Ten Day Unit: Immigration

GRADE 5

KELSEY BROWN

Unit Overview

Day One (Small Group/Whole Group discussion): PowerPoint introduction the Big6 Method of Problem Solving (Applying research skills to real world situations, using technology to communicate)

Day Two (Multi-Media Presentation): Using Technology to Tell a Story (Students use technology creatively present knowledge, how to convince and persuade, “digital footprint”- how technology can impact change on society, how to use empirical research in a presentation)

Day Three (Primary Sources) Looking at documents of children outside of the U.S. to understand viewpoints and life experiences outside of the U.S. (Documents from school-aged children outside of U.S., different doctrines of belief – religion, government, social, examination of primary sources)

Day Four (Map Skills) Heritage. (Self- Identity, Immigration, geographical location of heritage (lat. and long.) , discuss political boundaries) [Lesson 2]  

Day Five (Controversial Issue): Immigration of Yesterday and Today (Internment camps, ghettos, illegal immigration of the past and present, current debates about immigration, minority groups) [Lesson 4] 

Unit Overview Cont’d

Day Six (Literature Connection): Esperanza Rising (Chapter excerpt, small group discussion of chapter, Great Depression, Immigration, Hispanic culture)

Day Seven (Art Criticism) Art Around the World (Students bring in a piece of art representative of their heritage and put it on display, students walk around the gallery and take notes on their observations and reactions, are any aspects of the art distinctly from a particular culture? Discussion of stereotypes may arise) 

Day Eight (Civic Engagement): Service-Learning- starting a service program (Brainstorming the difference between Service and Volunteerism, ideas for group Service-Learning project, what it means to impact a community) [Lesson 3]

Day Nine (Presentations) Oral Presentations of Passport Project (Heritage Research)(Students evaluate themselves and responds to feedback)

Day Ten (Presentations con’t)

 

Lesson #2 – Heritage and the Migration of Me

Objective and Its Purpose: Purpose- the purpose of this lesson is to use map and globe skills of absolute location and geographical features in order to investigate one’s main country of family origin. Objectives:

1. Given access to technology and world maps, students will identify the absolute location of locations provided by the teacher and give one example of an important geographical feature of that region.

2. Given access to technology and world maps, students will identify one country of their own heritage and explain the countries: absolute location, geographical features, and culture.

Anticipatory Set

Anticipatory Set: As the students enter, ask them to create a family tree of their immediate family- to the best of their ability. Write on the board the following questions: Who is in your immediate family? Can you trace your family to somewhere in the world other than North America? Where?

If students complete this activity, ask them to review latitude and longitude by locating the following on a world map using absolute location: Paris, France, Istanbul, Turkey, and Williamsburg, VA, United States of America

Instructional Input, Modeling, & Guided Practice

Teacher’s heritage as model for activity

Example of another culture to reinforce assignment

Students divided into groups and given a culture to research

Independent Practice

Independent Practice: Have students identify one country that they identify with their own heritage. If students are not sure, suggest first researching their surname’s origin. If it remains unclear, pair this student with a partner. For the section, students work individually at stations. They will be allowed to move to stations freely as needed. If a student is idle, they should begin to brainstorm their written paragraph. Students follow the same steps of the guided practice, with one added step. 1. Estimate the coordinates using the world map. 2. Check work by using appropriate sites to confirm the absolute location. 3. Identify at least one geographical feature of the region using a physical map. 4. Identify significant aspects of the culture. 5. Brainstorm ways in which the geography can affect the culture. 6. How the information is relevant to the students’ knowledge of their heritage and idea of self-identity.

Lesson #3- Civic Engagement (FAVORITE)

Objectives: Given a role play model, students inquire about the life and events of Jane Addams. Given the primary document, “Why Women Should Vote,” and accessing prior content, students record their thoughts on the impact of such a document during the specified time period and make connections to the concept of a “movement.” Given modeling of Jane Adams’s Hull House as a service project, students draft a letter supporting a civil engagement project or concept in small groups.

Instruction

Take on the role of the historical figure, Jane Addams. In character, explain the life and events of the figure. Include important information about the figure’s involvement in the Chicago community, with the formation of the Hull House. Mention the document/primary resource, “Why Women Should Vote,” and how it affected the Women’s Suffrage Movement and enacted change. Note her international achievement of the Nobel Peace Prize. Use this role play to discuss the global impact a civil servant can have upon change. Leave 3-5 minutes to answer student’s questions.

Content

Students are divided into groups of 3-4 and given the primary document “Why Women Should Vote”

After reviewing the article and picking out qualities that make it either a persuasive piece or non-persuasive piece

Students then draft their own persuasive petitions for a cause

Closure

Appoint a new speaker for each group to report on their document. Take a poll for each document in order to give students an idea of the strength of their argument. “How many would vote in agreement? How many are against?” This gives the students an idea of the persuasiveness and validity of their documents.

Assessment

Formative: Discussion of the primary document and completed worksheet. Sharing of ideas post discussion. Creating of a rough draft of a civic document, presentation of that document.

Summative: Five question MC quiz on Jane Addams and terminology used, i.e. “primary document”

Why is it my favorite?

Power of role play – drama in the classroom

Engaging students in historical context and making relevant to their lives today

Engagement with primary documents

Integration persuasive writing

Importance of presenting one’s cause well and voting

FUN

Lesson #4- Immigration of Yesterday and Today

Objectives:

Given personal accounts, students will demonstrate comparison skills by comparing and contrasting the experience of child immigrants of the past and present. Given data, students will interpret graphs and charts about current immigration statistics.

Content and Focus

Students are assigned a recent child immigrant to research on Scholastic

They compare their stories to stories of immigrants of the past

Students are asked to be aware of any stereotyping they may see

Students analyze and interpret data about recent immigration trends

Closure and Assessment

Ask the class if any groups want to share their findings. Readdress stereotypes and misconceptions that may have arisen during the course of the research.  

Assessment:

Formative: KWL chart for baseline of background knowledge, group collaboration, responsiveness to guiding questions, navigation skills of the website

Summative: Submission of the graphic organizer and worksheet

 

Final Reflections

What I learned about me:

Personal preferences- arts and literature integration in lessons

Collaborative approach- making discoveries together

Humanization and personalization of material is important

Challenges:

lesson #4 – how to approach a sensitive/controversial topic in a way that is organic to the content and classroom

ensuring that assessments are appropriately agreeing with objectives

Rewards:

-accomplishment of preparing a unit

-future integration of lessons

-different approaches experienced

Reflections in a Global Context

Social Studies is organic and adaptable

Each lesson appeals to different aspects of the population: civic, sensitive, personal connections

Learning to be inclusive preemptively is an ongoing progress – avoiding unintentional personal bias is important, it is always good to have another eye on your lessons