Unit Overview
This unit is comprised of five connected lessons that focus on many aspects of immigration and how it relates to students' lives and the history of the United States. In addition to the formal lesson plans, I would also incorporate the media and current events (throughout the entire unit) to address some of the debates surrounding immigration in this country.
Below you will find a short description of each lesson. You can access the lesson plans and supporting materials by using the drop-down menu above.
Lesson 1: What is Immigration? An Introduction
In this lesson students will be introduced to the topic of immigration. They will create a class Wordle about what they think immigration means and will read and discuss the book Coming to America: The Story of Immigration by Betsy Maestro. We will also create a list of things the class would like to learn more about during the unit.
Lesson 2: Immigration in the United States: Historical Trends
After being introduced to immigration in the first lesson, this one has students analyze trends in immigration and historical events related to immigration in the United States. They will use interactive maps to analyze the trends and will sequence a timeline in small groups.
Lesson 3: Why People Immigrate: Historically and Today
This lesson will explore some of the reasons that different population groups immigrate(d) to the United States both historically and today. Students will conduct an interview of someone who has immigrated to the United States and we will have two guest speakers come talk to our class about their immigration story and experiences.
Lesson 4: What it Feels Like in a Foreign Country: The Immigrant Experience
This lesson will expose students to the experience of many immigrants as they arrive in a new country. They will participate in a simulation and will examine the graphic novel The Arrival by Shaun Tan. There will also be a writing activity connected to the novel where students will get an image and write a story from the perspective of a newly arrived immigrant.
Lesson 5: Where I'm From: A Final Project
The last part of the unit will bring everything together that we have talked about so far and make it more meaningful for students. They will be creating a final research project about a specific immigrant group. To do this they will choose part of their background and will look at the history of the country, where the country is located, when people have/had immigrated from there, why they have/had immigrated, where they have primarily settled, and some contributions they have made to the United States. After the projects are completed we will then have an "Immigration Fair", where students will display their projects and the other fourth grade classes and parents will be invited to come.
In this lesson students will be introduced to the topic of immigration. They will create a class Wordle about what they think immigration means and will read and discuss the book Coming to America: The Story of Immigration by Betsy Maestro. We will also create a list of things the class would like to learn more about during the unit.
Lesson 2: Immigration in the United States: Historical Trends
After being introduced to immigration in the first lesson, this one has students analyze trends in immigration and historical events related to immigration in the United States. They will use interactive maps to analyze the trends and will sequence a timeline in small groups.
Lesson 3: Why People Immigrate: Historically and Today
This lesson will explore some of the reasons that different population groups immigrate(d) to the United States both historically and today. Students will conduct an interview of someone who has immigrated to the United States and we will have two guest speakers come talk to our class about their immigration story and experiences.
Lesson 4: What it Feels Like in a Foreign Country: The Immigrant Experience
This lesson will expose students to the experience of many immigrants as they arrive in a new country. They will participate in a simulation and will examine the graphic novel The Arrival by Shaun Tan. There will also be a writing activity connected to the novel where students will get an image and write a story from the perspective of a newly arrived immigrant.
Lesson 5: Where I'm From: A Final Project
The last part of the unit will bring everything together that we have talked about so far and make it more meaningful for students. They will be creating a final research project about a specific immigrant group. To do this they will choose part of their background and will look at the history of the country, where the country is located, when people have/had immigrated from there, why they have/had immigrated, where they have primarily settled, and some contributions they have made to the United States. After the projects are completed we will then have an "Immigration Fair", where students will display their projects and the other fourth grade classes and parents will be invited to come.
Additional Lesson Ideas
Immigration is a subject that has a lot of dimensions and the lessons above are just a few of the countless directions a unit like this could take. Additional lessons could focus on any of the following topics, and I encourage you to explore some of these in your teaching:
· Immigration to countries other than the United States
· Illegal immigrants
· Ellis Island and Angel Island
· Forced immigration and slavery
· Gaining United States citizenship
· Laws and debates surrounding immigration in this country
