LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

The American Dream

In conjunction with a unit on Puritanism, students will define and illustrate their personal definition of the American Dream or their concept of the dream in general.

A lesson plan for grades 9–10 English Language Arts and English Language Development

By Becky Ackert and Deborah Belknap

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • identify reasons people come to America.
  • identify personal goals in relation to the American dream.
  • create a product which expresses the American dream or the dream in general.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

2 days

Materials/resources

  • Song, “Only in America,” by Jay and the Americans
  • Song, “America,” by Neil Diamond

Technology resources

Teacher may need to search for songs and lyrics on the internet.

Pre-activities

This assignment can be done before beginning the study of Puritanism or as a culminating activity at the end of the unit. If done as a pre-activity, the teacher will introduce the concept of the American dream as a motivating factor in the immigration of the first settlers. As a culminating activity, the assignment will reinforce the unit. Although the time is listed as 2 days, additional time is necessary for students to complete their projects.

Activities

  1. Teacher will play copies of the two songs, “Only in America,” by Jay and the Americans and “America,” by Neil Diamond. Teacher will lead oral discussion of the lyrics in both songs.
  2. Teacher will have students orally identify motivating factors in each song which express reasons people, especially those from other countries, love America. Teacher or another student will write these on the board as responses are given.
  3. Have students compile a written list of their personal goals and desires related to the concept of The American Dream.
  4. Students will create a final product expressing their personal dream or the dream in general.
  5. Students will orally present their projects to the class.

Assessment

Grading Guidelines

Supplemental information

The advanced limited English proficient student will use expanded vocabulary effectively in social and academic settings with few errors and will rely much less on forms of non-verbal communication.

Learning objectives focus on:

  • comprehending academic questions spoken at normal speed
  • following multi-step directions on academic topics
  • demonstrating comprehension of various literary genres
  • initiating and participating in group discussion
  • preparing and delivering presentations
  • elaborating effectively using description and comparison
  • developing reading fluency
  • analyzing text and evaluating literature
  • understanding the elements of poetry
  • using reference materials
  • discerning cultural variations represented in texts
  • identifying literary elements of fiction and non-fiction
  • writing about complex themes
  • reflecting, evaluating, analyzing and responding to texts
  • examining cause-effect relationships

Modifications

  • Teacher will give student a written copy of the song lyrics prior to listening to the songs in class.
  • Teacher will give student a list of critical vocabulary (listed above) to search for definitions prior to listening to the songs in class.
  • Student should have access to an English dictionary and an English/native language dictionary.
  • Student should be allowed extended time to complete the assignment if needed.

Alternative assessments

If the LEP (Limited English Proficient) student chooses to write a song or poem (see final project attachment below), teacher should allow for common errors in spelling and punctuation. Teacher should also allow for occasional errors in idiom and structure.

Critical vocabulary

Dream, Puritan, Settlers, Pauper, Classy, Huddle, Unfurled, Motivation, Goal, Affluence, Liberty

Comments

Students study the Puritan era in American literature. During this time, we identify the reasons people come to America and discuss the concept of the American Dream. This is a recurring theme throughout the semester. I always have students define their personal definition of the dream. This is an effective way to get them to express themselves in a format other than composition.

This lesson plan was developed during the English Language Development Standard Course of Study lesson planning institutes hosted by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and LEARN NC, June and July, 2004. It includes specific strategies, instructional modifications, and alternative assessments which make this lesson accessible to limited English proficient students. Please note that this lesson has been aligned with the goals and objectives of the N.C. English Language Development standards.
This lesson was modified for the advanced limited English proficient student. Additional modifications are needed for a novice or intermediate level student.

North Carolina curriculum alignment

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 11

  • Goal 1: The learner will demonstrate increasing insight and reflection to print and non-print text through personal expression.
    • Objective 1.01: Create memoirs that give an audience a sense of how the past can be significant for the present by:
      - elaborating upon a significant past episode from the student's current perspective.
      - projecting the student's voice in the work through reflective interpretation of relationships to people and events.
      -writing for a specific audience and purpose.
    • Objective 1.02: Reflect and respond expressively to texts so that the audience will:
      - discover multiple perspectives.
      - investigate connections between life and literature.
      - explore how the student's life experiences influence his or her response to the selection.
      - recognize how the responses of others may be different.
      - articulate insightful connections between life and literature.
      -consider cultural or historical significance.

English Language Development (2005)

Grade 9–12

  • Goal 0:
    • Objective 0.01: Use new vocabulary in speech.
    • Objective 0.02: Engage and initiate more extensive social and classroom discourse with peers and adults on unfamiliar topics by asking and answering questions, restating ideas, and soliciting information.
    • Objective 0.03: Comprehend academic questions spoken at normal speed.
    • Objective 0.03: Analyze modified text by drawing conclusions and making inferences.
    • Objective 0.03: Use description, comparison, figurative language, and other appropriate strategies purposefully to elaborate ideas when speaking.
    • Objective 0.04: Demonstrate comprehension of various literary genres through verbal responses with occasional restatements.
    • Objective 0.04: Use a variety of sentence patterns to convey emotions, present ideas, elaborate, and negotiate meaning.
    • Objective 0.04: Assess writing for conventions of effective writing (e.g., audience, purpose, etc.).
    • Objective 0.05: Understand academic language conventions across the content areas when spoken at a normal speed with occasional difficulty.
    • Objective 0.05: Express an informed opinion that is logical and coherent.
    • Objective 0.05: React to and reflect upon print, non-print text and personal experiences by examining situations from both subjective and objective perspectives.
    • Objective 0.06: Respond appropriately when participating in group discourse by adapting language and communication behaviors to the situation to accomplish a specific purpose.
    • Objective 0.06: Prepare and deliver presentations and reports across content areas.
    • Objective 0.07: Identify and demonstrate knowledge of various types of communication (e.g., expressive, informational, argumentative, critical).
    • Objective 0.08: Interpret and evaluate experiences, literature, language, and ideas.
    • Objective 0.09: Demonstrate understanding of selected literature through interpretation and analysis.
    • Objective 0.10: Understand and use elements of poetry.
    • Objective 0.10: Apply conventions of grammar and language usage.
    • Objective 0.11: Analyze and respond to texts that contain characteristics of cultural variations.
    • Objective 0.12: Utilize reference materials for research purposes (e.g., encyclopedia, internet, thesaurus, English dictionary).
    • Objective 0.13: Analyze texts that contain characteristics of cultural variations represented in texts (e.g., dialect).

  • Common Core State Standards

    • English Language Arts (2010)

      • Reading: Literature

        • Grade 9-10
          • 9-10.RL.7 Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each treatment (e.g., Auden’s “Musée des Beaux Arts” and Breughel’s Landscape with the Fall of Icarus).