American Dream

Spring 2014

American Dream Interactive Timeline

For this project you will be assigned a particular duty to research about a particular decade (1910s-2000s). The end project will be an interactive table showcasing your findings and a group presentation with other members from your particular decade. Even though there are other classmates that are working on your same decade does not mean one group member does all the work. This project is an individual assignment. This means that you need to use your own brain and develop your own project. Feel free though to ask your group members questions for additional help in completing your project. Please hold on to this handout because it includes specific information on how to complete this project.

Guided Questions

You will answer some guided questions that will be answered on a separate written report. Each question needs a ½ page typed response. Yes, I said ½ page responses for each question in MLA format. This is because they are free responses and your opinion. This does not mean however that you do not give me a well developed and thought out answer. Grammar and cohesiveness of your responses does count. The guided questions are as follows:

• What is the American Dream of your decade?
• How has the American Dream changed over time?
• How do diverse cultures view the American Dream?
• How have significant historical events affected the dream?
• How will new opposing views of the 21st century challenge the American Dream?
• What makes your area of interest (i.e. photography) an effective medium for sharing the American Dream?
• What is your American Dream?

*Also include a Works Cited and Bibliography Page that includes all of the sites you used for your project.

Research

When you meet with your group the first thing you need to decide is who will do what topic to begin the research on the particular decade. The particular topics you need to choose from are:

• People: U.S. Presidents, World Leaders, Sports Figures, Artists, Musicians
• Culture: Trends, Developments in Dance, Literature, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts, Movie
• Political Events: Elections, Government, Recessions/Depressions, Revolutions, Wars, Assassinations
• Science: Concepts, Discoveries, Experiments, Scientists, Technology

If you have a 3 member group then you each need to choose one of the four topics and then split the remaining topic between the three of you. For your main topic choose three of the subtopics. On the split topic you need to choose one subtopic within the topic to research about.

If you have a 4 member group then each of you need to choose 1 of the 4 topics. For your main topic, choose five of the subtopics.

BOTTOM LINE: No matter how many members, you all need to have at least one big topic and research 4-5 of the subtopics within that topic. Once you have decided what topic you are doing you will then need to decide on how you will present your information on your poster board. You each need to choose two ways of presenting your information. The following options are as follows:

• Photographer: With your artful eye you capture the images of the American Dream.

*Design a photo essay that shows the American Dream. Show how the Dream has been affected by time, cultural influences, and significant historical events. Find photos and create a photo timeline.

• Poet: Using your poetic grasp of language, you seek out the heart and soul of the American Dream.

*Create a poet’s notebook that shows the American Dream. Your notebook includes samples of your poetry that shows how the “Dream” has been affected by time, cultural influences, and significant historical events).

*Find poems of this time and create one of your own that parodies the style.

• Politician: With a finger on the pulse of the American people you trace significant political events that shape the American Dream.

*Write and deliver a speech that traces the political events that shape the American Dream. Your speech shows how the “Dream” has been affected by political response to cultural influences and significant historical events.

• Producer: Lights, camera, action! You show the story of the American Dream through stories, films, and a script for a movie.

*Make a storyboard for your movie. Sequence the scenes to produce a movie of the American Dream. This can be done by sequencing events of the decade and each photo or way you present the information tells a movie of the time.

• Comedian: You find the irony in the American Dream.

*Write and perform a stand-up comic script and create a political cartoon or comic strip that expresses irony or the humorous side of the American Dream. Find political cartoons and create one.

• Musician: With your ear for melody, you play the music of the American Dream.

*Write the sheet music and perform or record music that characterizes the American Dream based upon your research.

• Reporter: On the news-beat you report and chronicle the events which shape the American Dream.

*Write news articles that report the results on the American Dream. (Article includes: title, who, what, when, where and how). Your news articles describe the events that have shaped the American Dream through the decades.