THE SEARCH FOR THE AMERICAN DREAM: A UTOPIA?
WCATY On-line Program Fall 2003
Grades 7 and 8
Revised September 2nd
This class, designed for grades 7-8, is an exploration of the concept of the Search for the American
Dream: A Utopia through the medium of literature, the Internet, and encounters with people who have a
vision of the American dream today. The students will engage in reading literature, respond to questions
asked both by themselves and the instructor of the class, write essays, creative writing stories and poetry
that share their understandings of the American Dream, and complete activities that will increase their
creative and critical thinking skills.
Prerequisite:
The Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution
Required:
Walden Two by B. F. Skinner
Walden by Henry David Thoreau (Posted online)
Looking Backward: 2000-1887 by Edward Bellamy (Posted online)
Anthem by Ayn Rand
Running out of time by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Suggested:
“Walden Two Revisited” by B.F. Skinner
The Tempest by William Shakespeare
General Readings: On the Internet or from WCATY
From the Utopian Reader by Claeys and Sargent (selections):
“Greenfield Hill” by Timothy Hill 1794
“On The Duty of Civil Disobedience” by Henry David Thoreau
*The Shaker Compendium, The Millenial Laws, and The Shaker Covenant
*Amana, “The Twenty-One Rules for the Examination of Our Daily Lives”
*Oneida, “System of Criticism”
*American Fourierism: “Association” by Albert Brisbane
*New Harmony: “The Book of The New Moral World” by Robert Owen
“Herland” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
“The Day before the Revolution” by Ursula K. Le Guin
“The Rights of Women” from American Moments by Albert Cullum and David A.
Almeida (Short play performed in class)
Webquest for “Anthem”
Videos (for optional viewing):
Space Odyssey 2001
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington & His Girl Friday
The Fountainhead
The Tempest
Patch Adams
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Extending Understanding (optional for all students):
Author/Philosopher investigation—Internet access only; cite web page addresses
What motivated this American philosopher to write?
What is the historical context (In what time period did (s)he live? What was going
on in the U.S. and the world?) What was (s)he reacting to in his/her
culture/society?
Evaluate the author’s work. Was it worth it or not?
 This may be posted on the WCATY site at any time.
 Any Philosopher/writer from U.S. history may be selected for this extension.
Pre-session activity will be used during the first face-to-face class period.
Pre-session writing assignment to be posted on the WCATY web site by Nov.xx.
Students will briefly introduce themselves online and post a short story about a well-known
character or group in U.S. history. This story will require the student to make one major change in
the selected person’s life that causes the direction of that character’s search for the American
Dream to change in either a small or drastic manner. The change may be humorous, serious or a
combination, but the student author should be able to support the results of the change with logical
arguments at our first face-to face meeting. Students should comment online on each other’s
posted compositions with supportive and positive comments. The purpose of this assignment is to
have fun changing history and presenting yourself and your character in a funny and/or thoughtful
way that demonstrates your “wild and crazy…out of the box” thinking about the search for the
American Dream. Students should try to keep the length between 175 and 300 words.
This assignment does not need to be read or shared with any adult. The instructor
and class will evaluate your paper for ideas and thoughts only. Although we
encourage students to always write with their very best effort, spelling and
organization will not be formally evaluated for this assignment only.
Face-to-Face Meetings and Online Activities
Wednesday, November 5th
Face-to-Face Activities:
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Creative Dramatics—Mr. Sinks
Sing and Discuss “Imagine” by John Lennon
Lines from the Tempest—Mr. Sinks
Introductory material has been posted online. Students will introduce themselves in person or
as a group and explain and defend their posting on the WCATY website
Production and presentation of the drama “The Rights of Women”
Discussion of questioning with Bloom (knowledge, analysis) and Guilford (quantity, forced
association)
Discussion of on-line activities.
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On-line Activities:
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Read Walden and On Civil Disobedience
Students will answer teacher-generated questions from these texts.
Students will be responsible to read several other student’s responses and write a
reflection or comment to each fellow scholar.
Students will do short self-evaluations of the four-paragraph essay a la William Glasser
model and share via email with Mr. Sinks. This self-evaluation will be shared with
district coordinator and classroom instructor.
Student Writing:
Students will write and post a four-paragraph essay comparing and contrasting two (student choice)
of the starred (*) selections from the General Reading list of Nineteenth Century American
communal societies as American utopias.
