Students will examine stories from people within the film to reflect on how different perspectives and communities all contribute to form their own American Creed.

Students will be able to make personal connections to American Creed within their own identity and community.

- Identify examples of diverse communities contributing to American Creed with 85% accuracy.

- Engage in respectful dialogue when engaging with multiple perspectives.

- Reflect on their own contributions.

• How shared values like liberty, democracy, civic responsibility and equality are what hold the U.S. together. Not just a single language or ethnicity.

• American Creed is interpreted differently across communities, how has time changed that?

Diverse Communities Contributions:

• Stories of resilience, civic engagement and leadership all alluding to what democracy means and an example of equality.

• Teachers, veterans, etc. show to communities build their lives from the ground up.

• Political figures who connect their personal ideas to a national identity.

How Communities Contribute to American Identity:

• Food, art, music, holidays and traditions

• Family businesses, having a job

• Community support in a time of need

• Students will write a personal reflection in 1-2 sentences what they learned from the lesson today.

• Students will hand in their sheet of paper from their notebook on which they reflected.

• Students will turn in KWL chart, guided notes sheet, and exit ticket so teacher can check for understanding.

  
  

• 8.2c Increased urbanization and industrialization contributed to increasing conflicts over immigration, influenced changes in labor conditions, and led to political corruption.

• 8.8b The postwar United States experienced increasing immigration, debates over immigration policy, and an increase in cultural diversity.

• Show selected American Creed clips, while students are filling out guided notes sheet.

• Students will be able to fill out guided sheet, identifying important pieces and themes of the film.

Group Share (5 minutes):

Students will gather in groups of 3-5, making sure they hit the following points within discussion. Teacher will mediate discussions while walking around.

• Did you and another group member notice the same things? Or were they different?

• Was there anything that surprised you?

• Which speaker’s story stood out to you the most?

When we come back together as a class:

• Students will be able to fill out their “L” column of the chart after collaborating with other students.

• Teacher will lead off class with a question: What comes to your mind when you read these words?

• Go over vocabulary word: “Creed”

• Collect a few verbal responses to get the classroom talking, and define the vocabulary word.

• Creed= a set of beliefs.

KWL Setup (10 minutes)

K (Know)

• Students will do their best to fill out the “Know” section, pertaining to family traditions, communities, and lessons they’ve learned before.

• Teacher will record responses on their own personal chart based on volunteers.

W (Want)

• Students will progress and be prompted with the question: “What do I want to know about American values?”

• Guiding questions-

  • Whose voices are usually told in America?

  • Whose might be missing?

  • What makes people feel proud to be an American?

Brief Think Pair Share (5 minutes)

Turn to a partner and discuss the following question:

• Do you think there can be more than one American Creed?

Transition to the film ——————->

• Give a brief overview of the film about to be watched, and prepare students to look for information to fill out the last part of their chart.

• RI.8.1 and W.8.2