Myrella G. Lara
Immigration has been part of the North American experience since Columbus arrived in 1492 and some of his men decided to stay and settle in what they called the “new world.” Through this curricular unit students (and teachers) will learn and explore together the reasons that still drive people to settle into a new culture and language. The impact of the last fifty years of immigration will be the focus of this unit, as current immigration trends dictate what America will be like in the year 2000.
The special emphasis of this unit will be on Spanish-speaking immigrants and the issues that accompany this particular group. Students will read selections from history and social studies, as well as literature that will provide them with a picture of what being an immigrant is like. The unit will also include the viewing of films that illustrate the risk and the pain that these immigrants suffer in order to start a new life in the U.S.A.
(Recommended for Social Studies, Language Arts, Interdisciplinary Studies, Spanish for Native Speakers, Film Appreciation, and Latin American Studies, grades 8-12)
