| The Power of
Perseverance
The
Immigrant Experience
The
Power of Perseverance
The
Laboratory School
for
the Academically Gifted
2008-2009
Chris
Brewer
As
immigrants poured into Ellis Island they saw a most wondrous sight,
the Statue of Liberty. She
graced the shores of America and welcomed all who asked to enter.
Well, almost all. Coming
to America at the turn of the century was an incredibly difficult
task. Immigrants had to
give up practically everything they owned, travel thousands of
miles, and suffer through the inspection lines at Ellis Island.
Only after approval could the immigrants search for housing
and a job. Even
children had to work in order to help the family survive.
Despite all of the hardships, most immigrants became American
citizens. Today, immigration is a serious concern for our nation.
Should we stand by our open door policy or restrict those who
would be honored to be Americans? The future depends on our answer.
Concept
Power
Grade
Level
Fifth
Grade Gifted Interdisciplinary Studies
Objectives
The
student will:
- Develop
an understanding of immigration at the turn of the century and
how it relates to America’s past, present, and future.
- Develop
critical sensitivities such as empathy and skepticism regarding
attitudes, values, and behavior of people in different
historical contexts.
- Describe
how nationality, family, gender, ethnicity, and group
affiliations contribute to personal identity.
- Describe
ways that historical events have influenced human geographic
factors in different settings.
- Compare
immigration from 1880-1920 to current immigration laws and
attitudes.
- Analyze
group and institutional influence on people and events.
- Examine
the rights of individuals in relation to the general welfare.
- Examine
power and explain how it applies to social issues and problems.
Key
Generalizations
- Power
enables us or others to overcome.
- Power
is the ability to influence.
- Power
evolves from knowledge.
- Power
may be used or misused.
- Power
may take many forms.
Essential
Questions
- How
did immigrants influence our society?
- How
was power evident in the lives of the immigrants?
- How
did power enable the immigrants to overcome adversities?
- How
do powerful people and government regulations affect immigrants,
past and present?
Standards
of Learning
English
6.1
The student will analyze oral participation in small-group
activities.
a)
Communicate
as leader and contributor.
b)
Evaluate
own contributions to discussions.
c)
Summarize
and evaluate group activities.
d)
Analyze
the effectiveness of participant interactions.
6.2
The student will listen critically and express opinions in
oral presentations.
a)
Distinguish
between fact and opinion.
b)
Compare
and contrast viewpoints.
c)
Present
a convincing argument.
d)
Paraphrase
what is heard.
e)
Summarize
what is heard.
7.1
The student will give and seek information in conversations,
in group discussions, and in oral presentations.
a)
Use
oral vocabulary and style appropriate for listeners.
b)
Communicate
ideas and information orally in an organized and succinct manner.
c)
Ask
probing questions to seek elaboration and clarification of ideas.
d)
Make
supportive statements to communicate agreement with or acceptance of
others’ ideas.
e)
Use
grammatically correct language and vocabulary appropriate to
audience, topic, and purpose.
8.3
The student will analyze mass media messages.
a)
Describe
the possible cause-effect relationships between mass media coverage
and public opinion trends.
b)
Evaluate
sources, including advertisements, editorials, and feature stories,
for relationships between intent and factual content.
9.4
The student will read and analyze a variety of informational
materials (manuals, textbooks, business letters, newspapers,
brochures, reports, catalogs) and nonfiction materials, including
journals, essays, speeches, biographies, and autobiographies.
a)
Identify
a position/argument to be confirmed, disproved, or modified.
b)
Evaluate
clarity and accuracy of information.
c)
Synthesize
information from sources and apply it in written and oral
presentations.
d)
Identify
questions not answered by a selected text.
e)
Extend
general and specialized vocabulary through speaking, reading, and
writing.
f)
Read
and follow instructions to complete an assigned project or task.
9.9
The student will use print, electronic databases, and online
resources to access information.
a)
Identify
key terms specific to research tools and processes.
b)
Narrow
the focus of a search.
c)
Scan
and select resources.
d)
Distinguish
between reliable and questionable Internet sources and apply
responsible use of technology.
10.1
The student will participate in and report on small-group
learning activities.
a)
Assume
responsibility for specific group tasks.
b)
Participate
in the preparation of an outline or summary of the group activity.
c)
Include
all group members in oral presentation.
d)
Use
grammatically correct language, including vocabulary appropriate to
the topic, audience, and purpose.
10.2
The student will critique oral reports of small-group
learning activities.
a)
Evaluate
one’s own role in preparation and delivery of oral reports.
b)
Evaluate
effectiveness of group process in preparation and delivery of oral
reports.
Social
Studies
US
History II
1.
The student will demonstrate skills for historical and
geographical analysis, including the ability to
a)
analyze and interpret primary and secondary source documents
to increase understanding of events and life in United States
history from 1877 to the present;
b)
make connections between past and present;
c)
sequence events in United States history from 1877 to the
present;
d)
interpret ideas and events from different historical
perspectives;
e)
evaluate and debate issues orally and in writing;
f)
analyze and interpret maps that include major physical
features;
g)
interpret patriotic slogans and excerpts from notable
speeches and documents.
