TitleIII Technology Literacy Challenge Grant

Learning Unit

OVERVIEW

  This is approximately a three-week unit on Immigration and is geared toward intermediate level students. In this unit, students will learn about reasons why millions immigrated to America, effects of this mass immigration, hardships immigrants faced, and the response to these immigrants. Students will have the opportunity to explore the screening process at Ellis Island through a role-playing exercise. Students will also participate in a class debate on limiting immigration to the United States. The unit will culminate with the students writing a journal from the point of view of a person immigrating to America. The journal must include information about all of the basic concepts discussed during the unit.

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

*How has the "melting pot" of nationalities in America helped shape our culture?

*How would you react to being in a foreign country, not knowing anyone and not being able to speak the language?

*Suppose you were applying for a job that you were qualified for and it was given to someone else because of their ethnic background, how would you feel? 

CONNECTIONS TO NYS LEARNING STANDARDS

 Social Studies Standard 1: Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments and turning points in the history of the United States and New York.

Key Idea 3: Study about the major social, political, economic, cultural, and religious developments in New York State and United States history involves learning about the important roles and contributions of individuals and groups.

Benchmark: Students will compare and contrast the experiences of different groups in the United States.

Social Studies Standard 2: Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in world history and examine the broad sweep of history from a variety of perspectives.

Key Idea 2: Establishing timeframes, exploring different periodizations, examining themes across time and within cultures, and focusing on important turning points in world history help organize the study of world cultures and civilizations.

Benchmark: Students will study about major turning points in history by investigating the causes and other factors that brought about change and the results of these changes.

ELA Standard 3: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.

Key Idea 1: Listening and reading to analyze and evaluate experiences, ideas, information, and issues requires using evaluative criteria from a variety of perspectives and recognizing the difference in evaluations based on different sets of criteria.

Benchmark: Students will understand that within any group there are many different points of view depending on the particular interests and values of the individual, and recognize those differences in perspective in texts and presentations.

Key Idea 2: Speaking and writing for critical analysis and evaluation requires presenting opinions and judgments on experiences, ideas, information, and issues clearly, logically, and persuasively with reference to specific criteria on which the opinion or judgment is based.

Benchmark: Present (in essays, position papers, speeches, and debates) clear analyses of issues, ideas, texts, and experiences, supporting their positions with well-developed arguments.

INITIATING ACTIVITY

 Students will write their name on a slip of paper and tack it to a world map showing where there ancestors immigrated from. (Students will be asked previously to find out this information if they do not know.) This will be followed by a class discussion on immigration, with the class defining the word immigration.

Pass out an index card to each student that has a sentence or question on it. The students will have a few minutes to think about it and then they will have to communicate their sentence/question to the rest of the class without using the English language. (They can use a foreign language, sign language, body language etc.) Follow up with a discussion about the frustrations immigrants faced being in a foreign country and not being able to communicate.

LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Learning Experience # 1

1 Class Period

Concept: Reasons why millions of immigrants came to America

Activities: Mini-Lecture, Cooperative Learning Groups, Class Discussion

Strategies: Advanced Organizer, Outline, "Ticket" to leave, Brainstorming, Note-taking Strategies

Assessment: Before students leave class they will be required to write down one important thing that they learned on a slip of paper and that will be their "ticket" to leave.

Description: Students will receive an advanced organizer as they enter the classroom. They will break up into pre-assigned groups and complete the organizer, brainstorming reasons why millions immigrated to America. This will be followed by a whole class discussion, with each group sharing their ideas. The teacher will then pass out an outline listing various ethnic groups that immigrated to America. Next, the teacher will give a mini-lecture on the reasons for these different ethnic groups leaving their homeland and immigrating to America. The students will be filling in their outline during the lecture. The students will then write one important thing that they learned in class on a slip of paper and that will be their "ticket" to leave.

 Learning Experience # 2

1 Class Period

Concept: Two waves of Immigration: Old Immigrants/New Immigrants

Activities: Independent reading pg. 483 "Old and New Immigrants" from The American Nation textbook, cooperative learning groups, whole class discussion, labeling a map.

Strategies: Venn Diagram

 Description: The students will be asked to independently read an excerpt titled "Old and New Immigrants" pg. 483 in The American Nation textbook. The students will then get into pairs and complete a Venn Diagram comparing Old and New Immigrants. The students will then share their Venn Diagrams with the class during a whole group discussion on Old vs. New Immigrants. The students will be given a map of Europe and they will use colored pencils to label the countries that the Old and New Immigrants emigrated from.

