Introductory Lesson “Coming to America: the Story of Immigration”
Objectives:
Introducing immigration through literature provides a catalyst for facilitating critical thinking skills. The story provides an opportunity to introduce needed tools for students to use in analyzing, organizing, and understanding background information for future lessons.
- Culture
- Time, Continuity, and Change
Before Reading:
Ask: Have you ever met someone who speaks a different language or was born in a different country? Talk about the people and the places. How do you think it feels to move to a place where people speak a different language from yours, and where daily routines are unfamiliar? An idea web can be created on the board for students and teachers to engage in creating and writing out these ideas.
Show: Look at the cover of Coming to America. Point to the picture of the Statue of Liberty. Discuss what liberty means. Look in the book at pictures of Ellis Island. Talk about what you think these people are doing and where they are going.
Connect: Why do you think all of these people are so happy about seeing the Statue of Liberty? Let’s read the book to find out!
During Reading:
Ask: What are some things that you would choose to bring along if you moved to a new country? Why do you care so much about these things?
Show: Pick one of the characters or families and make up a story about them, Point out details that hint at where they came from, their names, and why they are living their home.
Connect: Describe some activities you do with your family that are fun. Talk about what other families do that looks like fun. Talk about whether you will do these same activities with future families. Immigrants bring their family activities and add new and interesting activities and ideas to our community.
After Reading:
Ask: What is good about having people in our community from many different backgrounds? What happens when people with different backgrounds come together in one place?
Show: Throughout history, immigrants have done wonderful things for our country as well as for our individual communities. Talk about famous immigrants. Students will review YouTube video: “Immigrants are America” about famous immigrants to support engaging in discussion.
Connect: How can we help immigrants and people who are new to our community (quick write: short detailed writing piece; a paragraph or two) feel welcome and adjust to their new life? What would you think you would need if you were new to this country?
Lesson ideas were derived from Literature Guides: http://learningtogive.org/teachers/literature_guides/ComingToAmerica.asp
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