Project-Based Learning: Senior Seminar

1 Project-Based Learning: Senior Seminar Name of project : The American Dream project Idea: Students will research various representations of the American Dream, what it means to different people/cultures, how it has changed, and how it manifests itself in today s society. Students will define their own American Dream and explore present-day obstacles they may face while trying to attain that dream. Subject/Course: Senior English Teacher(s): Amanda Lasley, Chelsea Sanchez Significant Content Learning Target(s) Evidence of Success English Language Arts: TEKS 1 Reading and Vocabulary Development-A,B,C 2 Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text- A, B,C 3 Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Poetry 6 Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/ Literary Nonfiction 8 Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/ Culture and History 9 Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Expository (D) 10 Reading/Comprehension Informational Text/Persuasive Text (A, B) 12 Reading/Media Literacy (A, C, D) 13 Writing/ Writing Process (A, B, C, D, E) 15 Writing Expository and Procedural Texts (A: i-vii, B.)

2 I-v, D) 16 Writing/ Persuasive Texts (A, B, C, D, E, F, G) 17 Oral and Written Conventions/Conventions (A-B) 20 Research/ Research Plans (A, B) 21 Research/ Gathering Sources (A, B, C) 22 Research/ Synthesizing (A, B, C) 23 Research/ Organizing and Presenting Ideas (A, B, C, D, E) 24 Listening and Speaking/ Listening (A, B) Social Studies 21st Century Skills Increase Independent Reading Apply pre-reading skills and comprehension strategies to ask questions during reading and post reading. Order and synthesize information from a variety of sources. Create and organize a final product. Demonstrate understanding of format, purpose, audience, and medium. Digital Commonplace Book that consists of personal writing on your thoughts, references/snippets to and from literature, speeches, quotes/responses to quotes, drawings, maps, etc. (Think of this as a modern-day scrapbook.) Discussion with ACE staff, community members, & peers.

3 Media Product with Intent to Mobilize: (Podcast, Campaign, YouTube Commercial, Literary Magazine, Sway Presentation, , Letter to Person of Influence, TED Talk, Public Service Announcement, Short Film, Etc.) Works Cited in MLA Format project Summary 1.) Students will work independently or in small groups to research various interpretations of the American Dream and how those meanings have evolved over time; 2.) Students will analyze how the American Dream has evolved over time; 3.) Student(s) will develop a product intended to mobilize their audience toward attaining the American Dream in today s society. Driving Question What will it take to achieve the American Dream in today s society? Student Process Guide #1- Entry Event: Setting the Stage with Real-Life Examples In 1931, writer James Truslow Adams, coined the term the American Dream. The American Dream, he wrote in The American Epic, was 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.

4 For decades, people of various race and ethnicities from all over the world and in our own country, have considered America to be the land of opportunity. The land where dreams come , is this idea still true today? Or, has the idea of the American Dream morphed into something different. As you enter into this experience, you will accomplish two tasks. #1) Log on to the site: and click on the English 4 tab. Then, look for the title The American Dream. Click on the link: TED Talk: Courtney Martin- The New American Dream. Complete the active viewing guide given to you in class. #2) Next, choose ANY two ACE staff members to interview regarding their idea(s) about the American Dream. We will develop interview questions together in class. #2- Setting the Foundation: Designing your Commonplace Journal (Digital or Hardcopy) Commonplace books/journals are very much like scrapbooks. They are filled with items such as personal writing on your thoughts, references/snippets to and from literature, poems, speeches, quotes/responses to quotes, art such as drawings, sketches, paintings, maps, etc.

5 They are used by readers and writers as a way of remembering concepts and ideas. If you choose to make a digital commonplace journal, you may go to to create a free online website that will function as your digital journal. If you d like a more traditional approach to journaling, speak with me and I will provide the materials you need to create one. #3- Discussing and Accumulating Necessary Information Your driving question: What will it take to achieve the American Dream in today s society? In order to respond to this question, you first need to know how the American Dream was originally defined. You will also need to ask yourself the following questions: o What was society like when the original definition of the American Dream was first defined; o Did that definition apply to EVERYONE at the time; o How has society changed since that time?; o Does that definition still have significance today, or do you think that the definition is less significant; o What do people in today s society say about the American Dream?

