American Dream Stations
Post date: Aug 10, 2016 6:46:22 PM
If you need to finish any parts of stations, here is the assignment handout and links to the materials/sites you need.
American Dream Stations
Directions: Now that we’ve defined the traditional concept of the American Dream, you and your peers are going to spend some time thinking about the American Dream and how it has evolved or been thought of differently over time by various people. Follow the specific directions for each station. Use your own paper to write your responses to these things. Number your paper for each station.
1) American Dream Images
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12738563
View the images from the BBC site and pick three of them to write a few sentences about, explaining how they relate to the American Dream.
Marisol’s American Dream—Here a photojournalist chronicled an immigrant girl’s experiences for fifteen years.
a. View these images and read their captions.
b. What do you think Marisol’s dream of America was, referring to specific images from the slideshow.
c. Do you think she has made her dream a reality? Again, refer to specific images to explain your answer.
2) Two Songs about America
Lee Greenwood—“God Bless the USA” Lyrics are attached below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Apo7B3S8Es8
Bruce Springsteen—“Born in the USA”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuJUq58VQXQ
a. Listen to at least a little of each song, not really paying attention to the lyrics, and then describe the mood of each song, based on the musical style.
b. Read the lyrics for each song and summarize what each is saying (The Springsteen song tells more of a story than the Greenwood song).
c. What is the theme (main idea that the writer wants us to take away) of each song? How do the themes differ from each other?
3) Poems by Lazarus and Whitman See attachment below.
a. Read “I Hear America Singing.” What aspects of America and Americans does Whitman emphasize in his poem?
b. Read “The New Colossus.” What is Lazarus’s attitude toward America? Cite a few specific words or phrases that demonstrate the tone of her poem.
4) American Dream Political Cartoons
Study each picture carefully. Answer the following questions in complete sentences for each cartoon. See attachment below.
1. Is this a positive or negative depiction of the American Dream? Why or why not?
2. What is this picture trying to say?
3. How does this picture make you feel? Look at your list of tone words for possibilities.
5) What the New American Dream Looks Like—Take a copy of the article to read and write on. Turn it in with these handouts. See attachment below.
1) As you read, define any unfamiliar words. Write the definitions above the words on your copy of the article.
2) Using bullet points, summarize the article by listing 7-10 important points you think the author is making. You’ll need to do this on a separate sheet of paper.
6) View the video from author John Green here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYGc8-L_NmE ***He talks fast—turn on closed captions if they aren’t already on.*** I would also recommend watching it twice—viewing it first and answering the questions the second time.
1) How does Green illustrate that the American Dream is still a possibility?
2) What does Green say about socioeconomic mobility today?
3) What does Green say about equality between men and women?
4) What is Green’s worry regarding U.S. innovation?