the american dream american problems unit 1. short writing assignment finish these sentences…...
TRANSCRIPT
The American Dream
American Problems Unit 1
Short Writing Assignment
Finish these sentences…
America owes me _________ because ____________.
I owe America _____________ because___________.
America was built on ________________________.
The American Dream is ________________________.
What is the American Dream?
American’s hope for a better quality of life and a higher standard of living than their parents’
Some consider the American dream to be having two children and living in a perfect house with financial security.
The concept widely held in the United States of America, that through hard work, courage and determination one can achieve prosperity
http://www.nytimes.com/video/2009/05/07/us/1194840031120/defining-the-american-dream.html
Has the Dream Changed over time?
Do people still believe in the American Dream?
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/07/10/toure_the_american_dream_is_dead.html
New American Dream StudyCredit.com
Study found while 27.9% of respondents see the American Dream as retiring at 65 and 18.2% see it as owning a home, 23% view the American Dream as being debt-free.
At the height of the boom, USA Today published a poll in which 81% of young adults said getting rich was their top priority (and 51% gave the same priority to becoming famous)
When asked what financial goals are most important to respondents right now, being free of debt/credit card debt was at the top (33.4% of responses)
American Dream Political Cartoon
Writing Assignment
In your opinion, is the American Dream still possible for everyone in the United States? Why?
I believe the American Dream is…
American Dream Songs
Glory Days – Bruce Springsteen
Glory Days
1.Is this a positive or a negative song? Why?
2.In the song Springsteen mentions two friends. One was a baseball player and one was a “head turner” back in high school. Neither of them seems to be living the American Dream. Why Not?
3. What are some of the factors that could inhibit you from achieving your American Dream?
The River- Bruce Springsteen
The River
1.What does he mean when he says “when you’re young they bring you up like your daddy done.”?
2. What happened when he got Mary pregnant?
3. What does he mean when he says “Is a dream a lie if it don't come true or is it something worse?”
4. Compare and contrast the two Springsteen songs.
American Dream- MKTO
1. What do they think about the American Dream? Prove it.
2. Is this a positive or negative song about the American dream? How is their American Dream different from Springsteen’s?
3. Explain the words “I don’t want a job I just want a life”.
Eminem- Lose Yourself
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLYH6rn3adw
Does he believe he will reach his dream?
What would he say about a normal “American Dream” life?
Does this song’s theme have more in common with Bruce Springsteen or Simon and Garfunkel? Why?
The Clean Version!
• Generational researchGenerational research– How the particular period in which you How the particular period in which you
matured influences your beliefs, values, matured influences your beliefs, values, assumptionsassumptions
• Developmental researchDevelopmental research– What the effects of growing up within What the effects of growing up within
particular socio-cultural contexts on particular socio-cultural contexts on psychological, intellectual, and social psychological, intellectual, and social characteristicscharacteristics
Approaches to understanding Approaches to understanding generational differencesgenerational differences
• Demographic research Demographic research techniquestechniques
• Core valuesCore values• Seminal (defining) eventsSeminal (defining) events• Cultural artifactsCultural artifacts• HeroesHeroes
Generational research – some Generational research – some analytic devicesanalytic devices
G.I. Generation 1901-G.I. Generation 1901-19241924
((AKA The Greatest Generation)AKA The Greatest Generation) • Grew up with largest Grew up with largest ever increase in ever increase in schoolingschooling
• Lived through Lived through depressiondepression
• Fought WWIIFought WWII
• Started flight to suburbsStarted flight to suburbs
What are the Core Values of the GI Generation
The GI Generation (Greatest Generation)
http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/52009951#52009951
Practice Cartoon Analysis
Cartoon Analysis
Silent Generation 1925-1942Silent Generation 1925-1942
• grew up with war grew up with war and depressed and depressed economyeconomy
• too young to fight in too young to fight in WWIIWWII
• witnessed US assent witnessed US assent to world powerto world power
Core Values- SilentsCore Values- Silents
• Keepers of the grailKeepers of the grail
• Dedication/sacrificeDedication/sacrifice
• Hard workHard work
• ConformityConformity
• Law and orderLaw and order
• HonorHonor
• Respect for AuthorityRespect for Authority
• PatiencePatience
• Delayed rewardDelayed reward
• Duty before pleasureDuty before pleasure
• Adherence to rulesAdherence to rules
Contributions of the Silent Generation
Relatively small in comparison
Fought in Korean War
Leading Artists
Came of age in the 1950’s
CIVIL RIGHTS!
Boomer Generation 1943-1964Boomer Generation 1943-1964
• Grew up with the most Grew up with the most idyllic images of American idyllic images of American family life (Leave it to family life (Leave it to Beaver)Beaver)
• Created counterculture era Created counterculture era of free loveof free love
• Witness's to urban riots Witness's to urban riots and campus unrest and campus unrest
Core Values-Boomers
• OptimismOptimism
• Team orientationTeam orientation
• Personal Personal gratificationgratification
• Health and wellnessHealth and wellness
• Personal growthPersonal growth
• Youth Youth
• WorkWork
• InvolvementInvolvement
Baby Boomers Start to Retire
Will potentially cause a major issue when they all retire
Baby Boomers
Generation X 1964-1981Generation X 1964-1981
“It’s no wonder Xers are angst-ridden and rudderless. They feel America’s greatness has passed. They got to the cocktail party twenty minutes too late, and all that is left are those little wieners and a half-empty bottle of Zima”
From: Dennis Miller, Rants
Generation X 1964-1981Generation X 1964-1981
• Grew up with increase in divorce rates and single parent families
• Witness to AIDS epidemic
• Skyrocketing youth crime, latchkeys and unsupervised afternoons
• Labeled “SLACKERS”
What are Latchkey kids?