6 ; o How do people in today s society define it? ; o Do people today feel it is attainable for EVERYONE; o If so, why? For example, what circumstances make the American Dream attainable for some? o If not, why not? For example, what circumstances make the American Dream difficult for some to make a reality? o What is your definition of the American Dream? o What will you do to make your dream a reality? o What might others do to make their dreams a reality in today s society? In order to answer these questions, and others that arise in the process of your exploration, you will depend on the following: Print Sources provided by me in class; Literary text (Nickel and Dimed); Documentary Films; Personal Interviews; Photo Essay(s); Graphic Novel (Watchmen); Poetry (Let America be America Again by Langston Hughes); Film (Requiem for the American Dream) Sources may be accessed by logging on to- Student Process Guide, Cont d #4- Negotiating the Criteria for Evaluation Now that you have reviewed various source information, it is time to consider how your final project will be assessed.

7 For example, we may decide that the final project should reflect a response to the following questions: 1) What does the American Dream mean to people both in the past and the present? 2) How has it changed? 3) What is your American Dream? 4) What will it take to achieve the American Dream in today s society? We might use these questions as a guide for what your final project should exemplify. This means, that whatever you decide you want your final project to be, you should answer these four questions. We can modify these questions together. #5- project Proposal & Creating the project For this stage in the process, you will be creating your final project . You can be as creative as you d like to be. Keep in mind, however, that you have a VERY important goal: You want to inform AND you want to mobilize. In this context, mobilize means you want to inspire others to achieve their American Dream by following the advice you give.

8 You are persuading and calling people to action. In order to do this, you might want to do something like: Create and record a Podcast, Create a Media Campaign, Create a YouTube Commercial, Create a Literary Magazine, Create a Sway Presentation, , Compose a Formal Letter to Person of Influence, Create and record a TED Talk, Create and record a Public Service Announcement, Create and Record a Short Film. You want to refer to step #4 to make sure your project meets the agreed upon criteria. It is CRUCIAL that you consider who you want your audience to be. YOU need to decide who you want to primarily address. This will help drive how you put your final project together. After some discussion and consideration, you want to compose a project proposal and turn in via your Commonplace book. #6- project Presentation At this stage, you want to present your project to me for evaluation. Part of your evaluation from me, however, is making sure that you have presented your final project to your intended audience.

9 If your primary audience is teenagers and your project is a TED Talk, then perhaps we can set up a viewing time in the Student Center on campus. If your primary audience is adults, then you can choose ACE staff members to address. Your audience will have the opportunity to assess the effectiveness of your project . I will determine your project grade and I will use your audience evaluations to help me determine that grade. #7- Reflection and Final Grade The last entry you will make in your Commonplace book is a reflection in which you discuss your overall experience with the process. You may discuss what you have learned about the topic, but you may also discuss what you have learned about yourself and other people. Your final project , commonplace journal, and final reflection will make up your final grade. Checkpoints/ Formative Assessments Ted Talk Active Viewing Staff Interview # Staff Interview # Interview Debrief w/ Preparation of Commonplace Book (Digital or Hardcopy).

10 _____ Research- Read/Respond to at least 3 articles on suggested resource list in Commonplace _____ _____ _____ Research- Read/Respond to excerpts from Nickel and Dimed in Commonplace Research- Read/Respond to excerpts from Watchmen (Graphic Novel).._____ Research- View/Respond to either film Requiem for the American Dream or documentary, Two American project project Presentation- Audience project Presentation- Teacher Final Digital/Hardcopy Commonplace Book sections: 1) About Me 2) Quotes/Images I Love, 3) My American Dream, 4) Interviews, 5) Research, 6) project Proposal, 7) project & Final Reflection