4.6 American Culture - Education

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American Culture: Education

Lesson Aims

Part One:

1. You can explain how the ​educational system is organised
2. You can describe what it is like to attend an american university
3. ​You can explain what the Ivy league is

Part Two:
You can answer exam-type questions

Education in the USA. What comes to mind?

Reading

Read the chapter "the educational ladder" 

How does the educational ladder concept mirror American values?

Which two areas of inequality can you name?

Reading

Read the chapter "attending an amercan university (207)

From 1900 to 2000, the percentage of young Americans who take at least some college courses

1. increased enormously from less than 10% to more than 50%
2. increased slightly, from about 10% to about 20%
3. stayed around the same, at around 20%

What the majority of Americans probably value most about higher education is

1. its cultural value
2. its monetary value
3. its moral value

School Life ​

• Education system is decentralized
  
• Depending on the state, schooling is compulsory until the age of 16 or 18.
  
• mandatory subjects in high school: English, maths, biology, chemistry, physics, physical education (very important) and history.
  
• optional courses e. g. art, modern languages, computers.
  
• extracurricular activities: drama class, debate club, band etc.
  
• most students are enrolled in public schools (funded through taxes)
  
• 10% attend private schools (fees required)
  
• 1-2 % of parents in the USA educate their children at home

Grading system​

In the USA letter grades are used in reports.

A > 90 % (excellent) 

B > 80 % (very good)

C > 70 % (improvement needed)

D > 60 % (close fail)

E > 50 % (fail)

F < 50 % (fail)

The Ivy League

Began as eight highly competitive athletic colleges 

considered some of the most prestigious, and ranked among the best universities worldwide 

connotations of academic excellence, selectivity in admissions, and social elitism

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Exam Practice

What were the direct reasons for America entering World War I?

What impact did the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad have on
a) the economy and
b) Native American tribes?

In the early 20th century America experienced a ‘second industrial revolution’. Give three examples of how this revolution changed American life

Give one reason why Prohibition was introduced and one reason why it was abolished.

Explain the following:
a) The Homestead Act
b) The Indian Removal Act

The Declaration of Independence of 1776 states that all men are created equal.
Explain why this was not true in 1776.

(i) Explain the concept Manifest Destiny.
(ii) What does the modern day American notion of Manifest Destiny entail?

What is the difference between puritans and pigrims?

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