An Inter-Disciplinary Mini-Unit

Level: Junior High, High School

Purpose: To analyze the concept of the American Dream present, past, and future.

Overview: These lessons will focus on the American Dream as it relates to the students and characters from American literature or historical figures whom they have studied. Emphasis will also be placed on the American Dream throughout history.

Lesson One: Students will compose a journal regarding their personal American Dream. They will then graphically organize their ideas with those of other students in small groups. (Language Arts, Social Studies)

Lesson Two: Students will analyze the main characters from any piece of American literature or major historical figures through a life-sized symbolic character sketch. (Language Arts, Social Studies)

Lesson Three: Students will create a timeline of the changes in the American Dream from the earliest American settlements to the present day. (Language Arts, Social Studies)

Lesson Four: Students will reevaluate their idea of the modern American Dream and will evaluate what it means to various modern American populations. (Language Arts, Social Studies)

Lesson One

Objective:

Students will compose a journal regarding their personal American Dream. They will then graphically organize their ideas with those of other students in small groups.

Materials:

newsprint paper

markers

Procedure:

1. Have students write a journal entry that describes their personal idea of the American dream.

2. Divide the class into groups and have the students use their journals to brainstorm elements of the American Dream. They should then graphically illustrate their ideas through mind-mapping.

3. As the students work on their mind-map, challenge them to practice flexibility by brainstorming in as many directions as possible and fluency by brainstorming in one direction.

Lesson Two

Objectives:

Students will analyze the main characters from any piece of American literature or major historical figures through a life-sized symbolic character sketch.

Materials:

butcher paper

markers

Procedure:

1. Divide the class into groups and assign each group one main character which has been studied.

2. Have students trace one member of their group to represent their character.

3. Students should draw symbols on their character which represent various aspects of the character. For example, Jay Gatsby would probably have a drawing of money where his hand is and Lady Macbeth would have a bloody knife where her heart is.

4. Have the students explain their characters to the rest of the class.

Lesson Three

Objective:

Students will create a timeline of the changes in the American Dream from the earliest American settlements to the present day.

Materials:

Butcher paper

markers

Educational Structures

Procedure:

1. As a class, explore the concept of the American dream in the time of the early settlers and in the present time.

2. Divide the class into groups of 4 or 5. As a group, have the students explore the changes in the American dream from the early settlers to today.

3. Students should create a timeline referencing big events throughout history and discussing the influence of these events on the changing American dream.

4. Have the students present their timelines to the rest of the class.

Lesson Four

Objectives:

Students will reevaluate their idea of the modern American Dream and will evaluate what it means to various modern American populations.

Materials:

none

Procedure:

1. As a class, have the students re-examine the information gathered through lessons one, two, and three and decide whether they were accurate or not in their initial ideas about the American dream.

2. Individually, have the students take the class ideas on the American dream and explore what this means to various populations in America such as African-American, Hispanic, Asian, the physically challenged, and Mormons.

3. Based on their exploration, have students write an analysis of the American dream for all Americans.

The students should be able to explain their symbolic representation of the American dream as it pertains to characters in American literature.

The students should be able to create a timeline that shows the changes in the American dream through history.

The students should reevaluate the concept of the American dream based on their class work. They should also be able to apply the American dream to various American populations.