Making and Breaking the American Dream: March 12, 2019

Focus: Does wealth make or break the American dream?

1. Warming up with finishing our Empathy Monologues and the Empathy Folder

• What's the hardest part of empathy? OR, What do you have to do in order to gain empathy?

• If I can have empathy for this person, I can also have empathy for...

2. Getting logistically set up for our new unit:

• New folder: The Great Gatsby or "Wealth and Power" or "The American Dream"
• New document: In-class thoughts

3. Meeting poets, business people, politicians, and statisticians to brainstorm ideas on the current status American Dream (10 min)

In your "In-class Thoughts" document, please try the following as you watch the videos:

• Write a one-sentence summary of what the video is about.

• Write a one-sentence summary of what larger point the video is making and/or how the video responds to today's focus question (is wealth making or breaking the American dream?).

• Write a brief personal response to the video. This can include reflection, opinions, connections, analysis, reaction, questions, or all of the above.

Here are the videos (pick two or three)

Both Sides:

(good spoken word poem) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZDNUGMMxLk   (3:41)

Dream Is Dying:

• http://finance.yahoo.com/news/american-dream-illustrated-with-legos-brookings-200611923.html  (3:40)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1I_AfdNHM8&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active  (3:26)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tUIx5DlxaI&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active   (3:25)

Dream is Thriving:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8dXKMTUAtk&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active (3:44)

• President Trump on Rebuilding the American Dream

• Former First Lady Michelle Obama on the American Dream

4. Meeting F. Scott Fitzgerald and brainstorming his relationship with wealth and the American Dream

• Click HERE for the four film reflection questions

HW:
1. For TODAY (Tuesday): Complete our Gatsby opening survey! It will take you about 15 minutes. Click HERE for the link.

2. For THIS FRIDAY: Interview one of your parents/guardians and bring their responses to class. Click HERE if you need a copy of the interview questions.

3. For FRIDAY BEFORE BREAK (March 15): Study the 20 Gatsby vocabulary terms in Quizlet to prepare for a vocabulary quiz on this day.