History Learning Unit

The American Dream

Poverty In AMerica

Standards

SS.8.1- Primary and secondary sources are used to examine events from multiple perspectives and to present and defend a position.

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SS.8.24- Choices made by individuals, businesses and governments have both present and future consequences

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11. Students will recognize stereotypes and relate to people as individuals rather than representatives of groups. (Social Justice Standard)

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Instructional Resources

KWL Chart

At the begining of this unit I will give students blank KWL charts to fill out. I want them to tell me things the know about the american dream and thongs they want to know about the american dream. I will have them keep the charts and fill out what they learned throughout the lesson.

Exit Slip

At the end of class I will hand out exit ticets to students where I expect them to tell me some things they learned today, then tell me some thinsg they want to know more information about and then something that they were confused on or have a question about.

Declaration of Independance

Timline Pt.1

1776

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1787-1791

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1830-1840

Individualism and The American Dream

1920s

1929/1930s

The Great Depression

US Constitution and The BIll of Rights

The Roaring 20's

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The Constitution and the Bill of Rights became frameworks for the American Dream due to their designs of ensuring rights and freedom.

Industrialization led to the growth of individualism and really supported the hard work that would lead you to the American dream vision.

During the roaring twenties, the economy boomed. The American dream here was not starting to be seen as materialism. The more nice things you had, the better off you were, which then became the "American dream.".

During the Great Depression, the economy had a tragic crash. This led to many questioning the American dream and whether it was actually realistic or unatanable for most.

The Declaration of Independence became a key document that was later foundational to the American Dream.

Middle Class Expansion

Timeline Pt.2

LEARNING EXPERIENCE

1950s

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2000s

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2020s

Pandemic

Present

Housing Market Crash

Refining the American Dream

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The crash of the housing market was caused by a financial crisis, which eventually caused many people to lose their homes. This caused many to once again question the reality of the American dream and if it was actually achievable for everyone.

Once COVID-19 hit, many people lost their jobs, faced financial issues, and had many health concerns during the crazy time. This once again highlighted many big issues within the American dream.

In the present day, people are starting to understand that the American dream is not achievable for everyone. So instead we aim for a new vision for the American dream, one where it focuses on happiness and a healthy, balanced life rather than materialistic wealth.

During middle-class expansion, the American Dream was closely tied with homeownership. This supported the idea of the American Dreams Vision, which was to own a house and have a place to live and raise your family in and watch them grow.

Stock Story

Forbes: 5 reasons the american dream is alive and well

The American Dream Is Achievable for Everyone

The American Dream is the dream of having a house and a family living comftorably with money and being able to go on vacation and buy whatever you want. This is proved in forbes article that by Education, Demographics, Geography and Agriculture, Energy and The Constitution the american dream can be achieved by everyone who works for it. Most Americans had faith in the next generation to be able to achieve the American dream off of those aspects which allows others to belive it themselves if they work for it hard enough and make sacrifices to achieve it.

The American Dream is ultimatley surrounded by false realities and unrealistic outcomes.The American Dream is a reality of a big happy family in a house you own with lots of money living happily ever after with nothing bad hardly ever happening. When in reality that is not achievable for most American due to many economic factors in the world and those who do succeed tend to suffer great losses along the way for themselves. Those who state the american dream is acheviable for everyone dosent take into consideration those who are considered lower and middle class.

Challenges:

Concealed Story

Forbes:The American Dream Is Unattainable For Many, According To Research

Teaching students about the true reality of the American dream allows them to see the flaws and issues with the original statment. This shows a different side and perspective than what people want you to think about.

The American Dream is unattainable for many

The American Dream is a unrealistic vision for most Americans. According to forbes research, the average cost it would take in a persons lifespan to be considered "living the americann dream" is over 4.4 million dollars. Which is over million dollars more than the average american makes in their lifetime and thats not even including their essential costs.

Resistance Story

The Great Gatsby

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby

One of the biggest themes in great gatsby is tehillusion of teh American Dream. During this time individualism became more popula.. This caused many to see the american dream as a materialistic wealth insleatd of happiness and a family. The dream started to change in meaning which started changing people to loose themselves as they try to do whatever it takes to achieve the dream. In this book Gatsby gives his all to make money and be sucessful but along the way he looses everyone he did it for and still dosent get the happy ending promised within the American Dream. Using the Great Gatsby to teach about the american dream shows hoe hardwork can give people the sucess the so badly want but it shows the unfortunate sacrafices and endings that arent always as great and amazzing as promised with the dream. SO teaching this shows the opposite side of the concealed story yet still goes back to how the dream has many flaws within it.