14.+American+Dreams+Lesson+Two

LESSON TWO
__A Dream Deferred (as printed in “A Raisin in the Sun” ©1988)__

What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up Like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore— And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat Or crust and sugar over— Like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags Like a heavy load.

//Or does it explode?//

Langston Hughes

**__Purpose/Sunshine State Standards__**
The purpose of this lesson is to continue exploring the unit about the conflict of man versus society. This lesson will be used as an introduction to a larger text that will be studied in the unit (//A Raisin in the// Sun) in order to continue looking at how the conflict of man versus society can bring a positive change.

LA.910.1.7.6 The student will analyze and evaluate similar themes or topics by different authors across a variety of fiction and nonfiction selections LA.910.1.7.7 The student will compare and contrast elements in multiple texts LA.910.2.1.4 The student will identify and analyze universal themes and symbols across genres and historical periods, and explain their significance

**__Objectives__**
Students will be able to infer the purpose and overarching theme of the play //A Raisin in the Sun// by analyzing the poem //A Dream Deferred// by Langston Hughes, which is used as a preface to the play, and comparing it to a previously studied Hughes poem (//Let America Be America Again//).

**__Procedures for Students__**
1. Start with a journal question for each student to write about in their class notebooks: “Think of a dream or goal that you’ve had in your life. What happened to that dream or goal? Did you reach it? Was it difficult to accomplish? If you did not reach it, what prevented you from being successful?” Students will have 5-7 minutes to write (this is flexible depending on the class). 2. After the journal time is over, students will begin discussing these questions on the board: - Why do people from other countries immigrate to America? - When we talk about "The American Dream", what do we mean? What are some of the obstacles to achieving the American Dream? - Which groups of people have had trouble attaining "The American Dream"? - Given the obstacles that some Americans have to overcome, what makes the American Dream appealing? -What did the voice/narrator in Hughes’ poem //Let America Be America Again// think about the “American Dream?” 3. Break up into your groups (formed in the previous lesson) and discuss these questions. It might be helpful for you to take notes of the discussion in your notebooks for use in future assignments. 4. During discussion, every person in the group must add to the discussion at least twice. 5. After your group has discussed the questions on the board, each person should individually write in their notebooks what the “American Dream” means to you. This can be a definition, a story or personal example, etc. 6. After all the groups are done discussing and each student has written their definition of the “American Dream,” the students will have an opportunity to share their definitions/stories to the class. 7. Transition into introducing //A Raisin in the Sun// by looking at the preface to the play. 8. Hand out copies of the play. 9. Look at the preface of the play. Loraine Hansberry chose to use Langston Hughes’ poem, //A Dream Deferred//. 10. Students will listen to the poem in the video (Danny Glover or Hughes documentary) while reading along. 11. After the first reading, students will identify any unknown or unfamiliar words. We will define them as a class. 12. Students will repeat step 10. 13. Return to your groups to compare the two Langston Hughes poems. Discuss these questions: -How are these two poems similar? What lines can you compare between the two? -What do these poems say about the “American Dream?” 14. When your groups are finished discussing, write a prediction of the play in response to these questions in your class notebook: “Based on what you know about these two Langston Hughes poems and the fact that Hansberry chose //A Dream Deferred// for her preface, what themes might be in the play and what is the purpose of the play (i.e., what do you think the play is about)? Why do you think Hansberry chose her title? What possible conflicts between man and society do you expect to see in the plot? Make sure to include text from the poem(s) to support your prediction!”

