No one is born a blank book. We are born with pages written by the people who came before us. Teaching students about how immigrant communities change the cultural landscape will engage them in a conversation that is interesting, relevant and necessary. One out of every five students speaks a language other than English at home. In this unit, students will use primary and secondary sources, as well as conduct their own research, to examine the state of immigration today. They will research a current immigration issue and write an essay consistent with Common Core State Standards. Students will learn about the countries that people are emigrating from and their push and pull factors. Students will also examine what it means to be an immigrant in America. Though the unit is written with New Haven in mind, communities all over the nation are grappling with this issue; honest examination will prepare students for challenges while creating a stronger classroom community.
(Developed for Reading Intervention, grade 6; recommended for Language Arts and Social Studies, grades 5-8)
