Lesson Plans and Activities
The time frame of this unit is about four weeks but it can be shortened or lengthened to accommodate the scope and instructional sequences mandated. The activities and lesson plans will be presented in a time frame of past or historical context of immigration, the present issues surrounding immigration, and the future perspective of what might the future hold in terms of immigration.
Lesson Plan One—Opening activities that set the tone and establish the historical context of the study of immigration
Activity 1—The e "Tea Party"
This opening activity is an experiential icebreaker that is useful for the beginning of the school year and/or for the immigration unit. It focuses on the challenges of the newcomer immigrant. It taps into the students' personal immigrant experience and stimulates speaking and writing on a topic with which the student is already familiar. It also helps to develop community and reduces the isolation and anxiety that students feel at the beginning of the school year. A safe environment facilitates language acquisition. I will begin the lesson with a 5 to 10 minute quick write in which students quickly jot down thoughts, experiences, and emotions that come to mind when they think about their immigrant experience—-words and phrases are adequate. The quick write will serve to focus their attention on their feelings and experiences. Using a pair—share format, each student will be given one index card on which is written a brief statement which verbalizes the feelings of a student.
Objective: The objective is to access the information and experiences that students have regarding the unit topic of immigration and to get them thinking about the unit topic. There is always a language objective of facilitating English language acquisition in a safe environment in which students are supported and have an opportunity to interact in a low anxiety environment.
Materials: Index cards with student quotes which are expressions of what students are feeling and thinking: Each student should have an index card with a quote.
1. "I can speak English really good. People don't know we speak Spanish at home. I never tell my parents when they are supposed to come to school because they don't understand English." 7th grader
2. "I am an immigrant. If I want to fit in the American way, I have to talk like American people in English all the time. If I talk Spanish ever, they make fun of me." 10th grader
3. "I'd get so tired, my head would hurt. All day, I sit in classes and hear English, English, English, but I do not understand as hard as I try." 11th grader
4. "I feel very bad. Everyone was talking in class and their English was better than mine and they had friends. I feel like I will never be able to speak like them. 10th grader
Procedure: Each student will read aloud his quote to his partner and share what his feelings are regarding the quote. Students will then talk about their experiences as newcomer immigrants and about the challenges that they face learning a new language in their new school. The initial pair—share and providing students with a quote is a less intimidating format for English Language Learners. After practicing with their partner, there is a general classroom discussion where students share their quotes and experiences.s.
Activity 2—Historical contextxt
Students are presented with a general historical background for the study of immigration and are asked to consider how migration has affected their lives. Organizing questions include: What is immigration? Why is it important in your life? Why do people migrate? How can we categorize migrations?
Objective: Students will learn the definition of immigration and migration and will gain an awareness of the basic concepts of immigration studies and learn the categories of immigration. They will identify reasons why immigrants leave their countries. They will compare and contrast immigration issues throughout history. They will consider how immigration has affected the make up of the United States and learn to appreciate the contributions that immigrants have made and make to the culture of the United States.
Materials: Introductory reading handout, Four Question cards
Procedure: Students will be grouped in groups of four. Students will be given an introductory handout which discusses migration, reasons for migration, and categories of migration. Each group will be given a Four Questions card. As a group they will discuss the questions on their card and will consider what the answers are, using their reading handout as a resource. Each group will report out on one question to the whole class.
Activity 3—Mapping immigration flows to the United States and mapping personal migrationon
Objective: In this graphic, hands on activity, students will map the immigration flows to the United States and will learn the time span and the places from which the immigrants migrated. Hopefully, this activity will also have a bonding effect as all students will graph their personal migration on a single class map.
Materials: blank world maps, colored markers, graph showing the waves of immigration on a transparency, projector
Procedure: Each student is given a blank map and will trace immigration waves to the United States and will note the time frame of the immigration. The instructor will have shown students a transparency of the graph showing the major waves of immigration to the United States Subsequently, students will graph their own migration route. The culminating step for this mapping activity will be a whole group participatory activity in which students will graph their migration on a single map so that the class has a snapshot of the entire class' migration history.
Lesson Plan 2—Teaching immigration through the lens of cinema a
Objective: Students will consider and analyze the personal perspectives and motives of young immigrants who endure hardships and difficult travels to achieve their goals and dreams. Moreover, students will learn to see how films can have a bias, stereotypes, and images that can be used to present or create the filmmaker's message. Students will view several fictional films which depict immigration themes, the reasons for migrating, or depict children and youth as they struggle to find their way and their voice. Cinema, since it is visual and visceral, is an effective teaching tool for English Language Learners.
