Overarching Understandings and Questions to Keep in Mind for the Development of the Unit
Week One: What is immigration and who is an immigrant?
Objectives: Students will be able to:
Define immigrant, emigrant, migrate
Categorize the reasons for immigration
Trace and explain historical events (war, famine, depression) surrounding immigration for Jews and Puerto Ricans
Compare and contrast “refugee” and “immigrant”
Week Two: How does the film portray characteristics of an immigrant class and are those portrayals accurate?
Objectives: Students will be able to
Identify and describe the elements of the plot diagram in Hester Street
Analyze the internal conflict and external conflict experienced by Jake
Argue and understand the important use of dialogue within the film
Judge how the director uses single scenes depicting cultural aspects of immersing into a new culture
Week Three: How does a director structure a scene in order to tell the character’s story and develop conflict?
Objectives: Students will be able to:
Identify and describe the two social classes in West Side Story.
Analyze the development of the Puerto Rican characters in terms of plot
Analyze the development of the Caucasian characters in terms of plot
Judge how the director uses sound and color to depict cultural aspects of the Puerto Rican characters
Judge how the director uses sound and color to depict cultural aspects of the Caucasian characters
Week Four: Will the mayoral and electoral elections challenge candidates to take a stance on immigration reform?
Objective: Students will be able to…
Define and analyze the different theories of immigration: “contributionism,” “nativism,” “melting pot,” and “nation of immigrants.”
Analyze the Immigration Act of 1924 and compare the law to Immigration Act of 1965
Critique Bill Clinton’s commencement address at Portland State University in 1988
Analyze and argue what the text says explicitly: quotes from Herman Melville about immigration
Critique Marc Rubio and other Republicans’ stances on immigration and immigration reform
Trace and evaluate the process an immigrant by law must complete to live in the United States as a documented citizen.
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