American Literature - The American Dream: Past, Present, and Future

Rather than waiting for the world to change, encourage your class members to become agents of change with a project that asks groups to select an issue found in Tyson Miller's Dream of a Nation: Inspiring Ideas for a Better America....

How did black Americans contribute to colonial society in the United States and make active choices to exert some control over their lives as slaves? Explore the often overlooked yet incredibly important roles of Africans and African...

Class members research African American inventors, the challenges they faced in their attempts to patent their works, and the importance of their inventions to the development of technology. After a brief introduction to inventors Elijah...

How do you describe the American Dream? What motivates others to immigrate to the United States, and why do some groups have trouble attaining the American Dream? Your learners will consider these questions as they explore figurative...

Introduce your class to the writing of the indigenous Americans and, even more well known, their story telling. An engaging presentation describes what kinds of texts would be included in the oral stories performed and some common themes...

Clarify the difference between different verb tenses with a short, informative language arts video. The instructor guides learners through past, present, and future simple tenses; as well as the perfect, progressive, and perfect...

Has the United States always been an empire? This video is packed with information on America's endeavors during the age of new imperialism, including the displacement of indigenous peoples through territorial acquisition, how wars were...

As part of a study of the Corps of Discovery expedition, class groups research the different Native American tribes Lewis and Clark encountered on their journey and share their findings with the class.

Nine historical documents, an interactive online notebook, and a fantastic opportunity for historical inquiry await your pupils in this 5-day lesson plan. Class members identify and discuss various causes for the Spanish-American War...

Here is a complex lesson plan that interweaves the history of the Jim Crow South and the Great Migration with the study of poetry, art, and blues music from the Harlem Renaissance. The plan helps young historians develop a deep...