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The American Dream Unit Plan

Arizona State University

Marlene Lopez Duarte

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Introduction

Class: Junior English

Essential Questions:
How does the concept of the American Dream change over time?
How do your own experiences frame the concept of the American Dream?

Time: Third Quarter and will lead into Spring Break

This unit plan will cover the theme of the American Dream with the main text

students will read as The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and excerpts from My

Bondage and My Freedom by Fredrick Douglass and The United States of Banana by

Giannina Braschi. Since this unit is intended for juniors, it is very appropriate for them to

start thinking more in depth about the American Dream.

Juniors are at a point in their life where they begin to develop ideas for

themselves. They start to decide possible careers and schools they would like to attend. It

is a time in their lives where they start to agree or disagree with ideologies that their

parents have set for them. The texts they will read and discussions that they will have will

allow them to see themselves in the curriculum, something that many researchers argue is

best for students. Edwards et al said Giving the students choice provides the opportunity

for students to select material and tasks with which they most identify, (2013). When

students identify with what they are reading, their engagement goes up meaning that their

grades will also go up.

Burke says, students face profound an often troubling existential questions that

we as English teachers are in a unique position to address in the context of our classes

and curriculum, (2013). Giving students texts that they identify with, and allowing them

to explore these questions Burke talks about, will not only allow a student to thrive in the
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classroom but also become highly functional adults. Within this unit they will learn two

important skills that they will need to be a highly functional adult, critical reading and

speaking/presenting skills.

Throughout the unit students will have multiple opportunities to different texts

and participate in different discussion activities. They will participate in philosophical

chairs, Socratic Seminar, jigsaw, 60 second speech, and much more. They will take all the

knowledge they gained throughout the unit, and end it with a presentation on their

American Dream. Students will explore this complex concept and begin to solidify their

ideas throughout the unit.

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Arizona College and Career Ready Standards Alignment

Reading:
RL.11-12.3
Analyze the impact of the authors choices regarding how to develop and
relate elements of a story or drama.
RL.11-12.5
Analyze how an authors choices concerning how to structure specific
parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its
aesthetic impact.
RL.11-12.9
Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-
century foundational works of American literature, including how two or
more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics.

Writing:

W.11-12.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Speaking & Listening:

SL.11-12.1
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions
with diverse partners on graders 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building
on other ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
SL.11-12.3
Evaluate a speakers point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and
rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice,
points of emphasis, and tone used.
SL.11-12.4
Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear
and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of
reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the
organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to
purpose, audience and a range of formal and informal tasks.
Day/ Lesson
Essential Questions
Text(s): What are students reading/analyzing? (book, short story, poem, song, vide
What is the news article, etc.)
theme/essential question Activities: What are students doing to learn the focal skill(s)?
for the week/day? Assessment/Homework (as needed): How are students assessed? What do they
need to complete?
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Day 1 Texts: None

What is the American Activities:

Dream? Lecture of what the unit will cover and the different texts they will read
Philosophical Chairs

Assessment/Homework:
Exit Ticket answering the prompt of What is the American Dream?
Day 2 Texts: Fredrick Douglass Fourth of July Speech

What is the American Activities:

Dream? Socratic Seminar Prep day

Assessment/Homework:
For homework, students will finish completing the Socratic Seminar Prep
sheet if not done. Students will receive a stamp at the beginning of next cla
if completed. Stamp is worth the 10 points in Prep section of Socratic
Seminar rubric.

Day 3 Texts: The United States of Banana excerpt

What is the American Activities:

Dream? Socratic Seminar

Assessment/Homework:
Students will be assessed through the Socratic Seminar
- Rubric: ___/10 Prep Sheet
___/10 Participation in Seminar (3 or more speakin
points)
___/10 Socratic Seminar Reflection
For homework, students will have to complete the Socratic Seminar
Reflection that will be due at the beginning of next class

Day 4 Texts: The Great Gatsby

What is the American Activities:

Dream? Initial Assumptions
In class reading of Chapter 1 with stopping points to discuss characters and
Introduction to The concepts (i.e. new money/old money and east/west egg)
Great Gatsby Chapter Notes (students will begin taking chapter notes where they will
write the events of the chapter in bullet point format)

Assessment/Homework:
For homework, students will finish reading chapter 1
Day 5 Texts: The Great Gatsby
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What is the American Activities:

Dream? In class reading of Chapter 2
Chapter Notes

Assessment/Homework:
For homework, students will read chapter 3 and complete the Selective
Reading Guide for the chapter. This will be due at the beginning of the nex
class.
Day 6 Texts: My Bondage and My Freedom by Fredrick Douglass excerpt

How does the American Activities:

Dream change over In class reading of Douglass excerpt
time? Then and Now Chart on the American Dream (This will be done in pairs. I
an activity where students will write examples of what the American dream
was in Civil War era and the 1920s. Research can be done on laptops or
phones for facts.)

