Inquiry Questions:

Who do we think we are - as Americans?

To what extent can we be honest with ourselves about ourselves?

What even is the American Dream and in what ways is it tied to wealth?

"America and Americans" - an essay by John Steinbeck

In addition to writing famous and moving works of fiction - Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath, Travels with Charlie, etc. - he also wrote a series of non-fiction works. To understand this piece, you need to understand the rhetorical situation and context that it was written in. So, we will work on a Rhetorical Triangle first, and then practice an easy analysis strategy called Author Says/Author Does.

Below is a copy of the essay. Please click the link for your own copy to annotate.

First Draft Read

Now, complete a first draft read of the piece. Below I have recorded a reading of the piece. Feel free to listen and follow along with me, or read on your own if that better suits you. After each paragraph in the left hand margins, I want you to summarize what you think Steinbeck is saying in that paragraph. In other words, write a sentence or two summary in the left hand margin. This is the "Author Says" portion of our analysis.

Second Draft Read

To identify exactly what Steinbeck's point is, and analyze how he constructs it, we need to notice with writing "moves" (or strategies, or techniques) the author uses to shape his message. This is called the "Author Does" portion of our analysis. Below, please find a video of me modeling this technique for the first part of the piece. 

Now it's your turn. Work in your groups (if you are here at school) or on your own complete the "Author Does" portion of the analysis.

Reflection

Let's did into Steinbeck's message a bit farther by answering the questions on the bottom of the piece. Jot your thinking down in prose (words organized into sentences and paragraphs ;)):

1. Steinbeck saw Americans as a paradoxical people.  Do you agree or disagree?  Why? 

2. Why did Steinbeck see “the American way of life” as just a dream?  Are we approaching it today? 

3. This essay was written in the 1960’s is it still relevant?  How would it be different today? 

Wealth and Class Culture Data Based Inquiry

Questions we will explore - pick the question that most interests you to anchor your exploration of wealth and class:

• TWE is the "rags to riches" social narrative true for our society today? 

• What role - if any - does wealth play in the American Dream? 

• TWE does wealth/class affect a person's freedoms*/rights in America? 

*Freedom not just in terms of what is legal, but to determine your own path in life. 

Notes and/or Optional Notecatcher 

As we move through this last inquiry of the year, you will need to take notes and gather evidence that will eventually support your answer to the question you are exploring. You have a choice. You can either take notes in a form that suits you best,  or you may use the note catcher I have created below. Click on the link to make your own copy.

Data Set 1 - PBS Documentary People Like Us: A Nation of Tribes

Our first data set is excerpts from a documentary produced by PBS. It discusses how wealth and class influence our behavior, our attitudes, and our access to resources. The video is a bit older, but the content is very much still applicable. The documentary is mostly filmed on the East Coast of the United States, where there is a longer and more entrenched "tradition" of class culture. Class culture very much exists on the West Coast, as well, but it presents itself a little bit differently (as you watch, think about how this might be and we will discuss after we watch).

 The film is organized in chapters. Please click on the link, and watch the chapters listed below (here is a link to the playlist. The full video is also linked below):

• The first two minutes of the intro (How Social Class Divides Us)

• Joe Queenan’s Tour of Yuppiedom

• How to Marry the Rich

• Tammy’s Story

• Gnomes R Us

• All You Need is Cash

• Trouble in Paradise

• WASP Lessons

• Tammy’s Story II

After watching each chapter, mine the clip for any evidence that helps you consider your inquiry question.  At the end of watching all the clips, review your notes. When you are finished, please compose a Hypothesis 1 that states how would answer the inquiry question considering this evidence you have to this point. 

We will share these out as a group before moving on to the next data set.

Data Set 2 - New York Times Poll on Class in America

This data set consists of two parts: a poll that the New York Times conducted on perceptions of ideas related to class and the American Dream and an interactive website with the results of that poll and how they line up with what actual income/education data says. Take the poll to reflect on the way that you think about class. Then follow the link to compare how your thinking aligns with those who were surveyed and how your thinking aligns with reality. 

