Personal Interpretation

• Prior to organizing the bulletin board, offer an opportunity for each student to create an artistic representation of their own personal interpretation of the American Dream. The piece of art may be a collage of magazine images, a sketch of each child's personal future achievements or a painted abstract masterpiece. Each child has a personal representation of the American Dream, so there is no right or wrong result in the piece.
  
  

The Declaration of Independence

• The Declaration of Independence was written with freedom in the minds of its authors. Many suggest that freedom is one condition of the American Dream. As a class, write your own independence declaration on a large piece of mural paper shaped as an open scroll. Discuss among the class the relevance of freedom to their personal American Dream and include that in the independence declaration. Encourage each student to sign their name at the bottom to represent their participation and agreement with the items listed in the declaration.
  
  

"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness"

• The rights stated by the Declaration of Independence suggest that no citizen shall be denied life, liberty or the pursuit of happiness. Decorate the bulletin board with an American Flag background and instruct students to write the three words that come to mind when thinking of the American Dream. Each student writes the words in a decorative fashion using artistic measures that correlate with the meaning of the word. For example, when writing the word "Happiness," a student may shape the words into an upward arc, and the word "Freedom" may be represented by flowing words or a bold font.
  
  

"A Whole New World"

• The song selection in Disney's "Aladdin" can be represented by some people's version of the American Dream. Foreign immigrants often risk their lives and flee to the United States with hopes of achieving this dream of "A Whole New World." Instruct each student to draw a magic carpet on a piece of card stock and decorate it as they wish. On the carpet, students will write a journal entry based upon the cultural background and tribulations of those wishing to seek the American Dream during their travels to America. Display the journal entries on the American Dream bulletin board.