Assessment/Homework:
None
Day 7 Texts: The Great Gatsby

How does the American Activities:

Dream change over In class reading of Chapter 4
time? Chapter Notes
Class discussion of what Gatsbys American Dream is

Assessment/Homework:
Exit ticket answering the prompt How is Douglass American Dream
different from Gatsbys?
For homework, students will read chapter 5 and complete the Selective
Reading Guide to be collected at the beginning of next class.
Day 8 Texts: My Bondage and My Freedom by Fredrick Douglass excerpts and The Gre
Gatsby
How does the American
Dream change over Activities:
time? Silent Discussion

Assessment/Homework:
Students will be assessed through their participation of the Silent Discussi
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Day 9 Texts: The Great Gatsby

How difficult is it to Activities:

achieve the American Money Project Prep
Dream? - Students will start by answering the prompt of what is you
American Dream?
- By random, students will be assigned a specific level on the
Prep Day for The socioeconomic status ladder (including job) and given their
Money Project money based off of that amount
- Students will have the rest of the class to outline/plan how
are going to achieve their American Dream for next class
period

Assessment/Homework:
For homework, students must complete their American Dream outline to b
stamped at the beginning of next class
Day 10 Texts: The Great Gatsby

How difficult is it to Activities:

achieve the American Money Project
Dream? - Students will take their plan to achieve their American Drea
and put it into action
- They will have 30 minutes to buy, borrow, or anything they
Money Project need to do (this includes stealing and lying)
- At the end of the 30 minutes will go back to their seats to w
for a few minutes on how their plan went
- Then, we will discuss as a whole class what happened and i
their plan went the way they planned

Assessment/Homework:
For homework, students will write a one page reflection on if they were ab
to achieve their American Dream. They will also write why they did or did
not achieve it with comments as to what they would have done differently.

Day 11 Texts: The Great Gatsby

How does society Activities:

influence literature? In class reading of Chapter 6
Chapter Notes
60 Second Speech (students will participate in a 60 second speech with a
randomly chosen topic)

Assessment/Homework:
For homework, students will read Chapter 7 completing the Selective
Reading Guide to be turned in at the beginning of next class.
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Day 12 Texts: Excerpts from My Bondage and My Freedom and The United States of
Banana
How does society
influence literature? Activities:
Prep to Jigsaw (Students will be in groups and given an excerpt to read an
find historical events that match that excerpt)

Assessment/Homework:
Students homework will be to complete their Jigsaw Worksheet to be
stamped at the beginning of next class.
Day 13 Texts: None

How does society Activities:

influence literature? Jigsaw

Assessment/Homework:
Students homework will be to read Chapter 7 and complete the Selective
Reading Guide to be collected at the beginning of next class.
Day 14 Texts: The Great Gatsby

How does society Activities:

influence literature? In class reading of Chapter 8
Chapter Notes

Assessment/Homework:
Exit ticket answering the prompt, Did Gatsby deserve to die?
Day 15 Texts: The Great Gatsby

How does society Activities:

influence literature? In class reading of Chapter 9
Chapter Notes

Assessment/Homework:
None
Day 16 Texts: None

What is your American Activities:

Dream? Lecture of introduction to Your American Dream presentation
Brainstorm time for ideas

Assessment/Homework:
Students homework will be for them to come to next class with a solid ide
of what they are going present as they American Dream as
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Day 17 Texts: None

What is your American Activities:

Dream? Work Day (Students will work on outline and begin working on their
presentation if they have time left)

Assessment/Homework:
If students did not submit their outline to me by the end of class, it will be
homework due at the beginning of next class
Day 18 Texts: None

What is your American Activities:

Dream? Work Day

Assessment/Homework:
For homework, students must finish anything that is not done on their
presentation that is due at the beginning of next class
Day 19 Texts: None

What is your American Activities:

Dream? Student presentations of their American Dream
Peer Grading (Two students, at random, will be chosen to grade their peer
presentation)

Assessment/Homework:
None
Day 20 Texts: None

What is your American Activities:

Dream? Final student American Dream Presentations
Peer Grading (Two students, at random, will be chosen to grade their peer
presentation)
Wipe Out (Review game for Comprehension exam of The Great Gatsby)

Assessment/Homework:
Students homework will be to study for Comprehension exam on next day
class.
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Lesson Plan for Day 7

Topic: Gatsbys American Dream vs. Our American Dream

Essential Question: How does the American Dream change over time?

Objectives: (What concept(s) will students learn? What skill(s) will students learn/ practice?)
SWBAT:

Standards:
RL.11-12.5
Analyze how an authors choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text
contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact

Materials:
The Great Gatsby
Chapter Notes
Pen/Pencil

Instructional Plan: (for 50-minute classlist all that teacher and students will do and how long
these will take)

Opening (Introduction to lesson, mini-lesson, quick write, etc.)

Students will write in their daily English journal responding to that days assigned
prompt. They will have about 5-10 minutes to write.
During this time, teacher will take attendance and hand out a book to each student.

