EVERY

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EVERY FAMILY IS A STORY
IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE IN THE UNITED STATES AND OUR
STUDENTS FAMILIES
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Overview

• Every family today is built upon a unique and
  intriguing past.
• Immigrants from different time periods and
  cultures must endure many of the same hardships,
  and enjoy many of the same successes, while
  making a home in the United States.
• Seventh grade students will examine the
  significance of immigrant experience using their
  own stories as well as online resources in both
  social studies and the language arts.

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Students will

• work in cooperative groups.
• learn definitions and statistics about migration.
• describe the changing experience of immigrants in
  the United States by comparing and contrasting at
  least two cultures.
• analyze photographs from the American Memory
  collections and choose appropriate photos to
  share from home.
• document their families story using scanned
  photos and a PowerPoint presentation.

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To begin-
We didnt cross the border, the border crossed
us.
Escape poverty
New York, San Diego, Chicago
1890s
Ireland
Better opportunity
Mexico
1990s
El Paso, Chicago
and so on
Howd we all end up here?
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So were a nation of immigrants But
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Immigrant? Emigrate? Migrant? Refugee?
Diaspora? What the heck does it all mean?!
Be prepared to take notes!
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Now that weve got the terms down, lets look at
some specific groups of immigrants (emigrants,
migrants, whatever)
In groups of three, students will choose two
cultures to research using the Immigration
activity online and complete a Venn diagram. Each
student will then use the information gathered to
write a brief essay comparing and contrasting the
experiences of each culture.
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Alright, now how do you and your family fit in
with the history of
American immigrants?
Before you answer,
first lets take a look at what it really means
to take a look at a photograph.
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Photograph Analysis
In the same groups, students will interpret each
of these photos from The Chinese in California,
1850-1925 collection using the Photographic
Analysis Form.
And then
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well compile our own collection.

• What makes a good story generating image? Bring
  in photos from home,
  but be sure to gather your family
  artifacts carefully. (Use gloves if
  necessary!)
• Volunteers may submit their photos to be analyzed
  by the class using the same Photographic Analysis
  Form.
• As a class well suggest captions that would be
  appropriate for each family artifact.

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The Final Presentation

• Students will already be familiar with PowerPoint
  after completing illuminated poems.
• Using their scanned photos and captions, students
  will create a PowerPoint presentation telling the
  story of their familys immigration into this
  country.
• Students will present their stories in class for
  their peers.

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Connections

• Students will be watching the documentary film
  The New Americans in social studies.
• Students may also use the illustrated timelines
  from The Diary of Anne Frank and the family tree
  in The House of the Scorpion as family story
  examples.
• All student work is related to the years theme
  of Identity and should be reflected upon in the
  nightly journal entries.

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Assessment

• Groups will submit a portfolio containing
  migration vocabulary and statistic notes, their
  photo analysis work, Venn diagram, and their
  illuminated poems on PowerPoint, as well as
  group evaluations.
• Individuals will turn in the compare and
  contrast two cultures essay, the nightly
  journal entries, and the final PowerPoint
  presentation.

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Resources and Extension

• The New Americans documentary film
• Immigration quiz at pbs.org
• American Memory
• Immigration/ Emmigration lesson plan
• Immigration activity
• The Chinese in California, 1850-1925 collection
• Photograph Analysis Form online

• Film, In America
• The New Americans student activities at pbs.org
• oral histories

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it is done.
(thank you)