 Paragraph #1: Introduction
 Paragraph #2: Describe the similarities in the two documents.
 Paragraph #3: Describe the differences with the two documents.
Paragraph #3a (optional) Reflect on the utopian ideas in the two documents. In
what ways do the ideas reflect The American Dream?
 Paragraph #4: Conclusion.
Students will write two or three questions for the next face-to-face meeting that they would like
to ask the members of the press about their responsibilities and duties and their possible role in
bringing about a better world and country.
Wednesday, November 19th
Face-to-Face Activities:
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Turn in analytical essay with teacher comments of the different Nineteenth Century
American communal societies as part of The American Dream.
Creative Dramatics—Mr. Sinks
Sing the Theme Song, “Imagine”
Discussion with members of the press/politicians on current issues and their role in The
Search for the American Dream: A Utopia?
Discussion of on-line activities.
On-line Activities:
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Read Walden Two
Read Looking Backward: 2000-1887
Students will answer teacher-generated questions from these texts.
Students will be responsible to read several of the other participants’ responses and write a
reflection or comment to those participants.
Students will do a short self-evaluation of the Looking Backward:2000-1987 essay, editorial,
or book review (see below) a la William Glasser model and share via email with Mr. Sinks. This
self-evaluation will be shared with district coordinator and classroom instructor.
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Student Writing: Student Choice
Students will write a four or five paragraph essay critiquing Mr. Bellamy’s Looking Backward: 20001887. This assignment should include comments relating to how his viewpoint of America as a utopia
was achieved in his vision, and how he missed the mark, either in the short run or in the long run.
Students also may include their reasons the author wrote his work when he did. (extension)
OR
Students will submit an editorial for an 1887 edition of The New York Times that either supports
or attacks Mr. Bellamy’s vision of the American Dream.
OR
Students will write and post a book review of Looking Backward: 2000-1887.
This assignment needs to be shared with an educator before being posted on the WCATY web site
where it will be shared with classmates and reviewed by. The assignment will be posted by
December 8 and the written assignment is to be handed in on December 10, 2003.
Wednesday, December 10th
Face-to-Face Activities:
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Pass in Looking Backward: 2000-1887 papers with educator’s comments.
Creative Dramatics—Mr. Sinks
Sing the “Galaxy Song” with Mr. Sinks on Guitar
Video viewing—TBA
Open discussion with UW Professors on recent research and how their research relates to the
search for ‘The American Dream : A Utopia?’
Each student will be assigned a “Family” and role of Scientist, Philosopher, Historian and
Human Rights Activists in accordance with the Webquest project from Anthem.
http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/lewis/anthem/
Discussion of online activities related Webquest and Shaffer Model of Writing to be used in
final essay.
On-line Activities:
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Read Anthem by Ayn Rand
Read selection from “Herland” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (posted on WCATY )
Read selection from “The Day before the Revolution” by Ursula K. Le Guin (posted on WCATY)
Students will respond to online questions relating to the selections of Gilman and LeGuin.
Students will contact via email their Webquest families and share with each other pertinent
information related to final Anthem activity.
Students will do a short self-evaluation a la William Glasser model and share via email with Mr.
Sinks and. This self-evaluation will be shared with district coordinator and classroom
instructor.
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Student Writing:
Students will post and copy a short 150-250-word synthesis essay, or a short story or a poem on
their thoughts of the American Dream using some references from the course General Reading
list. Students will make positive comments on each other’s work. The writing should be posted by
January 5th.
Wednesday, January 7th
Face-to-Face Activities:
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Pass in synthesis paper with educator’s critique.
Creative Dramatics—Mr. Sinks
Singing of “Imagine”
“Family meeting” with each group for the first hour in accordance to Webquest Anthem
“Family
Meeting Matrix” to be followed by final presentation.
On-line Activities:
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Final Individual Essay using the Shaffer Model Of Writing as outlined on Anthem Webquest
site. Post the Essay on the web site by January 9th.
Students will do a short self-evaluation of the essay and/or project a la William
Glasser model and share via email with Mr. Sinks. This self-evaluation will be shared with
district coordinator and classroom instructor.
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Here are the lyrics to John Lennon's song Imagine, which describe his idea of utopia.
Imagine
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today......
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
No religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace.....
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You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world.....
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
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