Success in the American Dream

What is true 'success'?

There are many different views on 'success' in our world today. Several different factors affect how a person views personal success - religion, work occupation, family, etc. When it comes to the ideal American Dream today, what do you think is true success?

Grading Rubric for Group Project

I will handout a more detailed grading rubric soon, but for now here is how you will be graded on your assignment:


30%     1 Page Historical Report
             * One page length requirement
                    * MLA format
                    * Two authentic sources and parenthetical citation
                    * Focused on topic
                  
10%     Opening Activity
             * Clear connection to your lesson
                    * Focuses the class' attention and thinking to your topic at hand
                    * Involved and well planned - more than just showing a clip, etc.

30%     Keynote Presentation
             * Contains the information of your group's reports 
                    * Slide design keeps in mind PICTURES vs WORDS
                    * Presentation is prepared, smooth, and well planned
                    * Eye contact with audience, asking questions, etc. 

10%     Summarizing Activity  
             * Summarizes the main points of your lesson
                    * Involves the class in thinking, writing, speaking, etc.
 

20%     Group Accountability 
                   * Your other group members will decide 20 points of your final grade. Any disputes will 
                      be discussed and handled.

The History of the American Dream

Exploring the World of The Great Gatsby

Your task for the next few days will be to research the history behind our novel and create/present a lesson to the class. We want to discover different aspects of the American Dream in connection to certain events/eras. Here are your requirements for your group project:

1. STEP ONE: Written Report
A. Each member of the group needs to write a one page historical report
B. Each member will choose one of the sub-topics underneath the major topic given to each group
C. Report needs to be MLA format (Times New Roman, Font 12, Double Spaced)
D. Report needs two authentic sources AND have parenthetical citation throughout

2. STEP TWO: Class Presentation/Lesson
A. There are three parts of your class lesson your group needs to create based on the information in
     your reports:

     * Part One: Activator - You need to come up with an opening activity to do with the class that
                                           prepares them for your lesson. This can involve writing, discussion,
                                           brainstorming, etc. Perhaps there are pictures/clips you want to use to
                                           stimulate the class' thinking. However, it needs to be more than just
                                           showing a video clip.

     * Part Two: Main Lesson - Your main lesson should be a Keynote presentation of your group's
                                                 reports. Work on becoming familiar with your information so you are
                                                 not reading off of your paper the entire time. Keep in mind slide
                                                 design (PICTURES vs WORDS). Practice speaking loudly, clearly,
                                                 and to the audience, maintaining eye contact throughout. Ask
                                                 questions to involve the class throughout.

    * Part Three: Summarizing Activity - After your main lesson, your group should have a follow up
                                                                 with the class that summarizes the important points of your
                                                                 Keynote presentation. This can be involve a handout that the
                                                                 class has to fill out during your main lesson that you
                                                                 follow-up on afterwards, etc.

3.TOPICS:

I. World War I
A. The Causes/Reasons behind the Start of the War
B. Brief History of the Events of the War
C. Effects on the US During the War
D. Aftermath of the War in the US

GROUP QUESTIONS TO ANSWER IN MAIN LESSON: 
How did WWI affect the American Dream? How does it relate to us today?


II. The Roaring 20s
A. the Harlem Renaissance/Jazz Music
B. Women of the 20s/Flappers/Sexual Revolution
C. The Fine Arts/Literature/Film/Fashion
D. The Economy/Advance of Technology/Suburban Life

GROUP QUESTIONS TO ANSWER IN MAIN LESSON: 
What was the American Dream during the Roaring 20s? How does it relate to us today?



III. The Lost Generation
A. Definition and Origin of the term "Lost Generation"/Disillusionment
B. Biography of F. Scott Fitzgerald - his life, romances, works, problems, legacy, etc.
C. Biography of Ernest Hemingway - see above
D. Biography of T. S. Eliot - see above

GROUP QUESTIONS TO ANSWER IN MAIN LESSON: 
What happened to the American Dream to the "Lost Generation"? How does it relate to us today?



IV. The Great Depression
A. Definition and Causes of the Great Depression/Black Tuesday
B. Effects of the Great Depression on the Economy in US
C. Effects of the Great Depression on Society and Culture in US
GROUP QUESTIONS TO ANSWER IN MAIN LESSON: 
What happened to the American Dream during the Great Depression? How does it relate to us today?

Literature Circles

Your quizzes for this book will be your homework assignment each night. Your job is to come up with FIVE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS for group discussion in class. Here are the five types of questions you need to write each night:

1. Analyzing Question
2. Question on a Quote
3. Question Connecting to Today's World/Society
4. Prediction Question
5. "What-would-you-do" / "How-would-you-feel" Question

ANALYZING QUESTION:
This question should be very similar to the quizzes we took for our previous novel. Make sure it is OPEN-ENDED - no 'yes or no' type of questions. Focus on a element of a novel: symbol, theme, character, setting, etc.