Kids who came home from school and there were no parents to supervise
Increase in both parents working contributed
Potential for children to become lonely or fearful
Also caused self-reliance
• Entered the job market when there were no jobs
• Highest Percentage of Volunteer Work
• Prefer free agency to corporate loyalty
• Started grunge movement (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, ect.) as well as hip hop
• Cynical Xers would rather volunteer than vote
• Famous Xers (Michael Jordan Mia Hamm, Tiger Woods)
Generation X Continued
Millennials or Generation Y
Technologically Literate
Disrespectful?
Very aware of the world
Influenced by 9/11
High (Unreasonable) expectations
Connected to friends in new ways
Think people care about their ideas (Twitter/Status Updates)
Diverse
Millennials Cont.
Less Religious One-in-four are unaffiliated with any religion, far more than the
share of older adults when they were ages 18 to 29.
Less likely to join the military 2% of males-are military veterans. At a comparable stage of their
life cycle, 6% of Gen Xer men, 13% of Baby Boomer men and 24% of Silent men were veterans.
Expected to become the most educated generation in American history Among 18 to 24 year olds a record share — 39.6% — was enrolled
in college as of 2008
A few stats
Changing Demographics
In defense of Millennials
Millennials: We suck and were sorry
FRIDAY READING
Why Are the Millennials So Unhappy?
How To Properly Cite Your Sources
Why does this matter?
It is unethical to attempt to pass off someone else’s ideas as your own
College Expectations You can be expelled!
It is not really all that hard.
How to do it?
So you found a picture you want to use Congrats Feel free to print it off
Make sure you grab the FULL URL of the picture you are going to use
This will be typed up and put at the bottom of the picture.
Go to Easybib.com and choose digital image or photograph and fill out what you know!
How do I cite my description?
You must rewrite any information you find in your own words and still cite your sources at the end of the paragraph.
Example:
Elie Wiesel is a Romanian born writer who is well known for writing the book Night in 1958. He is a survivor of the Holocaust where he spent nearly an entire year in Auschwitz concentration camp. He continues to give lectures describing the horrors of the Holocaust and continues to make sure that people all over the world remember the evil carried out by the Nazi regime. (Encyclopedia Britannica Online)
Then I include the full citation in my works cited.
Where should I find this info?
The internet Wikipedia is not a source
It is a fantastic starting point Look for the citations at the bottom
The Arrowhead Library Databases ABC-CLIO Database
History stuff!
Actual Books! They really do have good stuff in them
Check the Library
EDUCATIONA study of issues facing American Schools
What are some issues facing
American Schools?
History of Education in the United States
1647 Puritan colonies in Massachusetts decree that any town with more that 50 people must have an elementary school.
1820: First Public High School in US opens in Boston
1896: Plessy vs. Ferguson creates legal basis for segregated schools. “Separate but Equal”
1918: Every state requires children to complete Elementary School
1954: Brown v Board of Education desegregates schools
Brown v. Board
Education cont.
1957: Arkansas Governor uses National Guard to keep African American students from formally white high school. President Eisenhower calls in US Army to enforce Brown v. Board Decision
Little Rock 9
Statistics on Violence in School. (cdc.gov)
In a 2011 nationally representative sample of youth in grades 9-12: 12% reported being in a physical fight on school property in the 12
months preceding the survey. 16% of male students and 7.8% of female students reported being
in a physical fight on school property in the 12 months preceding the survey.
5.9% did not go to school on one or more days in the 30 days preceding the survey because they felt unsafe at school or on their way to or from school.
5.4% reported carrying a weapon (gun, knife or club) on school property on one or more days in the 30 days preceding the survey.
Bullying
In a 2011 nationally-representative sample of youth in grades 9-12: 20.1% reported being bullied on school property in
the 12 months preceding the survey; the prevalence was higher among females (22.0%) than males (18.2%).
16.2% reported being bullied electronically (email, chat room, website, texting) in the 12 months preceding the survey; the prevalence was higher among females (22.1%) than males (10.8%).
Bullying cont.
In Wisconsin, school districts must have anti-bullying plans created with clear consequences for students who are bullying. In the City of Monona, parents can be fined if their
child is repeatedly bullying.
In New Jersey, schools must report incidents of bullying and have a trained anti-bullying staff member at every school.
Mass Shootings
Columbine High School Shooting 13 people are shot and killed
Virginia Tech 32 people are killed in mass shooting on campus
Newtown Connecticut Elementary School 26 are killed at the school 20 of which are first graders
How does the US compare in Student Achievement
The Education Olympics
In an international test, American students ranked 25th in math, 17th in science and 14th in reading. The United States is falling behind, especially in
Math.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wherewestand/reports/globalization/segment-one-from-full-episode/7/