Audra Arwood's CU

Adolescent Immigrants Coming
to America Before 1920
A World Literature Approach to
Immigrants of the Past

Audra Arwood

Academic Setting

Polk Middle School is located in the South Valley of Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is an older school with a rich Hispanic cultural tradition. Many of the parents have attended the same school their children attend now. Students are making progress but are unfairly compared to students who have parents with higher incomes, increased educational opportunities, and are more familiar with the testing language. Many of the students are second language learners and are not as proficient in English as we would like. This effects the students in a negative manner, as it does their standardized test scores.

     Polk Middle School has a population that is eighty-five percent Hispanic with a high poverty rate. The majority of the remaining population is Anglo/white; however, there is a smaller population of Native American students and an even smaller population of African American students. One of Polk’s leading problems is the high rate of absenteeism among the students; however, this has become less of a problem this last school year (2001-02). As a librarian, I feel a need to address world literature, particularly in light of the goals mentioned below. The library is a learning center for both students and staff alike and is a resource center supporting curriculum and learning. If possible, an SQS (Strengthening Quality Schools) model can be incorporated into the planning of the unit. This is a “plan, do, study and act” process implemented in many schools including Polk Middle. In addition to this process/program, Polk Middle School is going to be a Global Magnet School this year (2002-03).

Content and background

Rationale

Students will address the goals and objectives by reading Scholastics’ Dear America Book Series which deals with adolescent girls twelve to fourteen years of age who have come to America as immigrants. No one immigrant situation is the same; however, there are similarities within them. I will focus on political situations that affect the adolscents lives, discuss the cultural adjustments the girls had to make in America and how these affected the minority group. World literature and social studies concepts will be integrated with math, science, art, geography and science in the unit.

This unit is a summary unit, therefore, no one culture will be addressed in detail. Teachers can choose the lessons that they would like to use on one or several of the cultures mentioned in the lessons. The books are the foundation for these world literacy lessons, not a single culture, instead cultural awareness is the link. Cultural similarities and differences from the viewpoint of an adolescent are the focus of the unit. Students can make connections to their lives and this unit can help them make some of those connections. “Once readers connect aspects of the story to their own lives, and to the lives of friends and family, the stories compel them to read on. I bring in Betsy Byer’s Herculeah Jones mystery and a P.D. James adult mystery and tell students that I connect to mysteries because one of my fantasies is playing detective, and I like to step into the sleuth’s shoes and try to interpret the clues” (Robb 185). In addition to the goals already mentioned in this unit, the students benefit from a female as the main character to explain the role of gender in literature.

The librarians’ role in world literacy

The librarian used to be just the keeper of books. However, today the library is the center of “literacy” for schools. Librarians still help students assess and choose material to check out for academic projects and personal reading but they also assist in evaluating and recommending appropriate web sites and how students need to evaluate web sites and Internet data. Librarians are a primary source of information for teachers both for extending lessons, designing good lessons, and professional development materials. This unit is designed by a librarian; therefore, it has its roots in research and literacy. The unit is designed to introduce students to a topic or to support a content unit the teacher is addressing. The unit could start with the teacher or librarian bringing in a speaker who shares with the students stories and history about immigration; the teacher can follow up with the lessons that correspond or the whole unit. The process can also go the other way; the speaker could be the culminating activity of the lesson(s).

Goals

This unit is written for sixth-eighth grade students in the language arts and social studies classes. The goal of this unit is to expose these students to world literature through adolescent literature. The objectives are to: 1) increase the awareness of world literature, and 2) to increase the understanding of what immigrants faced in the early years of immigration. Reading a book can be a fun and educational experience for students and teachers alike. Students need to be aware of what it means to be an American citizen and how to become a citizen. Reading can help develop literacy skills, citizenship awareness, and knowledge of social studies topics.

Lesson briefing

The lessons in this unit will focus on adolescents who came from England, Mexico, Ireland, Africa, China, Poland, Russia, and Austria to America before 1920. The lessons will contain connections to technology and other hands-on activities in all content areas as well as, standards for language arts, social studies and the National Geographic Themes. “In the multicultural classroom where the non-hierarchical networking of literacies and culture goes on, teachers learn to reread our own cultural history alongside those of our pupils. We enter into new readings and devise new cultural makings with the help of the interactions which a variety of texts, both read and written, demand of us”(Spenger 343).

