Your American Dream Project

“Your American Dream !"

Entrepreneur Project

Brief Project Overview:

Using the play Death of a Salesman as the vehicle for discussion, this project explores and examines entrepreneurship versus self-employment - working for yourself opposed to working for someone else. Discussion can include what types of employment students may seek.

Appropriate Subject and Grade Levels

For high school sophomores/juniors in the following classes:

English
Marketing

Length of Project

After reading the play or watching the video, this project may take at least two 55-minute periods OR one block class period of 95 minutes

NOTE: The length of this project is an estimated minimum time needed for completion that may easily be expanded upon. The length of time will naturally increase as the project is expanded upon by the teacher as it is adapted to meet classroom and curriculum goals.

Teacher Materials Provided

Lesson Plan
Outcomes/Products, Assessments and Standards Matrix – identifies lesson outcomes, standards addressed, and ways to measure learning; includes a brief description of corresponding student activities
Collage Rubric - to clarify the collage assignments and to set out grading criteria for the assignments
Writing Assignment Rubric - to clarify the writing assignments and to set out grading criteria for the assignments

Student Materials Provided

Collage Rubric - to clarify the collage assignments
Writing Assignment Rubric - to clarify the writing assignments

Classroom Facilities Needed

VCR or DVD player and large TV or projector
Computers with Internet access for student reference, research and writing
Printer

Student Supplies Needed

Poster paper
Marker pens
Tape
Glue sticks
Scissors
Dictionaries

Special Resources Needed

Video of Death of a Salesman
Copy for each student of the book Death of a Salesman
Magazines

Preparation Checklist

Review Outcomes/Products, Assessments and Standards Matrix, Lesson Plan, student materials, and perhaps the recommended background materials
Read book and/or watch video
Choose activities most appropriate for your class
Make copies of applicable rubrics for students
Check Google or other search engines for background information on Death of a Salesman

Recommended Background Materials

How to Become a Teenage Entrepreneur (1996) video
Teenbiz-Money Making Teens (1998) video
Three of the many sites for additional Death of a Salesman background information and lessons:

Optional: Follow-up Activities to Project

• Propose advice to “would be” entrepreneurs
• Bring in another class studying a different subject to discuss different perspectives on Entrepreneurship

“Your American Dream” Entrepreneur Project

Written and Edited by:

Mike Fischer
Diane Dean-Epps
Beth Islip
Paula Stephan
Diane Miles
Jan Caldwell

Sierra Community College developed and produced the Business Industry Sector Grant for Finance and Business. Funding provided by the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 through the California Department of Education.

For more information please visit: FAB.SierraCollege.edu

Sierra Community College , through the Finance and Business Insustry Sector Grant, worked with high school teachers in a two-year long project to create and test these classroom project lesson plans. The objective was to provide high quality, ready-to-use lessons that integrated vocational and academic standards, concepts and curriculum.