Learning Experience #3

1 Class Period

Concept: Effects of Immigration

Activities: Independent Reading, Cooperative Learning Groups, Whole Class Discussion

Strategies: Cause/Effect Graphic Organizer, Brainstorming

Assessment: 3-2-1 Graphic Organizer

Description: As students enter the classroom they will be given a slip of paper on which they will answer the following question written on the board: "Do you think that immigrants had an effect on/contributed to American society/culture? And list one thing that we have in our culture today that we got from another culture." The teacher will pass out a cause/effect graphic organizer and the students will get into their pre-assigned groups and fill in the cause section only, using information from the previous two class periods. Then, in the same groups, the students will brainstorm some effects/contributions they think the immigrants had on society/culture in America. The students will then receive a reading excerpt to read, titled "Life in the New World." A whole class discussion on the effects/contributions of immigrants on American society/culture will follow the reading. Next, as a class, the effect portion of the cause/effect graphic organizer will be filled in. Students will then complete a 3-2-1 Graphic Organizer listing: three reasons why immigrants came to America, two contributions by an immigrant or immigrant group, and one effect they had on American society/culture. Students are to hand this in as they leave class. 

Learning Experience #4

2 Class Periods

Concept: Hardships of Immigration -Difficulties During the Journey/Ellis Island and the Screening Process

Activities: Reading entries from a journal, Video "Arrival of Immigrants at Ellis Island," role-play - the screening process at Ellis Island

Strategies: K-W-L

Assessment: Role-playing - Rubric

Description: The students will fill in the first two columns of a K-W-L worksheet on the difficulties many immigrants faced on their journey to America. The teacher will then pass out copies of a journal of a young immigrant man that has traveled alone to America and just passed through Ellis Island, which students will read independently. Students will then view a short video titled "Arrival of Immigrants at Ellis Island." This video will discuss the poor conditions on the voyage to America and the screening process at Ellis Island, including medical inspections, literacy tests, the detention center, and why some immigrants were refused entrance. Next, the students will be divided into two groups: inspectors and immigrants. They will reenact the screening process at Ellis Island. The "inspectors" will be given a list of questions to ask and information on the immigrant that they are interviewing. Each "immigrant" will be given a role card that will contain information about which country they are from, their education, their health, their family, etc. and they must respond to the "inspectors" questions accordingly. It will be up to each "inspector" to decide whether they will allow the "immigrant" they are interviewing entrance to America or not. After all role-plays have been completed, a class discussion will follow, with the "inspectors" and "immigrants" giving reasons why they allowed/were allowed or did not allow/were not allowed entrance to America.

Learning Experience # 5

1 Class Period

Concept: Response to Immigrants

Activities: Independent reading, cooperative learning groups, class discussion

Strategies: Advanced Organizer, Exit slip.

Assessment: Exit slip.

Description: As students enter the room they will receive a worksheet titled "Immigration Issues: Where Do You Stand?" The list will include statements such as: "Immigrants cause increased unemployment among American workers" and "Immigrants help our country by bringing new skills/ideas with them." The students will use an attitude scale, with 5 being strongly agree and 1 being strongly oppose and write the number that most accurately describes their feelings about the statement. The students will then get into small groups and discuss the statements and tell whether they agree or disagree with each one. This will be followed by a class discussion on each statement. Before students leave they will be given another copy of the worksheet "Immigration Issues." The students will re-read each statement and use the attitude scale again to tell their feelings about the statements. Then at the bottom of the paper they will write whether they stuck by their original opinions about immigrants or not and explain why they did/didn't change their opinion. This will be handed in as the student's "exit slip" to leave class.

 Learning Experience # 6

1 Class Period

Concept: Define Vocabulary: Melting Pot, Cultural Pluralism, Assimilation

Activities: Defining Vocabulary, Short Essay, Brainstorming

Strategies: Vocabulary Carousel, Advanced Organizer

Assessment: Melting Pot vs. Cultural Pluralism essay - rubric

Description: In small groups, students will receive a sheet of paper with a vocabulary word on it. They will write any word/topic they think of when they see the term. The group will then pass the paper to the next group and receive another paper with the next term on it. They will continue until they are back at their original term. Each term will then be discussed, with each group telling their ideas about what the term means. The teacher will then give the precise definitions for the students to record in their notes. Next, the students will take out their Venn Diagrams from Lesson #2 for reference and in small groups will brainstorm how they think each group fit into the American culture and why some ethnic groups assimilated better than others. Then, as a whole group, a graphic organizer will be completed, listing the groups that assimilated easily and those that did not, along with reasons why. Next, students will write a short essay agreeing with one of two paragraphs presented. Students must choose one of the paragraphs and tell why they agree with it.

Paragraph #1: Immigrants have no right to keep their old customs and languages. It is their duty to accept the American way of life and to adjust to it. They have no right to try to change the American way of doing things to the way they want it.