What I hope students understand at the end of each lesson

Students can reexamine/better understand many cultural differences and similarities from these lessons. Students should recognize how hard others have struggled to create a better life than they had for future generations. Hopefully, students will have a sense of what life was like for another girl or adolescent (an immigrant) their age and how their lives compare. History/social studies can be taught from a textbook or the textbook can supplement the lessons that history can teach through literature, possibly world literature. Unit Six of “We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution” addresses the issues of citizenship and these lessons can be learned by adolescents of all ages. These lessons can be done as a group or groups within the classroom. Being an American citizen is a responsibility and an honor that students should have the chance to explore.

What I hope teachers take from this unit

Hopefully, teachers will come away from this unit with a successful experience with world literature. This unit is a chance for teachers, as well as students to grow culturally. Teachers may find the key to their students’ success by allowing them to explore where they have come from and what it may have felt like to be an immigrant. Teachers can encourage their students to ask their parents, grandparents, and other relatives or friends about their cultural experiences and ethnic background. Students should have pride in their ancestry and educators can encourage it. This unit can be fun, exciting, educational, informative, and motivating if explored fully.

Standards

“In a standards-based classroom, a teacher incorporates a variety of instruction and assessment methods in order to provide learning experiences that match characteristics, talents, interest, and knowledge” (Carbon 8). Standards are the foundation that guides the curriculum of the classroom and this unit. Standards represent what students need to know and what they should be able to demonstrate at a particular grade level in a specific content area. The Five Themes of Geography, Social Studies Content Standards, Benchmarks, and Performance Standards, and Albuquerque Public Schools 6-8 Language Arts Content and Performance Standards will be used as a guideline for this world literature unit. The Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) has incorporated National and State Standards into the APS Standards. Performance standards (benchmarks) and illustrations are represented with each academic content standard and are available for all teachers. While there will be other content areas covered in this unit, the standards mentioned above are the essence of the unit and the other content areas can be applied within. Each of these standards, be it national, state, or district, are listed in the lesson plans as well as a way to incorporate them. In addition, all of the standards are aligned to follow my schools Educational Plan for student success (EPSS). “Teach a curriculum grounded in rigorous academic standards for what students should know and be able to do, relevant to the concerns of adolescents and based on how students learn best” (Jackson 23).

Background information/teacher information

General Information

Immigrants have helped shape what we call “America” and the traditions that it upholds. Most Americans living today have a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent who was an immigrant. Moving to a new place is never easy, but imagine how it would feel to be an immigrant who is twelve to fourteen moving to another country, sometimes alone. By reading stories about immigrant adolescents, an adolescent can develop a sense of cultural awareness. Language is a part of culture and both interact with each other. “Vygotsky makes plans that neither language nor literature can be abstracted from the social and cultural processes in which they are embedded. Language is not simply a means by which a culture or a history is transmitted. Instead, it generates thought, interacts with it, changes it, and holds it” (Spenger 366).

World literature is one way to explore these roots and the questions that arise while exploring our roots. As Sara Lawall writes in World Literature: Theory, History, and Practice, “For society and its educational institutions, World Literature offers a pleasurable way to prepare broadly informed, self-confident, and adaptable citizens who are meanwhile educated in the cultural values of the home community” (1).

Literature involves more than just the published works by professional writers; it also can come from novice writers who also have a story to tell. Students need to explore their own written words and share them with others to reflect what world literature can offer.

The framework for a balanced literacy curriculum …., can also be called a whole language curriculum (Au, Scheu, Kawakami & Herman, 1990). The whole part of this label recognizes the importance of the students’ engagement in the full processes of reading and writing in authentic contexts for learning provided by the readers’ and writers’ workshop. The literacy part of the label refers to the curriculum’s emphasis on reading and writing (Au, Carroll, & Scheu, 4).

It is important for teachers to not only understand what world literacy is but also where to go to get this form of literacy. This is where the librarian or media specialist comes into play. Most libraries will have books or access to the Internet to enable teachers and students to read world literature. “The library goes right along with classroom teaching,” Wood says “I teach them how to take notes, and the teacher teaches them how to turn that into paragraphs” (Pascopella 41). Once literacy needs are located through teacher research books such as The Reading Teacher’s Book of List by Edward Bernard Fry, Ph.D., the research can help with the instructional needs and implementation.

Students can read the book by themselves, as a group, as a class, or have it read to them by the teacher. Oral as well as silent reading can be essential to the success of the students in the class and will help them clarify their thinking patterns. This can lead to improved comprehension. “The idea behind this approach to instruction is that reading comprehension can be improved by teaching students to use specific cognitive strategies or to reason strategically when they encounter barriers to comprehension as they read” (Langberge 4-119).

