National Resource Guide to American Studies in the Secondary Schools
Sponsored by the ASA Secondary School Committee
Course Units -- 11th Grade: Montebello, CA
Compare with: Tuscaloosa, AL, Miami, FL, Elgin, IL, Caledonia, MI, Lebanon, NH, Iowa City, IA
Information about the Montebello Program Development and Organization is also available.
A. Course Outline: U.S. History/American Literature
1. The American Dream
The year begins with a review of the early history of the United States. Why did people come to the "New World"? What did they find when they got here in terms of the natural features and people? Do people still come to the United States for the same reasons? How do people resolve the clash which sometimes occurs between the "American Dream" and reality?
History - The basic text used in the class is The Americans published by McDougall, Littel and Company. This text is supplemented by many articles and other resources such as the PBS video series The Americans narrated by Kevin Costner. This unit reviews early American history up to the Antebellum Period. It focuses on the political, social, religious, and economic aspirations of the people who chose to come to the new land. We also investigate the goals of those who have come recently to the United States, including the parents and grandparents of the students. A brief review of United States geography is included and we investigate how the natural resources available have an impact on the cultures which develop in a given area.
Literature - The basic anthology used is Adventures in American Literature published by Harcourt, Brace and Jovanovich. This text is also supplemented by many other materials. In this unit a survey of early American literature is done. Students read selections from William Bradford, Anne Bradstreet, Jonathan Edwards and early Native American poetry. Classic works such as selections from Benjamin Franklin's autobiography, "Speech in the Virginia Convention" by Patrick Henry and "The Declaration of Independence" are studied. Students write, revise and edit reflective essays on the contemporary meaning of the "American Dream" for their portfolios.
2. Views of Freedom and Justice
The main themes of this unit center around questions of freedom and justice. What is justice? How is dignity defined?
What types of freedom are there? How are these ideals reflected in our history, laws and literature?
History - These themes are explored in the context of the Antebellum Period, the Abolitionist Movement, the Seneca Falls Convention, and ultimately the Civil War. We also explore the different philosophies seen in the Reconstruction Period within white communities and among African Americans. The unit also continues the history of the Civil Rights Movement into contemporary times where we examine current areas of controversy, such as the debate concerning affirmative action. Supplementary materials include the films Glory, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman and A Search for Justice. Selections from the Ken Burns PBS series The Civil War are also used. The Supreme Court decisions "Plessy v. Ferguson" and "Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas" are read and discussed.
Literature - The themes of freedom and justice are examined. The main texts of this unit are The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, selections from Frederick Douglas, and Booker T. Washington's Up From Slavery. Washington's views are contrasted with those of W.E.B. DuBois. More contemporary selections contrast the views of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. King's "I Have A Dream" speech is a major piece of this unit.
3. My Life Journey
The major questions of this unit deal with the movement of Americans through Westward expansion, immigration and industrialization. How do people express their need to be remembered? How do people fulfill a need to "belong"?
History - The unit focuses on the expansion of the United States into the Western regions and the resultant cultural clashes. Students read selections from Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee and The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven. Honors students also read and analyze the Turner Thesis regarding the role of the frontier in the American experience. The problems created by movement into industrialized cities are also examined and the clashes centered on social class and ethnicity are discussed. The changing role of women and the development of organized labor are major topics. Immigration patterns are also studied. Students interview a recent immigrant and compare the experiences of that person with the experiences of immigrants at the turn of the century. Students also read the biography or autobiography of someone in a career field of interest to them.
Literature - Students use the information from the history class to design a newspaper front page based on a major technological change of the time period. They also include political events and evidence of the popular culture of the period. Major pieces of literature for this unit include My Antonia by Willa Cather, and Our Town by Thornton Wilder. Students use the experiences recorded in the narratives of recent immigrants collected in the History section to create a drama presentation--Our Montebello.
4. Views of Progress
In this unit students examine the problems and opportunities created by change. How is the tension between tradition and progress resolved? Students examine how the concept of "progress" has been defined differently by various groups throughout our nation's history. They are encouraged to reflect on the changes which have taken place within their own families as they have rejected or adapted to change.
History - This unit centers around the social, political, and economic changes of the period from 1898-1929. Students examine the growth of organized labor and the changes in society brought on by World War I. They also analyze the changes brought about by the Northern Migration of African Americans during this period and the transition to new forms of art, literature and music. Students view the film Matewan directed by John Sayles and read selections from The Brick People, a historical novel by Alejandro Morales which describes the cultural conflicts in Montebello from 1900 to the 1930's. This conflict was based on the importation of Mexican workers to provide laborers for the Simons Brickyard, at that time one of the largest brickyards in the United States. The effects of that conflict are still seen in our community. Another excellent resource is Breadgivers by Anzia Yezierska. Published originally in 1925, this autobiography describes the struggle of a young Jewish woman in New York City to break out of the role assigned to her by her father and her traditional culture. Students in my class often face similar struggles as they find themselves torn between the expectations of their families and the values of the dominant culture.
