The Library of Congress
America Dreams
Students of various ages

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 Students red arrowResources
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Task Process Team Roles Conclusion
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Getting Started

Choose a Research Role
As a group, choose one of the research roles (photographer, lawyer, poet, politician, producer, comedian, musician, or reporter) to create your project. Use the team management check list to record the results of your discussion.

What do you already know about the American Dream?
Your group needs to define the American Dream. Read "What Is The American Dream?". Find out what the dream means to each member of your group. Brainstorm and share your ideas. What do you know about the "American Dream"? Complete the student activity to further clarify your initial understanding of the America Dream.

Define your Project
Determine your research theme or topic: Are you interested in immigration/emigration, families, social life? Will you investigate one decade or compare how the American Dream evolved over the decades? Will you just compare the past to today? Do you need an idea? The Learning Page Pathfinders can help you explore topics.

 

Searching the American Memory Collections

Searching the American Memory collections will yield treasures! These exercises will get you successfully started on your hunt.

Discovering American Memory
Library of Congress

Complete the following activities:

Analyzing Documents

Use the Document Analysis Worksheet to practice reading and interpreting sources with sample materials. Your team will look at resources through the lens of your research role.


Photographer - Mr. & Mrs. David Vincent and daughter, Martha, by their sod house : near White River, South Dakota.

Poet - "Dedication," Robert Frost's presidential inaugural poem, 20 January 1961

Politician - "Americanism", Harding, Warren G. (Warren Gamaliel), 1865-1923

Producer - Arrival of immigrants, Ellis Island

Comedian - Katzenjammer Kids: "Policy and pie"

Women's Suffrage collage


Lawyer - Petition for change of venue: Evidence from the Haymarket Affair, 1886-1887

Musician - The old cabin home. H. De Marsan, Publisher, 54 Chatham Street, New York.

Reporter - The Independent gazetteer, or, The chronicle of freedom, 1788

 

Research — Gather Evidence — Create the Team Product

As a group, be sure you all understand the task for your team's research role. Set up your group management system. Create an action plan. Use the team management check list to record the results of your discussion.

Discuss the assessment questions and anticipate how you will answer them. Search the American Memory collections and gather your evidence.

Create your learning product. Develop a strategy to share your learning project which allows all team members to contribute and share their ideas.

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Last updated 12/17/2002