In this video [3:24] from the American Masters film Novel Reflections on the American Dream, learn about F. Scott Fitzgerald and his notorious fictional character Jay Gatsby. Both were in the pursuit of the American dream and love. Students will explore the topic of the American dream as it applies to the book and to their own lives through the accompanying teaching tips. Teaching aids, handouts, and discussion questions are included.

This is a collection of eight video lessons about Lorraine Hansberry and her famous play "Raisin in the Sun."

In this video [3:06] from the American Masters film Novel Reflections on the American Dream, see the quest for the American dream as depicted in John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath." Follow the Joad family as they search for work and humanity in the depths of the Great Depression. Book excerpts paired with photographic reenactments and expert commentary help tell the story. Teaching tips, handouts, and discussion questions are included.

The 11th grade learning experience consists of 7 mostly month-long units aligned to the Common Core State Standards, with available course material for teachers and students easily accessible online. Over the course of the year there is a steady progression in text complexity levels, sophistication of writing tasks, speaking and listening activities, and increased opportunities for independent and collaborative work. Rubrics and student models accompany many writing assignments.Throughout the 11th grade year, in addition to the Common Read texts that the whole class reads together, students each select an Independent Reading book and engage with peers in group Book Talks. Students move from learning the class rituals and routines and genre features of argument writing in Unit 11.1 to learning about narrative and informational genres in Unit 11.2: The American Short Story. Teacher resources provide additional materials to support each unit.

In this unit, students will take a look at the historical vision of the American Dream as put together by our Founding Fathers. They will be asked: How, if at all, has this dream changed? Is this dream your dream? First students will participate in an American Dream Convention, acting as a particular historical figure arguing for his or her vision of the American Dream, and then they will write an argument laying out and defending their personal view of what the American Dream should be.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Students read and annotate closely one of the documents that they feel expresses the American Dream.
Students participate in an American Dream Convention, acting as a particular historical figure arguing his or her vision of the American Dream.
Students write a paper, taking into consideration the different points of view in the documents read, answering the question “What is the American Dream now?”
Students write their own argument describing and defending their vision of what the American Dream should be.

GUIDING QUESTIONS

These questions are a guide to stimulate thinking, discussion, and writing on the themes and ideas in the unit. For complete and thoughtful answers and for meaningful discussions, students must use evidence based on careful reading of the texts.

What has been the historical vision of the American Dream?
What should the American Dream be? (What should we as individuals and as a nation aspire to?)
How would women, former slaves, and other disenfranchised groups living during the time these documents were written respond to them?

BENCHMARK ASSESSMENT: Cold Read

During this unit, on a day of your choosing, we recommend you administer a Cold Read to assess students’ reading comprehension. For this assessment, students read a text they have never seen before and then respond to multiple-choice and constructed-response questions. The assessment is not included in this course materials.

In this lesson, students will hear the final presentations, evaluate the arguments, and vote on the most convincing visions presented.

In this lesson, students will get into character and introduce themselves to the others who will be at the convention.

In this lesson, students will meet with their Independent Reading group to discuss their book and how it relates to the conversations they have been having about the American Dream.

In this lesson, you will begin to think about the idea of the American Dream, and you'll learn about the project and requirements for this unit.In this lesson, students will begin to think about the idea of the American Dream, and they'll learn about the project and requirements for this unit.

In this lesson, students will meet with their Independent Reading Group to discuss the reading so far.

In this unit, students will explore great works of American literature and consider how writers reflect the time period in which they write. They will write two literary analysis papers and also work in groups to research and develop anthologies of excellent American stories.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Students read and analyze stories from several 19th-, 20th-, and 21st-century American authors. After researching a time period, they select stories from that period to create an anthology. The readings enhance their understanding of the short story, increase their exposure to well-known American authors, and allow them to examine the influence of social, cultural, and political context.
Students examine elements of short stories and have an opportunity for close reading of several American short stories. During these close readings, they examine the ways that short story writers attempt to explore the greater truths of the American experience through their literature.

GUIDING QUESTIONS

These questions are a guide to stimulate thinking, discussion, and writing on the themes and ideas in the unit. For complete and thoughtful answers and for meaningful discussions, students must use evidence based on careful reading of the texts.

If you were to write a short story about this decade, what issues might you focus on?
What defines a short story? Just length?
To what extent do these stories reflect the era or decade in which they were written?
To what extent are the themes they address universal?

CLASSROOM FILMS

History.com has short videos on the Vietnam War (“Vietnam” and “A Soldier's Story”).

In this lesson, students will have time to continue working on their short essays with support from you and their peers.

In this lesson, students will revisit the American Dream in Unit 1. In pairs, they will find images and slogans to use as the basis for a collage that represents their view of the American Dream.

Gordon Wood, Professor Emeritus at Brown University, and the author of Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815, examines the post-Revolutionary generation and the tremendous changes that occurred during that period. [39:06]

This collection uses primary sources to explore F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby. Digital Public Library of America Primary Source Sets are designed to help students develop their critical thinking skills and draw diverse material from libraries, archives, and museums across the United States. Each set includes an overview, ten to fifteen primary sources, links to related resources, and a teaching guide. These sets were created and reviewed by the teachers on the DPLA's Education Advisory Committee.

This is a collection of five videos of Novel Reflections on the American Dream including Fitzgerald's Gatsby, Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath," Ann Petry's "The Street," and Gish Jen's "Traditional American."

PBS American Portrait is a national storytelling project that invites individuals to participate in a conversation about what it really means to be an American today. To answer this question, PBS and its partners are collecting photos, videos, and text submissions from across the United States to capture the state and spirit of the nation. This collection is a toolkit to help educators bring American Portrait into their classrooms, virtually and otherwise. Recordings of PBS' American Portrait: Who Are We? virtual professional learning series engage educators across subject areas and include detailed lesson ideas to weave the project into existing curricula. Student-facing discussions adapted from KQED Learn offer a safe space for students from across the country to interact and problem-solve collaboratively. This Collection includes: Media Gallery (26), Video (30), Image (6) for Grades 6-8, 9-12, 3-5.

This collection uses primary sources to explore Lorraine Hansberry's play, A Raisin in the Sun. Digital Public Library of America Primary Source Sets are designed to help students develop their critical thinking skills and draw diverse material from libraries, archives, and museums across the United States. Each set includes an overview, ten to fifteen primary sources, links to related resources, and a teaching guide. These sets were created and reviewed by the teachers on the DPLA's Education Advisory Committee.

In this video [3:40] from the American Masters film Novel Reflections on the American Dream we meet Lutie Johnson, the African-American single mother heroine of Ann Petry's novel "The Street". The video gives an introduction to the novel and Lutie's aspirations to find stability and independence in her Harlem neighborhood in the midst of race, class, and gender biases.

Get an introduction to Gish Jen's novel "Typical American" to explore the American dream through the eyes of a Chinese immigrant. The video [5:12] from the American Masters film Novel Reflection on the American Dream, introduces the common challenge of reconciling an immigrant's native identity with the demands of new life in America. Includes teaching materials, handouts,and discussion questions.