The Future of the American Idea
The way our nation operates today would befuddle our founding fathers--- yet nearly every group in America still embraces both the revolutionary message of the Declaration of Independence and the restraining message of the Constitution. Now that you have written about the core concepts of democracy and how they pertain to the American Idea, it is time to act on them. You will work with a 5th grader to determine what American values transcend age, race, income, and other means of separating Americans. With your 5th grader you will do the following:
Specifics:
Help your 5th grade student(s) articulate and write their idea of the core concepts of democracy and their true American Idea. Remember, you are going to need to teach these ideas in 5th grade language so you may want to refer to them in phrases like, “What does it mean to be an American,” or “What are the things about America that make you proudest about living here?”
Period 6: 4/18
• First, walk them through the worksheet that is prepared for you focusing on the values that these people have and how they represent the best of America.
• Second have them brainstorm a list of values shared by key cultures and individuals they have studied so far.
• Third, help them add to their list with topics and themes which you have studied.
• Fourth, have them concept map their brainstorming list to come up with some ideas for an overarching American Idea. There is a sample concept map below. DO NOT COPY.
Period 6: 5/9, 5/16, 5/23
• Fifth, read their American Idea and thendiscuss with them the American Idea that you wrote for American Government class, and discuss how it is similar and different from theirs.
• Sixth, join your two American Ideas into one new key concept which incorporates both ideas. DO NOT write it for them. Try to use language in your discussion with them which they can understand.
• Seventh, storyboard a video using your new combined concept.
• Eighth, design a video production shoot of your American Idea.
•Think creatively about a film style which could portray your newly unified American Idea.
•Film your video.
•Edit your video with your partner using imovie in the MAP room. Your videomust be shorter than 3 minutes.
Period 4: 4/21 Prepare to teach the 5th Graders about Freedom of Speech
• First, prepare an interactive lecture with notes which they can take on the 1st Amendment provision regarding the freedom of speech. Try to give them the background that they have (they have just gone over the American Revolution) whilst making it relevant to them in their current lives. Make sure by the end they understand where the desire for freedom of speech came from along with its necessary limits (and where the difficulty is with maintaining its balance). Try to begin with some essential questions that you can cover. E.G.
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Remember they have just gone over the American Revolution so perhaps you can tie that in.
• Second, prepare a triad/or activity for the students to interactively participate in to reinforce your lesson’s objectives.
Period 4: 4/25: Go to Foothill School with our class between 8:30-9:25
• Third, teach your lesson regarding Freedom of Speech
• Fourth, help judge their triad or conduct a debrief of their activity.
Period 5: 4/28 Prepare to teach the 5th Graders about Freedom of Religion
• First, prepare an interactive lecture with notes which they can take on the 1st Amendment provision regarding the freedom of religion. Try and make it relevant to them, and have them understand the reasons for freedom of religion (remember they studied early colonial history) in both the expression and establishment sense and what is its limits.
• Second, prepare a triad/or activity for the students to interactively participate in to reinforce your lesson’s objectives.
Period 5: 5/2: Go to Foothill School with our class between 11:00-12:00
• Third, teach your lesson regarding Freedom of Religion.
• Fourth, help judge their triad or conduct a debrief of their activity.
Assessment: Hopefully the students will be able to articulate their viewpoints on a complex topic after your lessons, and also pass standardized tests like this one: