How much do you really know about the most important document in United States' history? Take the quiz and test your knowledge. If you need some additional information, click on the US Constitution and Amendments tab and play the crossword puzzles.
What happens when rights conflict? Explore sample conflicts: Free press vs. fair trial, religious rights in conflict, and Singapore: model society or city of fear? Great learning activities and lesson plans for teachers and students.
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 learn about audience appeal and analyze how Jefferson chose his arguments and his language to appeal to his particular audience.
In this lesson, students will think about what rights the Founders felt that the government should guarantee to its citizens. They'll read and analyze the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.
Explore the legacy of the Founding Fathers George Washington and Thomas Jefferson in this clip from GREAT PERFORMANCES: "Hamilton's America." In weighing their contributions and flaws- especially given that both men were slave holders- how should their place in history be evaluated? [5 min, 22 sec]
Explore the legacy of the Founding Fathers George Washington and Thomas Jefferson in this clip from GREAT PERFORMANCES: "Hamilton's America." In weighing their contributions and flaws -- especially given that both men were slave holders -- how should their place in history be evaluated? Also footage of Lin-Manuel Miranda and Christopher Jackson performing the song "One Last Time" from the musical Hamilton at the White House.
Learn how George Washington and Alexander Hamilton's relationship became key to the American victory in the Revolutionary War in this media gallery from GREAT PERFORMANCES: "Hamilton's America." [4:41]
A video featuring the Declaration of Independence. Tom Brokaw addresses why the Continental Congress found the need for the revolutionary document. [4:00]
Video [1:12] with accompanying background text and student handout on the life and presidency of John Adams.
Checklist of inventors, politicians, performers, activists and ordinary people who made America. Meet Harry Houdini, Langston Hughes, Buffalo Bill Cody and dozens of other famous and interesting American adventurers, presidents, inventors, writers and more.
Come meet Benjamin Franklin and some of his scientific friends. Learn about them through the eyes of early American portraiture. Following the introduction are three great lesson plans for teachers of language arts, science, and visual arts.
Resource showcases the holdings of Thomas Jefferson's personal library built around the themes of memory, reason, and imagination.
Primary source materials from the post-Revolutionary War period in America, 1789-1820, which depict the sense of politics in a newly formed nation with a developing national identity. Includes reading guide, questions for discussion and links to supplemental material.