* How can we see the theme of childhood innocence in the beginning chapters of TKMB?

QUESTION ON A QUOTE:
Find a quote that interested you and write an OPEN-ENDED question about it.

* What do you think this quote means? I had trouble understanding it.

QUESTION CONNECTION TO TODAY'S WORLD/SOCIETY:
Write an OPEN-ENDED question that makes a connection with an issue in the novel to our world today.

* How can we see issues of judging in our lives here in the South?

PREDICTION:
Write a question that asks the group what they think will happen in future chapters (can be about character, plot, etc.)

* What do you think will happen with Boo Radley by the end of the story?

WHAT WOULD YOU DO QUESTION/ HOW WOULD YOU FEEL:
Obviously, write a question that asks the group what they would have done in a particular situation in the book.

* What would you have done if somebody had dared you to touch Boo Radley's house?

Potential Topics for Paper

Theme:
The Southern American Dream
The Loss of Innocence
Southern Gothic


Characters:
Scout Finch
Boo Radley
Atticus Finch
Mayella Ewell


Symbols:
Southern Belles
Southern Gothic/View of the South

Setting:
Maycomb

Summarizing, Analyzing, Moralizing

Mother to Son

Well, son, I'll tell you:
Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.
It's had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor ---
Bare.
But all the time
I'se been a-climbin' on,
And reachin' landin's,
And turnin' corners,
And sometimes goin' in the dark
Where there ain't been no light.
So, boy, don't you turn back.
Don't you set down on the steps.
'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.
Don't you fall now ---
For I'se still goin', honey,
I'se still climbin',
And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

The Heart of the South

Deconstructing the Southern Belle

The ideal of the Southern Belle represented the core values and qualities of the traditional Southern American Dream. Yet beyond the pretty, flamboyant exterior were serious issues that revealed devastating problems in the South which could no longer be ignored. Your assignment is to analyze the ideal of the Southern Belle and its relationship to the traditional Southern American Dream. Here are your requirements (it is an individual test grade):

1. Read Faulkner's "Dry September"

2. Write a 1.5 page, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12 paper on:
     A. What is the traditional, ideal Southern Belle? (need one authentic source)
     B. What is the Southern Belle as portrayed by Faulkner?
     C. What are the two Southern Belle figures in TKMB?
     D. Compare and Contrast all the different portrayals of the Southern Belle.
     E. What does each portrayal of the Southern Belle (traditional, Faulkner, Harper Lee) say about
         the traditional Southern American Dream?

3. Create a construction-type presentation of your paper.
   

Civil Disobedience

War or Peace?

Should civil disobedience be violent or non-violent? Do you believe in a peaceful, demonstrative resistance? Or do you believe in an aggressive, revolutionary resistance? Leave a comment of at least FIVE sentences.

Quick Grading Rubric for Group Assignment

I will handout a more detailed grading rubric soon, but for now here is how you will be graded one your first group assignment: 

25%   One page written analysis of "A Rose for Emily"
               - Grammar, Punctuation, Analysis vs Summary

25%   Original Southern Gothic short story
          - Social issue in Rockingham targeted
               - Not overly goofy

25%   Dramatic presentation
          - Prepared and ready vs Sloppy and last-second
               - Creativity vs Doing the bare minimum 
          - Not overly goofy

25%   Group Accountability
                - Your group members will decide how much of these 25 points you receive
                - If they feel you have been lazy, they can choose to give you zero points
                - This will be done privately, and any disputes will be handled by me

Southern Gothic

A Creepy Look into the Heart of the South

For your first assignment, you will create a Southern Gothic story based on "A Rose for Emily" that targets a social/religious/cultural/racial issue here in Rockingham, NC. Here are the requirements for your assignment:

1. One page, typed, double spaced analysis of "A Rose for Emily" that answers the questions:
    a) What was Faulkner's message about the South in this grotesque story?
    b) What issues with the South was he targeting?
    c) What did the Gothic elements in the story symbolize about the South?
[one inch margins, Times New Roman 12, double spaced]
 
2. Typed, doubled spaced original Southern Gothic story. It must be:
    a) From multiple points of view like "A Rose for Emily" in the first person
    b) Each member must write one double spaced page in the story from a unique point of view.
    c) Make sure you plan as a group the overall theme of your story, how all the viewpoints will    
        come together, your issue targeted...
    d) Avoid being overtly goofy and silly - tackle a legitimate issue.

3. Presentation of your analysis of the short story and original story. You must:
    a) Explain to the class your group's analysis of Faulkner's story.
    b) Introduce to the class your group's original story and how it models Faulkner's story and what
        issue here in Rockingham your group targeted.
    c) Enact a dramatic reading of your original short story. Here are some ideas to consider:
        - Use sound effects (speakers, iPad, etc.)
        - Get into the character of your story!
        - Use costumes, etc.
        - Use appropriate props to create a background, etc.