Reshaping the Nation and the Emergence of Modern America:
1877 to the Early 1900s
USII.3
The student will demonstrate knowledge of how life changed
after the Civil War by
a)
explaining the reasons for the increase in immigration,
growth of cities, new inventions, and challenges arising from this
expansion;
b)
describing the impact of the Progressive Movement on child
labor, working conditions, the rise of organized labor, women’s
suffrage, and the temperance movement.
Civics
and Economics
1.
The student will develop the social studies skills
citizenship requires, including the ability to
a)
examine and interpret primary and secondary source documents;
b)
create and explain maps, diagrams, tables, charts, graphs,
and spreadsheets;
c)
analyze political cartoons, political advertisements,
pictures, and other graphic media;
d)
distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information;
e)
review information for accuracy, separating fact from
opinion;
f)
identify a problem and recommend solutions;
g)
select and defend positions in writing, discussion, and
debate.
3.
The student will demonstrate knowledge of citizenship and the
rights, duties, and responsibilities of citizens by
a)
describing the First Amendment freedoms of religion, speech,
press, assembly, and petition, and the rights guaranteed by due
process and equal protection of the laws;
b)
examining the responsibilities of citizenship, including
registering and voting, communicating with government officials,
participating in political campaigns, keeping informed about current
issues, and respecting differing opinions in a diverse society;
c)
evaluating how civic and social duties address community
needs and serve the public good.
World
History
WHII.8
The student will demonstrate knowledge of the effects of the
Industrial Revolution during the nineteenth century by describing
the evolution of the nature of work and the labor force, including
its effects on families, the status of women and children, the slave
trade, and the labor union movement.
World
Geography
WG.6
The student will analyze past and present trends in human
migration and cultural interaction as they are influenced by social,
economic, political, and environmental factors.
Government
GOVT.11 The
student will demonstrate knowledge of civil liberties and civil
rights by
a)
exploring the balance between individual liberties and the
public interest;
b)
explaining every citizen’s right to be treated equally
under the law.
Mathematics
6.18
The student, given a problem situation, will collect,
analyze, display, and interpret data in a variety of graphical
methods, including line, bar, and circle graphs; circle graphs will
be limited to halves, fourths, and eighths.
7.18
The student will make inferences, conjectures,
and predictions based on analysis of a set of data.
Probability
and Statistics.12
The student will identify and describe two or more events as
complementary, dependent, independent, and/or mutually exclusive.
Science
Life
Science.8
The student will investigate and understand that interactions
exist among members of a population. Key concepts include
competition, cooperation, social hierarchy, territorial imperative;
and influence of behavior on a population.
Computer/Technologies
C/T 6-8.7
The student will evaluate and select new
information resources and technological innovations based on the
appropriateness for specific tasks.
a)
Use
search strategies to retrieve information.
b)
Evaluate
the accuracy, relevance, and appropriateness of electronic
information sources.
Essential
Understandings
The
student will:
- Analyze
poetry, fiction and non-fiction selections
- Use
ratio and scale to understand the size of the Statue of Liberty
- Research
and debate current immigration legislation
- Understand
the plight of an immigrant through simulations
- Explore
working and living conditions in a New York City tenement
- Document
family history pertaining to immigration
- Orally
report on family history pertaining to immigration
- Evaluate
the immigration processing center at Ellis Island
- Synthesize
knowledge gained to produce a culminating project
Essential
Processes and Skills
·
Anchor
Activities
·
Collaborative
group work
·
Creative
Problem Solving
·
Flexible
Grouping
·
Divergent
Questioning
·
Divergent
Thinking
·
Socratic
Seminar
·
Graphic
Organizers
·
Evaluation
of group and individual work
·
Appropriate
conduct
Differentiation
Strategies
- Content
– Students are offered tasks that differ in complexity.
- Process
– Students complete tasks through different media.
- Product
– Students produce projects based on Gardner’s Theory of
Multiple Intelligences.
Approximate
Time Span
Thirty-six
instructional hours
Assessments
- Teacher
observation
- Daily
Exit Passes
- Discussions
based on the Essential Questions
- Collaborative
group and independent work
- Pre
and Post Tests
- Student
and Facilitator rubrics
- Laboratory
School for the Academically Gifted Evaluation form
Resources
Books
1.
Stix, A., & Hrbek, F. (2005). Ellis Island
immigratiom. Hunnington Beach,California: Teacher Created
Materials, Inc.
2.
Norris, B., & Brock, D. (2005). Primary Sources
Immigration. Hunnington Beach, California: Teacher Created
Materials, Inc.
3.
Hoose, P. (2001). We Were There, Too! Young People
in U.S. History. New York, New York: Melanie Kroupa Books.
4.
Fresch, E. T. (2004). Connecting Children with
Children Past and Present. Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann.
5.
Baicker, K. (1997). Immigration Then and Now.
New York, New York: Scholastic Profession Books.
6.
Prentice Hall. (2000). The Prentice Hall American
Nation. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Author.
7.
Grimm, G., & Ihrig, K. (1997). Light Up You
Mind Through Social Studies. Carthage, Illinois: Gary Grimm and
Associates.
8.
Wheeler, R. (1997). Social Studies for Everyday.
Torrance, California: Frank Schaffer Publications, Inc.
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