Reading aloud to a group requires taking a risk and some students are ready either academically or socially to take the risk. These students should be helped to succeed and teachers can be of aid here. “Within this framework we go on to argue that, although the process of becoming literate are similar across speech communities, the language patterns, sociocultural assumptions, and literacy practices may differ from one cultural group to another” (Dornan 43). For that matter, each individual will develop and strive at his/her own rate; however, success is still the goal.

“In reading workshop students come to look at text from the inside, from a writer’s point of view (Newkirk, 1982, 113). They criticize and analyze what they read, suggest revisions, and select and reject” (Atwell 227). In this process readers connect with what has been written and have the freedom to express opinions about it to others. Students may even choose to rewrite a scene to fit the content of the book better or change the outcome of an event. Either way, the reader is actively involved in the reading process and feels a connection to the subject.

Minority issues in world literacy

Many students who would like to know about their immigrant ancestry are minority students, and these students should have access to books/stories about their native cultures. A teacher using world literature can work with the social studies teacher to bring up cultural issues in class and the art teacher to discuss the art of the culture being covered in the book.

Literacy is a multicultural and non-multicultural issue for many classrooms; however, the multicultural students are often in need of more help with the written word, especially current LEP (Limited English Proficient) students. “Literacy is defined as: The ability and the willingness to use reading and writing to construct meaning from printed text in ways which meet the requirements of a particular social context” (AU 20).

Just because a student is not exposed to cultural exchanges or is limited by his/her lack of experience outside of the culture does not mean that the expectations should be lowered; nor, should teachers have higher expectations for Anglos. All students should have the same expectations and should be expected to live up to them with the help of their teachers and parents. “It is well documented that expectations relative to students become self-fulfilling prophecies. Positive expectations promote positive attitudes and motivation to achieve; negative expectations lead to alienation, discouragement, and lack of effort” (Erb 28). Special education students and LEP/ESL (English as a second language) students are no different; the goal is met differently. Bilingual education is often the key to a minority student’s success; success should always be the goal.

ESL/LEP students are faced with many challenges, some of them being the difference in educational styles between their home country and their new country. These students need help from their peers, teachers, family, and friends to succeed. This does not mean that they do not succeed; in fact, many succeed to spite of the challenges that face them. “Toward the end of her second year of study in the U.S., Paw became more fluent in reading and writing. By the time she reached the 11^th grade, she was borrowing books from the library and even began to buy books on her own” (Townsend 107).

World literature can help these students relate to the culture that they from and their new one. “Another, even more restrictive definition of world literature, one made possible by the globalization of media and the hybridization of identities over the last century, would restrict the term to that literature written specifically for a transnational audience by writers whose values, interest, and aims somehow transcend the boundaries of nation, language, and local culture” (Harrison 2).

The role of assessment in world literacy

How can we help the reader who has problems reading make that connection to world literature? The answer is simple: find the reason why the student is having a problem and address it. Assessment can be as simple as watching a student read or as complex as administering a diagnostic reading test. The following are two books that can help address the problem of assessment: Informal Test for Diagnosing Specific Reading Problems by Stephen A. Palak, Ph.D. and Classroom Activities for Correcting Specific Reading Problems by Stephen A. Palak, Ph.D. Assessment is a tool, not always the answer, to helping students and teachers incorporate world literature into their lives whether it be personal or professional. “Literacy can be defined as attaining competencies in the language of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and spelling. Literacy is best taught and practiced in real settings and by integrating the learning of all of its elements. Literacy skills are best presented and reinforced when students clearly see purpose for what they are learning, as by appropriate thematic units in whole language units in social studies and science” (Miller 2). World literacy is not any different and is as beneficial with the same strategies.

            Assessment can also help teachers determine why a difficult student in their class is acting the way he/she is. Is that student covering up for a lack of knowledge and the need for help or is there a problem at home to address? Either way assessment can help a teacher identify a possible problem or a student who is in need of a more challenging curriculum. Once the problem is labeled then the problem can be assessed and help given. Real learning begins when all students can participate in the classroom activities to their best ability and modifications have been made where appropriate. The same world literacy lesson can be addressed in many different ways and still achieve the same goals and objectives. The student is the primary audience and their needs should also be considered.