Activities (reading, writing, discussing, presenting)

Students will Popcorn Read chapter 4 with their Chapter Notes next to them
Teacher will stop at certain moments to write on white board what students should be
including in their Chapter Notes
Once Jordan Barker says what Gatsbys American Dream is, teacher will create two
bubbles, one labeled 1920s Gatsby American Dream and the other Present Day American
Dream
Students and teacher will discuss what goes into each bubble, after each bubble is filled
in, teacher will ask students to turn to a partner to explain the differences between each
bubble

Closing (wrap up activity)

To wrap up the lesson, the teacher will create an informal discussion about what the
American Dream changes over time.
Once that is completed, teacher will instruct students to take out a half sheet of paper
where they will be writing their exit ticket on
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Assessment:
For this classs assessment, they will submit an exit ticket answer the prompt, How is
Douglass American Dream different from Gatsbys?

Homework (if any):

For homework, students will read chapter 5 and complete the Selective Reading Guide to
be collected at the beginning of next class.
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Lesson Plan for Day 12-13

Topic: Analyzing Texts from Different Time Eras Looking for a Common Theme

Essential Question: How does society influence literature?

Objectives: (What concept(s) will students learn? What skill(s) will students learn/ practice?)
SWBAT: read and discuss excerpts from different novels about the American Dream with
their peers. Students will also research different historical events that could have
influence the author of the novel.

Standards:
SL.11-12.1
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse
partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others ideas and
expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Materials:
The Great Gatsby
My Bondage and My Freedom
The United States of Banana

Instructional Plan: (for 50-minute classlist all that teacher and students will do and how long
these will take)

Opening (Introduction to lesson, mini-lesson, quick write, etc.)

Students will Free Write in their English notebook to open the lesson. They will respond
to the prompt If you were Gatsby would you take the blame for Daisy?
After students have responded for about 5-10 minutes, teacher will introduce Jigsaw
activity

Activities (reading, writing, discussing, presenting)

Students will be numbered off by 6
Within their group, they will read independently their given excerpt and then discuss in
their group what is happening in that excerpt (guiding questions: what is the American
Dream in this excerpt? What time period is it?)
Once students discuss the excerpt, they will have to find historical events that link up to
that excerpt
On day 13 students will meet with other students that read different excerpts, each
discussing what their excerpt was about and what historical events they linked it to

Closing (wrap up activity)

To close the activity on day 13, students will write an exit ticket answering the following
prompt Does society influence literature? Why or why not?
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Assessment:
Students will be assessed by their participation in the Jigsaw activity
If student is absent, they will have to pick one of the excerpts to read and write one page
about and pairing it with historical events

Homework (if any):

For day 12, if students did not finish the Jigsaw Prep sheet, they must complete it for
homework
For day 13, students will have to complete the Jigsaw reflection due at the start of next
class
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YOUR American Dream

Instructions:
You have now had a chance to get your hands dirty with the concept of the American
Dream, so it is your turn to decide what the American Dream is for YOU! You will be informing
your peers and me what the American Dream is. Or, to let us know why you believe the
American Dream does not exist.

Be creative in the way you present it, as it is part of the rubric. Do not simply do a
PowerPoint, and if you decide this is the route you want to go, make an activity for us to do
along with it. You can come speak to me if you are having any difficulties coming up with an
idea!

Below are some guiding questions that could get you started on some ideas of what and
how you would like to present your American Dream.

What is your parents American Dream and how did they come up with that? (Look a
little into your family history)
How does your parents concept of the American Dream shape yours? Or how has your
upbringing influenced this concept?
What have you experienced, outside of your house, that has influenced your idea of the
American Dream?
Have you read anything that changed your idea of the American Dream?
What did you first think of the American Dream before the start of this unit and how has
it changed now?

Rubric/Scoring Guide

___/10 Creativity: Your project must be done in a creative way. You could create a
poem, a piece of art, or anything else you can come up with! I highly
discourage you from doing a simple PowerPoint/Prezi. If you do decide to do
that, you must meet with me to let me know of an activity you want us to do
along with it. A proposal of your presentation will be due to me on (insert
date here), no exceptions!
___/10 Preparation: This includes you submitting your outline and using work days
effectively. During work days, I will do checks-ins to see how you are
progressing and that will be part of your grade as well.
___/10 Textual Evidence: You must bring in two quotes from different texts we read to
help explain your American Dream.
___/10 Presentation: This includes your actual presentation. Coming to class prepared
having all print outs ready to go by the time you walk into class, and
having anything other materials ready. You must dress to impress!
___/10 Reflection: This will be a 1 page double-spaced type up of what you learned from
this presentation and/or the unit. It will be due to me the day after you present. I
want your ideas to stay fresh in your mind!
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References

Braschi, Giannina. (2011). The United States of Banana. Seattle: Amazon.

Burke, Jim. (2013). The English Teachers Companion. New Hampshire: Heinemann.

Douglass, Fredrick. (1855). My Bondage and My Freedom. London: Penguin Books.

Edwards, S., Edick, N. A., Edwards, S., & Edick, N. A. (2013). Culturally responsive teaching

for significant relationships. Journal of Praxis in Multicultural Education, 7(1)

doi:10.9741/2161-2978.1058

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. (1925). The Great Gatsby. New York: Simon and Schuster.