To begin this unit, it is important to start with a fundamental understanding of what you believe it means to "be American" and also to understand the perspectives and experiences of others regarding this topic. This is because, above all else, have always been a country of paradox, of different narratives. PBS News Hour discusses what citizens say it means to be an American today. We will view this segment and then discuss.
Let's debrief this segment:
What was your reaction to this clip? What was one thing that was discussed that you agreed with? What was one thing discussed that surprised you?
What does it mean, to you, to be an American? Or, if you are not an American, how would you define what it means to "be American" from the perspective of someone who isn't?
The concept of the American Dream is ingrained in us, our society, and our culture. Understanding what it means is fundamental to the work we will do in this unit. It is also, arguably, fundamental to our ability to be productive citizens. To open this unit, I want us to do a bit of free writing on the following questions:
What is the American Dream? Do you think having this dream is unique to Americans? Why or why not?
If you missed class, here is video of our free-write debrief discussion from Period 5.
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.
We will begin by identifying as much of the rhetorical situation as we can for this piece, before reading it.
Rhetorical Triangle - Part 1
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.
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.
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 ;)):
Steinbeck saw Americans as a paradoxical people. Do you agree or disagree? Why?
Why did Steinbeck see “the American way of life” as just a dream? Are we approaching it today?
This essay was written in the 1960’s is it still relevant? How would it be different today?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
"Me" question
"Text" question
"World/Community" question
"Me/Text" question
"Me/World" question
"Text/World" question
"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.
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.