"Theorizing U.S. National Identity through Multicultural Texts,"
	The Changing Face of the American Dream - Christine M. Lammers, Saddleback High School
	Students entering twelfth grade English have been exposed to the ideal of the "American Dream" through their literary experiences, through social science classes, and of course through the media. This unit allows students to explore the American Dream in our modern multi-cultural society. The essential question to pose for students is does the immigrant of today have the same experience as the expatriate British who defined the dream that is ownership of land and the opportunity to build a home and a future based on hard work and enterprise? Through a close study of the U.S. Constitution and its auxiliary documents and the concurrent study of modern multicultural texts, students can begin to define and solidify the contemporary view of the American Dream and indeed discover if it is still viable or even present today. The lessons provided explore how each work deals with race, class, gender, culture and language. A culminating final group project enables students to share their conclusions about the American Dream.