One form of assessment for immigrants, as well as other students, is Howard Gardener’s multiple intelligences theory; it allows students to meet their education needs and style with a differentiated method. These intelligences are as follows: A. Verbal- Linguistic = a way with words. B. Logical- Mathematical = calculating mind C. Kinesthetic = move to learn. D. Visual-spatial = everyone is an artist. E. Musical = tuning in. F. Interpersonal = understanding one another. And, G. Intrapersonal = the world within. The eighth intelligence, which is newly added, is nature = in tune with your outdoor area; however, all of these intelligences are equally important for a diverse learning population. Each of these intelligences have been incorporated into the world literacy lesson plans that relate to the Dear America Book series in this unit.

Writing and world literacy

Writing is an essential element of literacy including world literacy and it will be a key element in this unit. If the student reads the book, writes about the book, does a hands-on-exercise with the information from the book, and ties the information to technology then a multiple intelligences approach has applied. The following are two books that can help teachers generate ideas to incorporate writing into literacy: Writing Portfolio Activities Kit: Ready-To-Use Management Techniques and Writing Activities for Grades 7-12 by Mary Ellen Ledbetter, and Let’s Write!: A Ready-To-Use Activities Program for Learners with Special Needs by Cynthia M. Stowe. Students need practice writing and all students should be exposed to good writing processes and methods.

            “It is important to establish the difference here between teaching writing and using writing as a tool for learning in the content area classes. When writing is advocated as a learning strategy, the intent is not to turn math and social studies teachers into English teachers, adding to the already considerable content of their courses. However, writing about course material is an important way to learn and understand it better” (Dornan 203). Writing can be a part of any subject area and it is an effective assessment tool as well. It enables the teacher to see what the students have derived from the world literacy lessons rather than what the teacher thinks is the most important part of the lesson.

Listening in world literacy

Reading can be a pleasurable experience for both teachers and students alike; one way to make it so is to read aloud to the students. This can allow the students to hear a book that they may not be able to read yet and it allows struggling students to understand the text. “In summary, there is a wealth of information, good literature, and understanding art in picture books that will bring enjoyment for adolescent students and facilitate learning when teachers read them aloud and express their own pleasure in sharing them” (Carr 152). Reading orally can help the teacher assess if the students understand a text without the students having to read it themselves. Reading orally also addresses the multiple intelligences, a good learning method for students.

Other subjects in world literacy:

An example of the impact world literacy can have is Ann Frank, a Jewish girl who died in Germany after her hiding spot was uncovered during WWII. She left a diary behind that has been published in many languages and has been in the news media with information not previously mentioned. “Lee says Asher not only turned in the Frank family, but may have blackmailed Otto Frank for years after the war, receiving payments for his silence about Frank’s business with Nazi Germany at the beginning of the World War II” (Max E6). This previously published work is still a topic of conversation and has an impact on world literacy awareness.

Science, math, art, and technology can all be incorporated into world literacy literature by integrating them into the lessons taught. One other major issue with literacy is media awareness. What does a good web page look like? “True Internet literacy goes beyond teaching youngsters how to navigate the web. We also must help them learn to choose wisely from the almost infinite amount of information that can be found on the monster that is the World Wide Web” (Rompler 6). How can a teacher use technology with a world literacy unit? All of these questions can be answered by addressing the standards and benchmarks for the different content areas and using a multimedia, and multi-intelligence approach to literacy planning.

Implementation:

Dear America Lesson Plan # 1

Standards in this unit will encompass Albuquerque Public School 6-8 Language Arts Standards: Reading- Strand I, 6-8 Benchmark, grade 6, reading strategies 1. and Writing- Strand III, 6-8 Benchmark, grade 6, writing strategies 1. The New Mexico State Social Studies Standard: Benchmark-III-D, grade six, Standard 1- Understanding that the nature of citizenship varies among societies. Lastly, it includes the National Geographic Theme: Movement- People interact with other people, places and things almost every day of their lives.

The goal for this lesson is to expose students to world literature using adolescent immigrations as a theme through adolescent literature. The objectives for this lesson are; 1) increase the awareness of world literature and 2) to increase the understanding of the cultural changes immigrants faced in the early years of immigration. Lessons are from one series using a different book for each lesson. This lesson incorporates the novel Dear America: A Journey to the New World by Kathryn Laskey, published in New York by Scholastic in 1996.

This book contains information set in the year 1620. This is historical fiction about a young adolescent English Pilgrim girl who migrates to the Americas with her father. The story describes the everyday struggles the immigrants faced focusing on food, housing, and the political development of a new settlement. The book describes in a minor way the Pilgrims’ interaction with the Indians who were already living on the land in the New World.

