American Dream

This team-taught course blends English-language arts, reading, and social studies, covering the historical periods of the United States from the late 1800s through the 1960s, including connections to our world today. We will explore literature to help understand relevant ideas and themes related to Industrialization and the Gilded Age, World War I (its impact on the home front), the 1920s, the Great Depression & New Deal, World War II (from a domestic perspective), the 1950s, and the Civil Rights Movement. Students will demonstrate their learning through a variety of projects emphasizing writing and presenting.

Credits

2 Humanities

NCAA

Grades

Requirement - 9

School Competencies
  • Historical Perspectives (Awareness - Foundational)
  • Writing (Communication - Foundational)
  • Critical Thinking (Problem Solving & Analysis - Foundational)
  • Interpretation (Problem Solving & Analysis - Foundational)
  • Literary Understanding (Communication - Foundational)
  • Critical Literary Analysis (Communication - Advanced)
Course Competencies
  • Competency 1: Reading
    • Given a variety of texts, use reading strategies to identify purpose, theme, and literary techniques.
  • Competency 2: Writing 
    • Given an assigned topic, use a writing process to formulate and support a thesis in writing, using properly cited textual evidence to support analysis.
  • Competency 3: Historical Analysis
    • Given a specific topic/era, explain the various historical interpretations of the experience in America.  
    • Given a variety of sources—(documents, elements of material culture, and other forms of evidence)—determine how the source can be used to create historical narratives, arguments, and interpretations about the experience in America. 
  • Competency 4: Communication
    • Given formal and informal opportunities, present and participate in discussions and deliver presentations, using various types of media to communicate a message.