Standard Addressed:

            I:  Culture and Cultural Diversity:

                        Performance Expectations:

                                   c. Apply an understanding of culture as an integrated whole that explains the functions and interactions of language, literature, the arts, traditions, beliefs and values, and behavior patterns.

                                    e. Demonstrate the value of cultural diversity, as well as cohesion, within and across groups.

Results/Expected Learning Outcome:

            Students will:

1)      Understand the process of naturalization of immigrants in America.

2)      Discuss the pros and cons of immigration to the United States.

3)      Understand and discuss the requirements for becoming an American citizen.

4)     Identify multiple reasons for migration and immigration.

5)      Define key waves of immigration to the U.S.

6)      Explain the importance of immigration and migration to the development of this country.

7)      Be able to explain the economic and political consequences of immigration.

Evaluation:

1)      At the conclusion of teaching the section on immigration, the students will be given an essay test. This will not only allow the teacher to see what the students know, but also to see what the students’ opinions are on certain immigration issues. Critical thinking will be needed and evident in the students’ responses. (See attached test)

2)      Large group discussion will be key for the teacher to evaluate how much information the students know and understand. The students will be evaluated over the three days and given a participation grade at the end of the immigration section. The grade will be determined upon the quality of the information he/she contributed (quality meaning the student demonstrated that he/she listened to the comments made by the teacher and student and was able to make conclusions based on that information). 

Curriculum:

1)      Civics:

a.       Study of immigration regulations and its affects on the United States.

2)      American history:

a.       Study of the three waves of immigration to the United States.

Instruction:

1)      Day 1:

a.       Introduce immigration and the process of naturalization.

                                                                          i.      Share requirements that are posted at this website http://uscis.gov/graphics/exec/natz/natztest.asp 

                                                                        ii.      Discuss important terms:

1.      Immigration, emigration, naturalization, citizenship, assimilation, and acculturation.

b.      Discuss requirement for becoming a citizen.

                                                                          i.      Validity of some of the requirements

                                                                        ii.      What these requirements show about the US.

c.       Have the students take the naturalization test.

                                                                          i.      Can be found at the above website. 

d.      Discussion about the questions on the naturalization test.

                                                                          i.      Knowledge required

                                                                        ii.      Importance of this knowledge

e.       Discuss the meaning of the words on the Statue of Liberty:

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles.

From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

“"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!"” cries she

With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0874962.html

2)      Day 2:

a.       Lecture on first two waves of immigration to the United States.

                                                                          i.      First Wave: Northern and Western Europeans; before 1700’s

1.      Who came?  From where?

2.      Reasons they came

3.      How they were viewed as newcomers

4.      What they brought with them to the New World

a.       language, culture, beliefs, disease, etc.

v.    Second Wave: Southern, Central & Eastern Europeans; Mid 1800’s to early 1900’s.

            1.   Reasons they came

            2.   How they were viewed as newcomers

            3.   Who came?  From where?

            4.   What they brought with them to the country

                        a. language, culture, beliefs, disease, etc. 

b.      Show immigration video, The American Experience; Journey to America.

c.       Students will complete video worksheet.

d.      Students will be given the spreadsheet on current immigration and told to have it prepared by the following class time

3)      Day 3:

a.       Mini lecture on what immigration has made America today.

b.      Class discussion on the worksheet assigned as homework.

                                                                          i.      List the data collected on the board

                                                                        ii.      Compare with a previously prepared board on first two waves of immigration from day two

c.       Review on naturalization for the exam

Discussion Questions:

1)      Day 1:

a.       What are the requirements for becoming a US citizen?

b.      Are these requirements justified? Why or Why not?

c.       What about these requirements may be bias?

d.      Is there anything that you think should be added/removed?

e.       How do you determine “good moral conduct?”

f.       Does this system weed out those that are not good for American society?

g.      Do these requirements suggest/require assimilation to American culture?

2)      Day 2:

a.       Video questions:

                                                                          i.      What was the peak year for immigration to the US?

1.      1907

                                                                        ii.      How long did the boat trip take to America?

1.      1 week-1 month

                                                                      iii.      What industry most relied on immigrants in the Midwest?

1.      packing industry

                                                                      iv.      How much money was need to enter the country?

1.      5 dollars

                                                                        v.      What two classes did many adults take once in America?

1.      English, American History

                                                                      vi.      Once immigrants were established and had money, where did most of them move?

1.      Prairie

3)      Day 3:

a. What are some valid benchmarks that indicate whether an immigrant has assimilated into American society? Why do these particular benchmarks signify assimilation?

b. Immigrants were presumably more welcome in the United States 100 years ago when there was a wilderness to be populated and a need for cheap labor. What arguments can be made for why immigrants should be welcome in the United States today?

c. Immigration laws became much more restrictive in the 1920s. Evaluate global and national affairs and the economy of that time. Develop a hypothesis about the reasons that Congress believed it was in the national interest to close the door on immigration at that time in history.

d. Another major shift in U.S. immigration law occurred in 1965, when the policy was relaxed to enable many more immigrants to enter the country. Why was it in the national interest then to reverse the previous restrictive immigration policies? What do you think might have precipitated the shift, given the global and national issues of the time?

e. Debate whether immigration to the United States should be considered a right or a privilege.

f. One common argument against immigration is that a government should use its resources to take care of “its own” rather than care for those from other countries. Evaluate the validity of this argument. How much does a democratic government owe “its own?” What responsibility, if any, does that same government have to other citizens of the world? Questions a-f were found at the following website:

http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/destinationamerica/

g. Why were the immigrants from each time period received with different attitudes?

h. Of the previous two waves of immigration discussed in this class, which do modern immigrants most closely represent?

            -how so?

i. What advantages/disadvantages do modern immigrants have in their efforts at assimilation?

            -is assimilation important?

Bibliography

"General Naturalization Requirements." U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 9 Sept. 2003. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 30 Mar. 2005 http://uscis.gov/graphics/services/natz/general.htm.

 "Immigration to the United States; Lesson Plan Section." DiscoverySchool.com. 2005. Discovery.com. 31 Mar. 2005 http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/destinationamerica/.

"The Statue of Liberty Poem." Fact Monster. © 2000–2005 Pearson Education, publishing as Fact Monster. 04 Apr. 2005 http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0874962.html.