Literature - Students examine the tension created by cultural and social change. The main pieces of literature studied include the play Inherit the Wind, The Great Gatsby (film), and poetry from the Harlem Renaissance. Students read either Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston or Bless Me Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya. Writing assignments include persuasive essays to evaluate the appropriateness of either of these novels in the high school canon. Students also study the tensions created in Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck.
5. The Role of Courage
Students examine the different ways that courage has been defined in American culture. What is courage? How do the needs of the individual sometimes conflict with the needs of society? What is the role of the dissident in our society?
History - This unit covers the years from the Great Depression to the Vietnam Conflict. World War II and the Cold War are examined. The internment of Japanese Americans is debated. The McCarthy Hearings and the role of social protest in the 1950's and 1960's are analyzed. Many primary sources are used, including selections from Hard Times: An Oral History of the Depression by Studs Terkel.
Literature - Students read a variety of literature related to the theme of courage. They watch The Grapes of Wrath and read The Crucible and The Glass Menagerie. They also read selections from The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Writing assignments for this unit include a reflective essay on the nature of courage.
6. Conflict Resolution
This unit focuses on the question of how conflicts are resolved in our society. What can be done to meet the needs of conflicting interests? What strategies for conflict resolution seem most effective?
History - The years following the Vietnam War to the present are examined. What have been some of the major conflicts in the political, economic and social arenas? How have Americans attempted to resolve these conflicts? Current environmental concerns, the conflicts caused by economic interests, such as the Persian Gulf War, and our nation's current role in world affairs are studied. This unit relies heavily on the use of newspapers, magazines and Internet resources. Students are also asked to interview someone to record a recollection of a significant event of the past 50 years. In what ways is that person's recollection of the event similar to, or different from, the printed records of the event we have read? These interviews may be included in the student's portfolio.
Literature - Students read Death of a Salesman and a variety of contemporary poetry. They also read multicultural literature which depicts some of the conflicts seen in American culture. Students write a short research paper on a contemporary controversial issue for their portfolios.
This is very challenging curriculum and we do not always use everything in the course outline. We meet weekly to adjust the schedule and decide what to add or omit. Somewhere in the fifth or sixth unit we usually have our interim week so a special curriculum is written for that week, depending on the year's topic. We have never done it exactly the same way two consecutive years. But we do believe that the course as written is challenging and thought-provoking. The majority of students find the course valuable and enjoyable.
The use of themes to integrate curriculum is continued for a second year in the combining of American Government/Economics with Advanced Composition or Technical Writing. Space does not permit a full explanation of these courses in this section, but I would be happy to respond to inquiries directed to me at the address listed at the beginning of this chapter.
B. Course Outline: American Government/Economics, Advanced Composition, and Technical Writing
1. What is a "community"?
How do people form and organize communities? What are the bonds which unite communities? What roles do individuals play in communities? How are people's lives shaped by their communities? What is role of law in communities? How do we reconcile majority rule with minority rights?
Main readings: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou and Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver
2. What is responsibility?
How is responsibility defined? What are personal and social responsibility? What does it mean to act as a responsible member of society? For what aspects of society should government be responsible? What decisions are best left to individuals? How are rights and responsibilities related?
Main readings: Hamlet and The Underdogs by Mariano Azuela
3. What is the role of technology in our society?
How does technology have an impact on our lives? Who should control the development of technology? Are there things we would be better off not knowing? How are those decisions to be made?
What impact do technological changes have on family structures and the environment?
Main reading: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.
During the senior year students complete their portfolios and continue involvement with the community. They also demonstrate their knowledge of a particular decade in American history by working in a small group to create a news broadcast as it might have appeared in that time period. The 15 minute broadcast must include political, social and cultural events as well as commercials appropriate for the period.
The integrated curriculum program at Montebello High School undergoes constant revision as we discover resources that we think will add new depth to our students' understanding of American culture and themselves. We have been able to help students connect the experiences they have had in several classes into themes which are comprehensible and more likely to be remembered. Too often high school students see their classes as presentations of random and unconnected pieces of trivia. The integrated approach based on the themes of American Studies encourages students to connect that information into a broader understanding of the society in which they live. The program also allows teachers to work together to enrich our own understandings. We have utilized the expertise of music, vocational, science and math teachers as well as members of our community to help us paint a more detailed landscape for our students. This landscape has enabled students to look at American society through new perspectives and we hope will encourage them to continue as responsible participants in our community.