In this lesson, students will analyze two songs—“Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” by Bing Crosby and “Over the Rainbow” by Judy Garland—to explore how each portrays the American Dream. They will compare and contrast the songs’ lyrics with their own understanding of the American Dream, examining themes of hope, struggle, and disillusionment. By the end of the lesson, students will use their annotations to evaluate whether the American Dream is presented as an achievable reality or an unattainable ideal.
Culture
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In this lesson, students will analyze two songs—“Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” by Bing Crosby and “Over the Rainbow” by Judy Garland—to explore how each portrays the American Dream. They will compare and contrast the songs’ lyrics with their own understanding of the American Dream, examining themes of hope, struggle, and disillusionment. By the…
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In this lesson, students explore how music can symbolize national identity by analyzing two iconic songs: God Bless America by Irving Berlin and This Land Is Your Land by Woody Guthrie. They examine God Bless America as a representation of nationalism and American exceptionalism, and This Land Is Your Land as a response that conveys…
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Graffiti has often been seen as nothing more than vandalism, giving communities a bad reputation and reinforcing the idea that cities and urban areas are unsafe. But as more people move from big cities to smaller towns, the role of graffiti is starting to shift. Communities are now welcoming artists to create murals that celebrate…
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Building on what students know about national symbols and monuments, in this inquiry students will choose one historical figure to investigate the character traits, contributions, fun facts, and opinions about. The goal of this inquiry is for students to recognize and explain the significance of the people who influenced our nation.
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In this inquiry, students study popular United States Memorials (Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial) in order to identify historical figures who have impacted our nation. Students will be able to recognize and explain the significance of national symbols and the people who influenced our nation.
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Everywhere we go we are surrounded by artifacts that memorialize aspects of United States history and values. In this inquiry, students will use photographs from the Library of Congress to learn about these national symbols, landmarks, and influential Americans and sort them into meaningful categories. Through this process students will recognize and explain the significance…
This inquiry leads students to investigate the history and present-day use of yerba mate to encourage multicultural communication, understanding and respect. Through this unit, students will learn about the history and cultural significance of yerba mate in South America, where it is commonly consumed, they will discuss the origins of this drink, as well as…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the ways in which artists are trying to heal the political polarization that have divided Americans. Students analyze recent events (e.g., the 2024 Fast Car duet between Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs) and how these artists created some national unity in their work. Students start to think…
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This inquiry approaches the relationship between the Bible and the natural sciences using the theme of “wonder,” looking specifically at the “big questions” that emerge out of our sense of awe and curiosity with the natural world. It will also include important figures and events that preceded and followed that moment, ranging from ancient to…
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This inquiry leads students through an investigation of questions around Indigenous People’s land rights. Focusing on the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), students explore how disputes over treaties and historical land bases complicate the already contentious issue of resource extraction. Students are progressively introduced to land rights issues centering on the experiences of…