understandings: Essential Questions: Students will understand that… What is the American Dream? . The American Dream has many What influences perceptions of the facets American Dream? . There are philosophical How does the dream change over time and underpinnings to the American due to race, gender, and other factors? Dream Students will be able to: Students will know: . Write effective interview questions . Major periods of early American history and literature: Puritans, . Write effective introductions and Revolutionaries, Transcendentalism, conclusions and Slavery. Synthesize the words of others into their writing Stage 2: Assessment Evidence Culminating Assessment – Other Evidence: Students will identify and interview a Surveys person over the age of 18 in order to Dialectical journals determine his or her attitude about America and the American Dream. The interview Group presentations will be presented in essay form. Research 3 Stage 3 – The Learning Plan: The American Dream Lesson Title Priority Standards Page 1 Essential Questions 11.03 5 2 Coming to America 11.03, 11.06, 11.07, 11.11, 11.12 7 3 Pre-assessment 11.03, 11.11, 11.13.1, 11.13.3 14 4 Historical Pathways of the Dream 11.03, 11.07, 11.11, 11.12 17 5 Getting to Know the Dream 11.03, 11.11, 11.12 51 6 America’s Voices 11.02, 11.03, 11.07, 11.13.1 62 7 Money and the Dream 11.03, 11.07, 11.11, 11.12 70 8 Conducting Primary Research 11.07, 11.15.5 80 9 Listen While You Work 11.11, 11.09, 11.10, 11.07 82 10 Attitudes Toward Work 11.11, 11.09, 11.10, 11.07 85 11 Nickel and Dimed 11.01, 11.02, 11.03, 11.11 93 * Culminating Assessment 11.03, 11.11, 11.13.1, 11.13.3, 11.15.5 98 12 Unit Reflection 11.03, 11.11 101 4 Lesson #1: Essential Question -- What Is the American Dream? Duration: 40 minutes Priority standards: 11.03 Brief overview of lesson: Students will have an opportunity to explore the concepts behind the phrase “The American Dream.” Materials needed: anticipation guide Addressing Essential Question(s): What is the American Dream? Steps/Procedures: 1. Explain to students that they will be introduced to the idea of the American Dream. As part of that introduction, they will complete an anticipation guide that will provide a focus for the ideas and concepts that permeate the texts and assignments within the unit. 2. Have students fill out the anticipation guide. After it is completed, direct students to share their answers with a partner or group. Ask some volunteers to share with the whole class. 3. Ask students to write a reflection on their reactions to their responses and the discussion. You will direct students to revisit this activity as they proceed through the unit. Closure: As students exit, ask them to write one phrase that best captures their notion of the American Dream. 5 What Is the American Dream? As you read each statement below, write A beside statements with which you agree and D beside the ones with which you disagree. _______1. Education is important primarily to increase one’s self-knowledge. _______2. Individuals’ rights are superior to the needs of society. _______3. God exists in all life forms. _______4. Mankind is basically evil. _______5. Education is important primarily to get a job. _______6. Truth is found in faith. _______7. Human beings are basically good and getting better. _______8. Individual liberties must always be controlled by government authority. _______9. God is all-powerful and wrathful. ______10. Truth can be found in science. ______11. The American Dream means making lots of money. ______12. The American Dream includes getting married and having children. _____ 13. The American Dream is more true for some than others. Reflect on the statements with which you agree and those with which you disagree. Share your responses with a partner or a small group. You might choose to share your responses with the whole class. Consider the class discussion and select one or two statements above. Describe your position in reaction to the statement(s) and explain the rationale for your thinking. 6 Lesson #2: Coming to America Duration: 90 minutes Priority standards: 11.03, 11.06, 11.07, 11.11, 11.12 Brief overview of lesson: Students will deepen their knowledge of The American Dream by considering the early 20th century immigration experience. Materials needed: Clip from The Godfather, Part II “Ellis Island” Bio Sketch Worksheet “Europe and America” Addressing Essential Question(s): What role does immigration play in The American Dream? Hook/Anticipatory Set: 1. Ask students to brainstorm a list of characteristics or traits they believe are part of the American Dream. 2. Instruct students to select one trait from their list and complete a quickwrite about that trait. Ask students to share their quickwrites in small groups. 3. Ask volunteers to share their ideas about the American Dream with the whole class. Steps/Procedures: 1. Show the clip from Godfather II (the clip begins 7 minutes from the beginning of the video and ends 10 minutes from the beginning of the video). As they watch, direct students to look for images that relate somehow to their idea of the American Dream. Discuss what they saw as relevant to the American Dream. 2. Ask students to think for a moment about their own ancestors. What do they know about where they came from? Have them discuss their responses with a partner. Have a couple of volunteers share with the whole class. 3. Read “Ellis Island” silently. Ask for volunteers to read the poem aloud two or three times. As the poem is read, ask students to mark the text by underlining the dreams of the people as they are expressed in the poem. Discuss the underlined passages as a class. Ask students to think back about their own ancestors. Are they aware of any of their dreams, successes, or failures when they were either coming to or growing up in America? Students should share with a partner. 7 4. Ask students to complete the Bio Sketch Worksheet and share with a partner or small group. Explain that they will look at their own background and dreams in order to compare with others. 5. Read “Europe and America,” first silently then aloud. Look at the chart Denotation and Connotation in “Europe and America.” Explain to students the difference between denotation (dictionary definition of a word) and connotation (idea or meaning suggested by or associated with a word or thing). Students should determine the denotation and connotation of each word or phrase in the poem and be prepared to explain.
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