Units+of+Instruction

Title of Unit:  The American Dream  Author: Kristin Lewis  Primary Subject (elementary) or Course (secondary): Language Arts  Grade Level: 10th grade  <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Introduction: <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> This unit is all about the American Dream. Since the founding fathers created what their thoughts of the American Dream were, a lot has changed. We will be exploring what the American Dream used to be, where it is today, and certain events that happened in history to change what we once knew as the American Dream. The purpose of teaching this unit is for the students. They will be able to apply what they have learned in their history classes, and in the past to relate it to what they think their American Dream is, or where it is going in the future. Students will learn how this country’s thinking has evolved, and become what it is today. They will be able to apply this to their future goals and learning, if they participate in this unit. <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Unit Objectives

<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Students will understand what our founding fathers thought’s were on the future of this country. They will understand major historical events, which led us to the current belief in the American Dream. Students will also understand people who do not believe in what is called the American Dream, and why they may not think that it affects them today. • Student will be able to think about their future goals, and what they want to happen in their “American Dream”. Students will be able to understand more of history, and about other classmates. They will be able to understand where this country has been, and where it will go, in the future. <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Students will be able to <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> think about their future goals, and what they want to happen in their “American Dream”. Students will be able to understand more of history, and about other classmates. They will be able to understand where this country has been, and where it will go, in the future. <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-spacerun: yes; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Lesson 1
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Time Required: 11 days

Title of lesson: <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> An Introduction to the American Dream <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Description of lesson <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> in class today, students will be learning about the background of the American Dream. We will be watching clips from the movie //Pleasantville,// which is a movie that depicts the American Dream. We will be talking about how The American Dream has changed throughout American history. We will also discuss why this is important to learn for their future’s, and also to recognize the past, and how our country has progressed. <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Assignment <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-spacerun: yes; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">In class today, we will be discussing our thoughts on the American Dream. All students must participate. For homework, I have made a Scavenger Hunt that I would like the students to complete before coming to class tomorrow. <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">SCAVENGER HUNT <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Resources/materials needed: TV, DVD Player, //Pleasantville,// Power Point presentation <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Lesson 2

Title of lesson: <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A Timeline of the American Dream <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Description of lesson <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">For homework, the students should have participated in the Scavenger Hunt. They will have found information about different people who expressed their own dreams, and their own pursuit of the American Dream. In today’s class students will be working in groups to make a time line of the most important events in the American Dream history. They will start with The Declaration of Independence and go through the future. They will make their timelines on poster board, and then in front of the class, in a 1-2 minute presentation, the students will talk about what they found either the most interesting, or most important. <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Assignment (homework or in-class): <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Students will work on their timelines and discuss the American Dream. Students will need to define their own American Dream, and watch the YouTube Video's I have picked out! The Must See: I Believe in the American Dream! <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Resources/materials needed: <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Poster Board, Markers, Groups <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Lesson 3

Title of lesson:  <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The Founding Fathers <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Description of lesson <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">For today’s class, we will be talking about the founding fathers of this country. They were the ones to put what they wanted for this country into the Declaration of Independence, and therefore start the discussion for what they wanted for America. After a 20 minute lecture on the founding fathers, students will be grouped by specific founding fathers, and asked to do some reading and discussing on their founding fathers. <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Assignment <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #8a0a0a; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; background-color: #ffffff;">There will be work done in class, but home work will be listening to the Link to the right <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; background-color: #ffffff;">Martin Luther King Jr. <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; background-color: #ffffff;">Students will also need to watch the <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; background-color: #ffffff;">digital media production <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; background-color: #ffffff;">. This is a short clip of 13 different pictures. Students should //identify// who/what are in each picture, how they relate to one another, and how they relate to this unit. I will be collecting their write-ups at the beginning of class tomorrow. Resources/materials needed: Articles on the founding fathers, power point presentation, declaration of independence <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; background-color: #ffffff;">Lesson 4

