This lesson plan for the Immigration: Stories of Yesterday and Today interactive online unit exposes students to the unique contributions of immigrants to American history and culture.
Grades
6–8
Duration
2 CLASS PERIODS
Students will:
Classroom Geography
Hall of Fame and Music From Around the World and Social Studies
Step 1: Introduce the topic of immigration to the United States through a class discussion. Use the Discussion Starters below for ideas. Ask students to volunteer any information they may already know about U.S immigration, both in the past and the present. Encourage students to share family stories. Write repeating themes on the board for students to copy down.
Discussion Starters
Step 2: Have students explore the Immigration: Stories of Yesterday and Today online activity, either as a class on the interactive whiteboard or individually on computers or tablets. Hand out copies of the KWL Chart printable or the Concept Map printable for students to fill out as they explore the activity.
Optional: You can also assign Seymour Rechtzeit and Li Keng Wong's stories for home or class reading.
Step 1: Review the Explore Immigration Data online activity as a class. Look over the various charts and tables with students. Ask volunteers to describe the kind of information each chart is showing. Have them support findings with examples from each chart.
Step 2: Ask students to compare two graphs or charts that give the same information. How are they similar and different? Have students state the advantages and disadvantages to using each one.
Step 3: Invite students to create a graph or chart showing the class's immigrant history. Then have students investigate and discuss the following questions, among others, about the immigrant history of your area:
Step 4: Have groups of students respond to five questions relating to the immigration data on the Explore Immigration Data: Data-Based Questions and Group Projects printable.
Step 5: When groups have finished answering the questions, challenge them to write questions to pose to other groups. Have students explore the immigration timeline for ideas of how they might write interesting questions that relate to world events.
Use this activity to visually identify connections students have to other countries in the world. Display a large map of the world. Have students draw self-portraits or bring in photos of themselves. Place the pictures around the border of the map. Have each student stretch a piece of yarn from his or her picture to a country or region where his or her ancestors lived, and secure it with push pins. You may want to color code the yarn by country, continent, or world region. Take time to discuss the finished map.
Invite the class to create a Hall of Fame of immigrants who have made important contributions in the United States. For their Hall of Fame submission, each student should provide a photograph or other likeness of the person, identify his birthplace and when he came to America, and explain in a paragraph his accomplishments.
Work with students to investigate examples of music and literature from other lands that have influenced American writing and music.
Have students investigate words, foods, sports, and fashion that have their origins in other countries.
Immigration Written Reflection
Students will reflect upon and answer the following questions. Convey to students that they are to be thinking about the Immigration online activity's overarching concepts and ideas.
Oral History and Research Paper Writing
Have students complete either the Immigration: An Oral History Writing Workshop or the Research Papers: A Writing Workshop. When students are finished, encourage students to read one another's writing projects.
Students can also present their learning to their peers with a PowerPoint presentation, a poster board, or an oral report for the class.
Use a writing rubric as a way to assess your students' writing skills. Each of the online writing workshops has its own writing rubric: Oral History Scrapbook Project Writing Rubric and Research Paper Writing Rubric. These rubrics can also serve as models for modified versions that might include your state's writing standards.