Materials: DVDs including El Norte, Sin Nombre, Viva Cuba, Into the West Additional films can be added to the repertoire of films to meet the needs of different classroom populations. Worksheets and a sheet of paper divided into four sections
Procedure: The films will be interspersed throughout the curriculum unit rather than being shown as a continuous series. Some films will be shown in their entirety while only clips or trailers will be shown of others. Before viewing the film, the teacher reviews some basic information to use in film analysis and reviews a worksheet that students will use to analyze the films. During the film, students will be asked to jot down notes on their sheet of paper regarding imagery, emotions evoked, characters, and physical qualities of the film. After the film, there will be a class discussion to help clarify students' thoughts. This will be followed by completion of a worksheet. Some of the worksheet questions include: What is the mood or tone of the film? How does it affect emotions? How did the film make you feel? What is the main message or theme of the film? Is the film effective in communicating its message? Does the filmmaker have a bias? From whose point of view is the film told? What does it tell you about life? What period in history is depicted in the film? What ideas or concepts are conveyed in the film? Who are the characters? What were the physical qualities of the film—such as music, narration, scenery, and lighting?
Lesson Plan 3— Teaching immigration through stories and poetryry
Objective: Through their readings of poetry, short stories, and a short novel, students will learn to hear the voices of immigrants and will analyze and interpret these voices in order to gain understanding of the process and experience of immigration. The students will also focus on their personal identity as an immigrant and the implications that that status holds in their lives. Immigrants will encounter unique conflicts and barriers beyond the universal struggles that all individuals encounter in their lives.
Materials: Handouts of four poems: "Patria abnegada", "El otro lado", "Lo major de dos lados", and "Nostalgia". Handout of the short story "Kike" and the short novel Cajas de Carton. Handouts of graphic organizers and worksheets. These poems have themes of immigration, loss, survival, and political repression.
Procedures: All of the readings have some reference, either directly or indirectly, to immigration or the impact of immigration. For the poetry, the lesson will begin with a volunteer reading a poem to the class. In a jigsaw formation, each group of four students will analyze the poem assigned to the group. They will identify and discuss literary elements and complete a worksheet in which they note point of view, conflict, voice, mood, symbolism, voice as well as figurative language in the form of similes, personification, hyperbole etc. Each group will perform an oral presentation to the class beginning with the recitation of the poem.
The reading of the short story will be an oral exercise in which all students will participate in the reading. Students will jot down notes regarding the literary elements and story. With a partner, students will discuss and analyze the reading. There will be additional analysis of the child Kike and his emotions regarding his migration from Cuba to Florida. Students will be asked to compare their migration to that of Kike.
Each student will read the novel individually and silently as a beginning of the class silent reading endeavor. Immigrants will encounter unique conflicts and barriers beyond the universal struggles that all individuals encounter in their lives. Students will complete a Venn Diagram in which they compare the immigrant experience with that of the native born citizen and will note the commonalities as well as the unique experiences of each.
Lesson Plan 4—Current Contextxt
Objectives: Students will learn about contemporary immigration issues. They will investigate and analyze current immigration policies.
Materials: Computer and internet services, printer
Procedures: Students will select articles, images, or political cartoons that depict immigration, using an Internet search engine. The teacher will review the types of questions that they should ask regarding the cartoon, image, or article. For non—fiction text, students will answer the who, what, why, when, where questions on a chart in order to analyze the article. For images, students will comment on who or what are the objects or people in the image, what are they doing? What emotions are displayed? What is the action, if any, in the image? What is the message? For political cartoons, students will complete a Cartoon Analysis Worksheet. Students will address both the visuals and words in the cartoon. Who is in the cartoon? What symbols are used? What do they mean? What emotions are portrayed? Are there any dates? What period of immigration is depicted? What is the message of the cartoon? Do you agree with the message?
Lesson Plan 5: End of the unit
Objectives: Students will synthesize the readings, films, articles, cartoons to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the topic. This requires them to relate these activities thematically and to make connections between differing readings and films. It also requires them to demonstrate their knowledge of literary elements by applying them to their own writings. And finally students will gain understanding of their own identity and place in society as a new immigrant and will recognize the challenges that lie ahead. Having studied immigration from many perspectives, students will be better able to grasp the dialogue surrounding immigration in today's political climate.
Materials: Project materials will vary
Procedures: Students will complete a project assessment such as designing a political cartoon, creating a poem, or writing an autobiographical segment in which they discuss their journey or status as an immigrant.
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