TOPIC: The USA in the Year 2000
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1. Government policy in regards to documented aliens v undocumented
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2. Characteristics of Latinos in the 1990s
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3. Language policy issues
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4. Film: Documentary: Whose America Is It? (Bill Moyers/PBS)
Objective:
To have students make informed conclusions as to the future of immigration policies in the U.S.A.
Lesson 1 (Day 29)
History
Sources: Whose America Is It?
El Norte (clips)
The Latino Experience
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A. Teacher will present vocabulary words: census, barrios, entrepreneurs, trends, alien, documents. Students are asked to take notes of today’s discussion in preparation for their homework assignment.
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B. Film: You may open the class by showing the Bill Moyer documentary
Whose America Is It?
Teacher stops film to discuss border crossing patrols shown in the documentary and reminds students of Rosita’s and Enrique’s crossing using the sewer connection. Discuss examples of immigration officers raiding the workplace of Enrique and Rosita. Why are they called “aliens”
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C. Homework: Students will be asked to write a one page position paper, half the class pro the border patrols and the other half against. Students have to give reasons for their positions. NOTE: If films are not available the teacher can present information using The Latino Experience (pages 240, 284, also 322Ð323, 332Ð334).
Lesson 2 (Day 30)
Literature
Sources: American Mosaic
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A. Teacher will collect homework and answer any questions in relationship to the assignment on “aliens.”
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B. Teacher and students read together a selection from
Migrant Souls
, by Arturo Islas (page 535Ð543, Mosaic).Teacher can (a) read aloud to the class, (b) have students take turns reading to the class, (c) divide the class in groups of threes or fours and assign paragraphs to be read within a 15 minute period of sustained silent reading. Have each group present their material orally to the rest of the class.
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C. Students discuss story with the teacher and the term “alien.” Students may answer questions on page 543 in class or in written form as homework.
Lesson 3 (Day 31)
Language Arts & Spanish
Source: The Latino Experience in U.S. History
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A. Teacher will discuss student’s homework answers in class and have students debate as to their validity or reality, in view of the material seen so far in this unit.
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B. Students will translate their homework into Spanish.
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C. Homework: Students are assigned to read Unit 7, page 320 (Latino Experience) on Latinos in the later part of the 20th century in America.
Lesson 4 (Day 32)
Math
Source: The Latino Experience in US. History
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A. Teacher will discuss demographics for the year 2000, using chart on page 391 (Latino Experience)
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B. Students will use the figures in the chart to prepare a bar graph. If computers are available, students could work on spreadsheet program and convert data to bars, pie charts, or any other model available.
Lesson 5 (continues Day 33)
Art
Materials:
Graph paper (easel size), color markers, space to spread out and work individually on art/math project.
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A. Student Activity: Using easel size graph paper (available at most office supply stores) and color markers, the classroom becomes an art studio, as students transfer their graph (one per student) onto the paper for display purposes.
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A. Homework assignment: Students will answer questions 1Ð4 on page 391 (Latino Experience) under the heading: Building Skills: Identifying Trends, based on the chart of population predictions also on page 391.
Lesson 6 (Day 34)
Math & Social Studies
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A. Teacher collects homework and discusses charts on display. The answers given by students are located on the graphs. Questions: What information is shown in the graphs?
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What percent of the US. population was Latino in 1970?
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What percent of the US. population was Latino in 1990?
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What are the changes predicted from 1990 to 2000?
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Students can answer orally by reading their answer and pointing at the graphs on display.
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B. Homework assignment: Based on the information gathered and displayed on the graphs, answer the following two questions:
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(1) Which of the following best describes the Latino population trends from 1950 to 1990: steadily decreasing, steadily increasing or little change?
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(2) Do you predict that the influence of the Latino population on US. culture will increase or decrease in the years ahead? What information on the charts supports your answer?
Lesson 7 (Day 35)
Social Studies
Source: Latino Experience
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A. Students will be assigned to read Chapter 23, New Immigrants from Central and South America. (Latino Experience).
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C. Homework based on reading: students answer question #1 and #2 on page 302 (related to what happened in El Norte); also #3.
Lesson 8 (Day 36 and Day 37)
End of the Unit Projects
Source: The Latino Experience
Have students engage in two of the activities from page 391
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1. Ask students to bring in items to prepare a display showing the Latino influence on their everyday lives. (Example: Music (John Secada, Gloria Estefan, the Barrio Boyz; food: tortillas, salsa; expressions: Hasta la vista, adios, hasta manana; t.v. and movies: Antonio Banderas, Andy Garcia, Ricky Martin). You may ask your principal to use one of the display cases (most schools have them, if not set up in your classroom) and have students set up a display of the items.
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2. Do the map of the world activity, placing pins for each person inthe building tand the country that they or their family originally came from. Include the white, european staff inthis excercise. Have African-American students work on the map of Africa, choosing a country to represent them as well. You will find that, unless there is a Native American in your student body or staff,
everyone
comes from somewhere else.
Follow up Activities:
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1. Share the information with the rest of the building, staff and students.
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2. Invite parents to visit your display during parent’s night.
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3. Call your local newspaper and talk to them about doing a story about your project.
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4. Take pictures for the yearbook.
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5. Tape/video your students doing a presentation, or reading their work.