**__Procedures for Teacher__**
1. Have journal prompt on the board for students to start working on when they come into the classroom. 2. Tell students that we’ll be starting a new text today called //A Rasin in the Sun//. Before we begin looking at the play, we’re going to talk about the “American Dream” and connect it to the conflict of man versus society that we’ve been discussing. 3. Have a slide or notes on board for discussion questions: - Why do people from other countries immigrate to America? - When we talk about "The American Dream", what do we mean? What are some of the obstacles to achieving the American Dream? - Which groups of people have had trouble attaining "The American Dream"? - Given the obstacles that some Americans have to overcome, what makes the American Dream appealing? -What did the voice/narrator in Hughes’ poem //Let America Be America Again// think about the “American Dream?” 4. Have students get into their discussion groups (as designed in previous lesson). 5. Tell students that you expect each student to contribute to discussion. Encourage students to take notes in their class notebooks to have as references for future assignments. 6. Walk around and listen to discussions at each group. If it seems as though discussion is not really happening, have students stop their discussion and write down their own answers to the questions. (Tell them why they’re being taken out of group discussion if this needs to happen.) 7. When it seems that some groups are finishing up discussion, pause to tell the class that once they are finished with discussion they must individually write in their class notebook what the “American Dream” means to them (this can be a definition, a personal story or example, etc.). 8. Write the “American Dream” prompt on the board after you introduce the question. 9. After all groups are done discussing and the students have had a chance to write their definitions, transition into introducing //A Raisin in the Sun//. 10. Pass out student copies of the play. 11. Pull up video of //A Dream Deferred// (Danny Glover or Hughes documentary) 12. Tell students to open to the poem in the preface of the play. Have students read along while listening to the poem. 13. Have students identify any words that are unfamiliar or unknown. Have them look the words up in dictionaries as a class and share the meaning(s). 14. Repeat step 12. 15. Have students return to their discussion groups to discuss a few more questions: -How are these two poems similar? What lines can you compare between the two? -What do these poems say about the “American Dream?” 16. Repeat step 6. 17. When the group is finished discussing, have them come get a Play Prediction prompt from you to answer during the last part of class (or for homework). This should be written into the class notebook. Prompt: Based on what you know about the two Langston Hughes poems we have studied and the fact that Hansberry chose //A Dream Deferred// for her preface, what themes might be in the play (i.e., what do you think the play is about)? Why do you think Hansberry chose her title? What possible conflicts between man and society do you expect to see in the plot? Answer this in a paragraph. Make sure to include text from the poem(s) to support your prediction! This is worth 15 points. This will be used in a future assignment. During group discussion, the teacher will visit each discussion group to listen and make sure students are understanding how the concepts are connecting to the text(s). Visiting each group will give the teacher an opportunity to offer overt instruction if the students are struggling to understand something as well as challenging students to think deeply about the overarching conflict between man and society. Another type of overt instruction includes telling students when the texts were written (//Let America Be America Again// - 1938, //A Dream Deferred// - 1958, and //A Raisin in the Sun// - 1958), and how they might have influenced future writing.
 * Overt Instruction:**

**__Assessment__**
Students should have the following items completed in their class notebooks: · Journal writing //5 points// · “American Dream” definition //5 points// · Play prediction (with textual support) //15 points// All the items from this lesson are based on completion.

**__Materials Needed__**

 * Student copies of //A Raisin in the Sun//
 * Journal prompt and discussion questions handout or written on board.
 * Video clip of //A Dream Deferred// (Danny Glover or Hughes documentary)
 * Computer and speakers to play video clip
 * Dictionaries to define unfamiliar/unknown words
 * Students need their copies of //Let America Be America Again//
 * Play prediction questions handout

**__Accommodations__**
In the event of having ESOL students and/or students with learning/speaking/reading disabilities, the activities to introduce the poem and play should provide a helpful way of reading the poem and accessing the main themes being discussed. The lesson begins by discussing the concept of the “American Dream.” For any ESOL students, this can be an opportunity to connect the lesson directly to their lives or their families’ experiences. This will also be an opportunity to share personal stories with the class to develop classroom community. The majority of the lesson is built on group discussion. These groups will be groups that are continuous for this segment of the unit. Students with special needs will remain in groups that will help support them in their learning through group collaboration. The teacher will be circulating the room to be available to overt instruction and assistance as needed. The poem will be read and listened to at the same time. To make sure all students comprehend the poem, we will be defining any and all unknown words as a class. We’ll then repeat listening and reading the poem. The prediction of the poem is not going to be graded based on accurate spelling and grammar; it will only be assessed on an understanding and connection between the large themes that the class has been discussing and what students think will happen. If students don’t have time to finish in class, this can be taken home for homework.