Paragraph #2: The American people do not have to be all of one type. Many different cultures, or ways of life, could, and should exist side by side. Immigrants have brought many new and exciting things with them that only enhance the American culture.

Learning Experience # 7

2 Class Periods

Concept: Response to Immigrants - Discrimination/Stereotype

Activities: Class discussion, role-playing, job survey worksheet.

Strategies: Semantic word mapping, note-taking strategies, brainstorming,

Assessment: Exit slip; role playing rubric

Description: The students will get into pre-assigned groups, with each group receiving a semantic word map to complete. The word map will have one of the two following concepts: discrimination or stereotype. The groups will have time to complete the word map and then as a whole group, the two concepts will be discussed and defined, with each group telling what the terms mean to them. In these same groups, students will be given a scenario (or they may make one up of their own) that portrays discrimination. Each group will role play their scenario. Each role-play will be followed by a class discussion on what the discrimination was/who was discriminated against. Then, the teacher will pass out a job survey with a variety of jobs listed. The students are to think about the jobs and decide if a man or a woman (or both) come to mind when they think about a person doing each job. They are to write their responses next to each job. After they have completed the activity independently, the job survey will be discussed in class. Highlighting the facts that some jobs are usually thought of as men's/women's or even certain ethnic groups. The students will then complete an exit slip telling how they think the job survey ties into discrimination and stereotyping.

Learning Experience # 8

2 Class Periods

Concept: Why/How were limits placed on immigration

Activities: Debate on Immigration Quotas vs. Open Immigration, class discussion

Strategies: Student assessment

Assessment: Debate-Rubric

Description: At the beginning of class, students will answer have about 5 minutes to respond to a statement written on the board: "Imagine yourself in 1880, working in a factory, making a decent wage. Every day more and more immigrants are coming into your town and taking jobs away from you and your co-workers (immigrants are willing to work for less pay) and you know you will soon follow. What would your reaction to these immigrants be?" Students will be asked to share their reactions with the rest of the class. Then, students will be divided into groups of 4-5 students. Half of the groups will be assigned the topic "Immigration Quotas" and the other groups will be assigned the topic "Open immigration." The students will have the whole period to research their topic and come up with arguments in favor of their topic. They may use textbooks, the Internet, or any other resources available. Students should take notes during this process to be used during the debate. Students must be prepared to debate for their topic, with each group member participating. The groups will then debate against each other. After each debate, the class will assess the debates using a rubric that was reviewed with the students before the debates began. This will be followed by a discussion on the successfulness of each group's arguments in favor of their topic.  

 Learning Experience #9

1 Class Period

Concept: Construct/interpret graphs/charts - Extending and refining - Comparing

Compare/contrast immigration today with immigration at the turn of the 20^th century.

Activities: Internet search, cooperative learning groups, constructing a graph using Microsoft Works.

Strategies: Brainstorming

Assessment: Comparison/contrasting rubric.

Description: In cooperative groups students will access the Internet and research the latest immigrant statistics to determine:

1. How many people immigrate to the US annually?

1. From which countries do they emigrate?
2. Why do immigrants come to the US?

The students will then create graphs/charts to answer the preceding questions. Then, using graphs and charts that they constructed, they are to compare their findings about recent immigrants with immigrant patterns at the turn of the 20^th century. They are to write up their findings in a comparison/contrasting essay to be graded, along with the graphs/charts, with attached rubric.

Learning Experience #10

1 Class Period

Concept: Discrimination- Extending and Refining - Abstraction

Activities: Class Discussion, short essay on discrimination

Strategies: Brainstorming

Assessment: Discrimination Essay - rubric

Description: The teacher will explain to the class that so far they have been focused on the discrimination the immigrants to America faced. They will now shift their focus and think about what groups today face immigration. After a short class brainstorming session to get ideas/insights, the students will write a short essay on one of these groups and tell how and why they are discriminated against.

Learning Experience #11

1 Class Period

Concept: Speaker-Immigrant from foreign country.

Activities: Speaker from New Zealand; question session at end.

Description: The students will have the opportunity to hear first hand about the immigrant experience from a speaker that immigrated from New Zealand. She will discuss why she came to the United States, hardships she faced, and how she assimilated once she arrived. The students will have a chance to ask questions at the end of the session.

CULMINATING PERFORMANCE

 For their culminating performance, students will be required to write a journal of a fictional immigrant. Students will choose a country from the list provided, for their fictional immigrant to have emigrated from. They must include the following information in their journal: why they left their homeland/conditions in their homeland, hardships faced on the journey to America, the screening process at Ellis Island, and the hardships they faced once they reached America. The students will be graded not only on accuracy of information, but also creativity. The students may choose the characteristics for their own fictional character (age, gender, family etc.)

