1. The American Dream
History 12

2. In our last unit, we explored the early 1900s of Russia and learned about the revolution that turned the country upside down.
For our next unit, we will be looking into the United States in the 1920s and 30s.
Our outline for today is:
An activity on America
A read aloud on the American Dream
A graphic organizer on the American Dream
A group definition development
Kahoots
Studying
Outline

3. What words come to mind when you think about America?
Independently, come up with a list of at least 5 words. (3 minutes)
What words come to mind when you think about America?

4. What words come to mind when you think about America?
With a partner, combine and narrow your list to 4 words. (3 minutes)
What words come to mind when you think about America?

5. What words come to mind when you think about America?
With another pair, combine and narrow your list to 3 words. (3 minutes)
What words come to mind when you think about America?

6. What words come to mind when you think about America?
With another group, combine and narrow your list to 2 words.(3 minutes)
What words come to mind when you think about America?

7. What words come to mind when you think about America?
As a class, pick one word. (3 minutes)
What words come to mind when you think about America?

8. The American Dream was first publicly defined in 1931
The American Dream was first publicly defined in Historian James Truslow Adams used the phrase in his book Epic of America. Adams' often-repeated quote is, "The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement."
Adams went on to say that it is not, "... a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.”

9. However, the American Dream doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone.
I have provided you with a series of quotations about the American Dream.
Your task is to read through the quotations and write down how each person views the American Dream on the graphic organizer.
You must write down at least 2 point form notes for each person.
American Dream Quotes

10. Defining the American Dream
In groups of 3 or 4, you are going to develop a definition of the American Dream.
This can be based on what we just read, or what you know about the concept.
You cannot use your phones to look it up (brains only).
I will give you about 5 to 10 minutes to develop your definitions, and then we will share.
Defining the American Dream

11. Share Definitions

12. Throughout the unit, we will be looking into the history of the United States in the 1920s and 30s.
During this era, the States (similar to Canada), went through a period of ups and downs, and consequently, notions of the American Dream shifted as well.
In looking into this interwar period, we will be exploring the United State’s history with isolationism, the culture of the roaring 20s, the Great Depression that hit in the 30s, and the Dust Bowl that devastated the southern plains of the country.
Unit Overview

13. Kahoot!

14. Today we began our unit on the United States in the 1920s and 30s.
Tomorrow, we will write our test on the Russian Revolution.
Summary