The American Dream, Quantified at Last

David Leonhardt, The New York Times, December 2016

The Close Read Process

• The purpose of the process is to read an article closely, not just to skim through it for main ideas. Discover what the article contains through several reads.

• Think of a movie you have seen more than one time. How many things did you notice about the story during the second and third viewings that you didn’t even notice the first time you saw it?

Annotate

• The article will be annotated as you read.

• Let’s review annotations!

Something To Think About:

• What does the American Dream look like for people today?

• Video:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNtKt1WQcZ4

Something To Think About:

• Video #2: freedom or financial gain?

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCnvZMr9NLA

Something To Think About:

• Close Reading Journal Prompt/discussion:

• After reading Of Mice and Men and watching the short videos, do you think you will be able to achieve the American Dream? What will be a key factor in your failure and success? BE SPECIFIC.

Vocabulary

• With a partner: Look up the following words. Read the official definition, and then put it into your own words.

• Share your definitions with the class.

• Words: deregulation, GDP, per-capita, stagnated, nostalgia

First Read: Entire Article

• FIRST: NUMBER EACH PARAGRAH. You should have 29.

• Read and annotate the entire article.

• Use the bookmarks to guide you if you need prompts.

• Circle the vocabulary words as you see them used in the article.

First Read Question:

• What is the purpose of this article? What prompted the article to be written/researched? What was the researcher’s main source of data to support his evaluations?

Second Read: Pre-reading Question

Write down the following question. Think about it and look for the answer as you re-read paragraphs #10-17.

What was the difference between those born in the 1940’s (92% earned more than their parents) to those born in the late 1940s/early 1950s (75% earned more than their parents)?

After Second Read: Discussion

• 1. Discuss answers to the pre-reading question posed.

• Question: What caused those born in the 1980s to experience a significant drop in the ability to earn more than their parents, at only 50%, compared to those in previous generations?

Third Read: Getting Started

• What two things are needed in order to revive Adam’s version of the American Dream?

Third Read: Pre-reading Question

• Write down the following question. Think about it and look for the answer when you re-read paragraphs #18-29

• If the GDP was twice as high in the 1980s, as it was in previous generations, why is the percentage of Americans earning more than their parents dropping and not rising?

After Third Read: Discussion

• Discuss the answers to the pre-reading question posed.

• Question: According to the section assigned for the third read, what is the solution to achieving more equal growth?

Close Reading Essay

• Write down the following essay prompt:

• The author uses income tax records to track the decline in the ability to achieve the American Dream. Using information from the article, Analyze why the American Dream is or is not possible to achieve today. Use evidence from the text to support your response.

Essay Map: Identifying Verbs

• What does this prompt ask you to do?

• The author uses income tax records to track the decline in the ability to achieve the American Dream. Using information from the article, Analyze why the American Dream is or is not possible to achieve today. Use evidence from the text to support your response.

Essay Map: Key Words in Question

• What are the key words in the question?

• The author uses income tax records to track the decline in the ability to achieve the American Dream. Using information from the article, Analyze why the American Dream is or is not possible to achieve today. Use evidence from the text to support your response.

Essay Map: Restate the Question

• The author uses income tax records to track the decline in the ability to achieve the American Dream. Using information from the article, Analyze why the American Dream is or is not possible to achieve today. Use evidence from the text to support your response.

• What will your essay be about?

Essay Map: Evidence From Text

• What three things do you want to say to support your thesis (3 claims)?

• What three pieces of evidence from the article support the three things you want to say? (data)

Essay Map: Analysis from the Brain

• You can’t assume that since I (your teacher) read the article, that I automatically know why you picked specific pieces of evidence to support your claim. You have to connect it for me.

Essay Map: Conclusion

• Restate your thesis to clearly show that you know what was being asked in the prompt.

Text Dependent Analysis Scoring

• Effectively addresses all part of task

• Effective introduction, development and conclusion

• Strong organizational structure, supports focus/ideas

• Thorough analysis of meanings from text to support claims

Text Dependent Analysis Scoring

• Substantial and accurate use of text information

• Substantial reference to main idea to support writer’s purpose

• Skillful use of transitions to link ideas

• Effective use of precise language and vocabulary

Text Dependent Analysis Scoring

• Few errors in sentence formation, grammar, usage, spelling, capitalization, punctuation