Title of lesson:  <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">MLK and the Counterculture <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Description of lesson <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Today’s class will focus on the 1960’s movement towards the new American Dream. We will be watching Martin Luther King Jr.’s //I Have a Dream// speech, and discuss event that happened within the 60’s to help rethink the modern American Dream. Through a Socratic seminar, students will be able to talk about different things they feel about the American Dream. They should know enough, through reading the scavenger hunt, to have a flowing and opinionated conversation. We will then talk about the book that we will start reading tomorrow, //Of Mice and Men,// by John Steinbeck. <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Assignment <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Students should read the first 20 pages in //Of Mice and Men// <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Resources/materials needed: <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">//<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Of Mice and Men, //<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">video of //I Have a Dream Speech,// discussion/ topic questions for Socratic Seminar. <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Lesson 5

Title of lesson: <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Background and Discussion of //Of Mice and Men// <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Description of lesson <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> We will be discussing the background and life of John Steinbeck. We will be discussing the background of the book, and major these to keep an eye on. We will be talking about the language that is used throughout the book, and brainstorming what has happened in the first 20 pages. <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Assignment <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Students should look at some of the books that I have set aside, on [|Shelfari], for a little help in their future projects! The students will be working hard in class, brainstorming. They will need to read the next 20 pages for class tomorrow. <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Resources/materials needed: <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Poster board, markers, handouts of themes, and a power point presentation of John Steinbeck <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Lesson 6

Title of lesson: <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Discussion of //Of Mice and Men// continued <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Description of lesson <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Today’s class will be discussing some of the things they have seen so far in the book. We will talk about what has already happened, and make some predictions on what they think may happen. We will be putting our discussion points on the poster we started yesterday. If we finish early, the class will have silent reading time until the end of the class. <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Assignment (homework or in-class): <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Students should be at page 65 for tomorrow’s class <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Resources/materials needed: <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Poster board we started yesterday, books for class, markers <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Lesson 7

Title of lesson: <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> Project Time <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Description of lesson <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Today’s class will take a break from discussing <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">//Of Mice and Men.// The students will be learning about the project they will have to do at the end of the unit. The project will consist of creative thoughts. The students will have to, in some way, show me what their “American Dream” consists of, for the future. They will also have to pick a time in the past, and make something that expresses the way the people felt back in their time period. The students can create a picture, poster board, presentation, skit (with a couple other students) etc. They will have the remaining time to find information about their era, and brainstorm what their project will be about. <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-spacerun: yes; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Assignment (homework or in-class): <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Students will be working on their projects in class today. Books should be FINISHED by tomorrow! <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Resources/materials needed: <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Rubric for the project, examples of past projects, and research materials. Check out what the questions for your project are at my [|TUMBLR] website! <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Lesson 8

Title of lesson: <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">//<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Of Mice and Men… //<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">again <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Description of lesson <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-spacerun: yes; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Students will spend the first part of class catching up on their reading. If they have done all their reading, they will start researching a certain time in American history, and what the American Dream was like at that point. After 20 minutes of silent work, the class will get back together, and review what has been going on in the book. We will discuss important points, and make sure that everyone understands what is happening. There will be a time for questions and answers at the end of the class. We will be recording on our poster what we discuss in class <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Assignment (homework or in-class): <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In class students will be reading, and brainstorming. For homework, the book should be FINISHED by lesson 10 <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Resources/materials needed: <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> Poster board from the previous days, research materials <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Lesson 9

Title of lesson: <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A Full Discussion <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Description of lesson <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">This class will be run entirely by the students. They will get in the classroom and sit in a circle. They will then have the whole time for a Socratic seminar. The students will discuss past, present, and future American Dreams, for half of the time. Then we will be switching paces and the 2nd half of the day we will be talking about the finished book. I will not be talking, other than to get the students back on track, or ask another thought provoking question.

Assignment The students will travel around the world on my Google Earth Tour. This tour will take the students to 7 different places around the world, where people had dreams of their own. The students will need to go to each of the spots, and research each of the people, where they came from, or their biggest accomplishment. The students will need to show understanding of the tour, and why I found it important to travel around and meet these people!

Resources/Materials needed: Computers with Google Earth