PRE-REQUISITE SKILLS

Internet research, word processor, essay writing, Microsoft Works spreadsheet program for creating charts and graphs.

MODIFICATIONS

IEP modification met throughout this unit.

UNIT SCHEDULE/TIME PLAN

Day to day activities are given in Learning Experiences. Each day is one 40-minute class period. Students will be required to complete some of the work outside the classroom. The Melting Pot vs. Cultural Pluralism essay, the Discrimination essay, research on Open Immigration vs. Immigration Quotas for the debate, and research on modern Immigration statistics will be completed outside of the classroom, although students will receive some class time to begin on these. The culminating experience journal will also be completed outside of regular class time.

TECHNOLOGY USE

Word Processor for essays, Internet for research on modern immigration statistics, and Immigration Quotas/Open Immigration, Microsoft Works Spreadsheet program for creating charts and graphs on modern Immigration statistics.

Web sites that may be useful: www.ellisisland.org

www.bergen.org

www.ichannel.com

MELTING POT VS. CULTURAL PLURALISM ESSAY # 1 RUBRIC

4Position is clearly stated and supported with specifics. Arguments are logical and

sensible. Good organization. Effective conclusion. Few or no mechanical

errors.

3Position is stated and supported. Arguments are usually logical and sensible.

Good organization. Effective conclusion. Few mechanical errors.

2Position is stated, but not supported. Most arguments are not logical or

sensible. Conclusion is not effective. Some mechanical errors.

1Position is not stated. Arguments are not logical or sensible. No conclusion.

Many mechanical errors.

COMPARING/CONTRASTING ESSAY # 2 RUBRIC

4 Clearly illustrates both immigrant patterns today and immigrant patterns at the

turn of the 20^th century. Comparisons and contrasts between the two patterns

are clearly stated. Logical organization. Few or no mechanical errors.

Graphs/charts are very colorful and creative.

3 Illustrates both immigrant patterns today and immigrant patterns at the turn of

the 20^th century. Comparisons and contrasts between the two patterns are

stated. Logical organization. Few mechanical errors. Graphs/charts are colorful

and creative.

2 Only illustrates one immigrant pattern or only compares or contrasts the two

Immigrant patterns. Lacks organization. Some mechanical errors.

Graphs/charts not very colorful or creative.

1Does not discuss either immigrant pattern. Does not compare or contrast the

two Immigrant patterns. No organization. Many mechanical errors. No graphs

or charts.

DISCRIMINATION ESSAY #3

4 Both the group and the type of discrimination are discussed in detail. Students

clearly express their point of view on the subject. Relevant examples and details

are used consistently. Few or no mechanical errors.

3 Both the group and type of discrimination are discussed, but some detail is

lacking. Students express their point of view on the subject. Examples and

details were used. Few mechanical errors.

2 Either the group or type of discrimination is discussed, or both are discussed

using little or no detail. Students generally express their point of view on the

subject. Few examples and details used.

1. Neither group nor type of discrimination is discussed. Students do not express

their point of view on the subject. No examples or details used. Many

mechanical errors.

ELLIS ISLAND ROLE PLAYING RUBRIC

DEBATE RUBRIC

4 Arguments are logical and sensible. All students enthusiastically

participate. Students reflect awareness of others views and opinions. Students

are knowledgeable and consistent in their role. Students speak clearly and can

be understood by audience members.

3 Arguments are logical and sensible. All students actively participate. Students

reflect awareness of others views and opinions. Students are knowledgeable

about, but not always consistent in their role. Students speak clearly and can be

understood by audience members.

• Most arguments are not logical or sensible. Most students participate. Students

generally reflect awareness of others views or opinions. Students are not

knowledgeable or consistent in their role. Students do not always speak clearly.

1. Arguments are not logical or sensible. Reliance on one or two spokespersons.

Students reflect little effort to understand others views and opinions. Students do

not understand their role. Students do not speak clearly and cannot be

understood by the audience.

JOURNAL RUBRIC

4 Clearly discusses all four requirements. Position is clearly stated and

supported with specifics. Information is accurate. Fictional character is creative.

Relevant examples and details were used consistently. Few or no mechanical

errors.

3 Discusses all four requirements. Position is stated and supported with

specifics. Information is accurate. Fictional character is creative. Examples and

details were used. Few mechanical errors.

• Does not discuss all four requirements. Position is stated, but not supported

with details. Most information is accurate. Fictional character is not very

creative. Few examples and details were used. Some mechanical errors.

1. Discusses less than two requirements. Position is not stated. Information is

inaccurate. Fictional character is not creative. No examples or details used.

Many mechanical errors.