There is also a "Part 3" that is a summary of a Gallup poll discussing how Americans perceive class and why. I am offering this an an extension , but it not required.

After considering Data Set 2, mine the documents for any evidence that helps you consider your inquiry question.  Then, review your notes. When you are finished, please compose a Hypothesis 2 that states how would answer the inquiry question considering this evidence you have to this point. 

We will share these out as a group before moving on to the next data set.

Want to see what class you and your family fall into? Use this calculator published by the Pew Research Center

Data Set 3  - A dossier of images, data/graphics, quotes, content created by sociologists, and a feature article centering the experience of a homeless, full-time employee

This data set is meant to be divided up among group members and conquered collaboratively. Your task will be to read you parts of this dossier, consider what is being conveyed, and add to your notes. It is important to recognize you will be the expert regarding the content you read and responsible for sharing that content with your group members so that they may also consider it and add to their own notes.

If you are reading this set independently from home, the expectation is not that you read every single word, but that you interact with enough of the content to further your thinking on wealth and class culture.

After your group members share their considerations from Data Set 3, add  any evidence that might help you consider your inquiry question.  Then, review your notes. When you are finished, please compose a Hypothesis 3 that states how would answer the inquiry question considering this evidence you have to this point. 

We will share these out as a group before moving on to the next data set.

Data Set 4 - Class Narratives (Individuals were asked to write narratives responding to the question "When was the first time you were aware of class?")

For our last data set, we will explore mini-narratives that discuss the first moments when individuals became aware of class. 

If you are in class, each group will be assigned one narrative and complete an author says/author does analysis of the narrative. Each group will then present these analyses to the class - we will then add the information to individual note catchers.  If you are working from home, read all the narratives and add notes to your note catcher. Then pick one of the narratives and complete a brief author says/author does analysis.

After each group shares their considerations and analyses from Data Set 4, add any evidence that might help you consider your inquiry question.  Then, review your notes. When you are finished, please compose a Hypothesis 4 that states how would answer the inquiry question considering this evidence you have to this point. 

We will share these out as a group before moving on to the next data set.

Socratic Seminar Preparation

After completing our inquiry, our class will hold two separate discussions to help us deepen our understanding of wealth and class culture. To do these we will first practice writing quality questions, then we will distill our questions down to the very best and most interesting ones, and then we will use these to help ensure that we have complex and interesting seminars. 

Questioning Circles

Whenever any of us, as humans, tries to understand a topic or an idea we filter our thinking through three lenses: the lens of "me" or ourselves, the lens of "texts" (that we have read, watched, experienced), and the lens of our larger world/community. We will be using these to draft 7 questions filtered through different combinations of these lenses.

To further understand how this works, please watch the video below. As you watch, you will be asked to draft 7 questions:

1. "Me" question

2. "Text" question

3. "World/Community" question

4. "Me/Text" question

5. "Me/World" question

6. "Text/World" question

7. "Dense" question that is a combination of all 3 lenses

[Insert Questioning Circle instruction video]

When you write questions it is imperative to the quality of discussion and your experience that your questions meet the requirements of these rules:

• Questions must not be "yes" or "no" questions, because you will get yes and no answers

• Questions must actually reflect the lens or lenses they are being filtered through

• Questions must be genuinely answerable by you and your classmates

• Questions must be interesting to you

I discuss these rules further in the video above. Please rewatch it if you are in need of further information. Please revise your questions based on the following rules. For additional help, please see my sample questions below.

Socratic Seminars

We will use the following rubric to assess your participation in the Socratic Seminars.

If you are working on class from home, or if you are unhappy with your score from the rubric above, then I will ask that you use the Socratic Seminar Reflection form below. Completing this will count as your Socratic Seminar grade.