Guidelines or suggestions for the teacher to consider in this unit are read the book orally or individually depending on the needs of the class. Discuss the book with the class as a whole and in small groups choosing the political development of a new settlement or other topic in small groups. Incorporate periodic activities (see below) to enrich the text of the book to increase student awareness of the content, orally assess student’s reading progress and connect the geographical themes. Another activity could be to have the students relate their immigration experiences or a topic of the book to their lives orally or in a written form. Ask students to complete the assessment data (see form at end of the lesson – SQS format). Recommend other books that relate to this lesson if the student(s) would like to know more about the topics in the book.

Suggested lesson enhancements are as follows: Web page connection: www.pilgrims.net/plymouth have students research other inhabitants or housing at Plymouth Rock. Students research foods the pilgrims would have eaten and make a food using a recipe they researched (connection foods/cooking). Make a model of a ship the pilgrims came over in, or model of a house the pilgrims would have lived in (art connection). Students develop a chart of the journey the pilgrims took to the New World (Mapping connection). A middle school video could be The story of the Pilgrims (Movie connection). In New Mexico, a field trip to the B-Square Ranch in Farmington, New Mexico, would provide an opportunity to research farming methods, development of pollinating and cross-pollinating food species and comparing the similarities between modern and early American farming techniques (Fieldtrip connection). A New Mexico speaker “Religious Attitudes of the American Fathers” is John T. Feldman, he can be reached at www.nmeh.org. Another reading source for teachers is History of the Town of Plymouth by James Thacher, published in Boston by Marsh, Capen & Lyon, in 1832 available at the local library.

Dear America Lesson Plan # 2

Standards in this unit will encompass Albuquerque Public School 6-8 Language Arts Standards: Reading- Strand I, 6-8 Benchmark, grade 6, reading strategies 1. and Writing- Strand III, 6-8 Benchmark, grade 6, writing strategies 1. The New Mexico State Social Studies Standard: Benchmark-III-D, grade six, Standard 1- Understanding that the nature of citizenship varies among societies. Lastly, it includes the National Geographic Theme: Movement- People interact with other people, places and things almost every day of their lives.

The goal for this lesson is to expose students to world literature using adolescent immigrations as a theme through adolescent literature. The objectives for this lesson are; 1) to increase the awareness of world literature and 2) to increase the understanding of the cultural changes immigrants faced in the early years of immigration. Lessons are from one series using a different book for each lesson. This lesson incorporates the novel Dear America: Valley of the Moon by Sherry Garland published in New York by Scholastic in 2001.

This amazing book takes place in 1846 and discusses California and its fight for independence whether it is from Mexico as in the first of the book or from America in the later part of the book. Mexico went to war with America to keep California; however, in the end the citizens of California became Americans. The problem with this is that the California natives were not once asked what they wanted and in the end the Mexicans of California became immigrants of America.

Guidelines or suggestions for the teacher to consider in this unit are read the book orally or individually depending on the needs of the class. Discuss the book with the class as a whole and in small groups choosing the political development of a new settlement or other topics in small groups. Incorporate periodic activities (see below) to enrich the text of the book to increase student awareness of the content, orally assess student’s reading progress and connect the geographical themes. Another activity could be to have the students relate their immigration experiences or a topic of the book to their lives orally or in a written form. Ask students to complete the assessment data (see form at end of the lesson – SQS format). Recommend other books that relate to this lesson if the student(s) would like to know more about the topics in the book.

Suggested lesson enhancements are as follows; Web page connection: www.californiahistory.org students can research the history of California during the time period in the book. Research Spanish or Mexican food and bring in a dish for the class to share (connection food/cooking). Create a representation of a holiday celebrated in the book that originated with Mexico using cloth scraps and defend it to your class (art connection). The middle school video could be The Missions of California (movie connection). Draw a map of California before it was part of the United States and after California became a state (mapping connection).

In New Mexico, a field trip to the Valencia Flour Mill in Valencia County, New Mexico. This field trip will show the students the complexities of living in the early years of American history and how the immigrants often lived (Fieldtrip connection). A New Mexico speaker “Integrity in an Imperialistic Age: The Man Who Lead the Takeover of California and the Southwest” by Stephine Kearney, she can be reached at www.nmeh.org. Another reading source is History of California by A. A. Gray published in Boston by D.C. Heath & Co in 1934 or other related books.

Dear America Lesson Plan # 3

Standards in this unit will encompass Albuquerque Public School 6-8 Language Arts Standards: Reading- Strand I, 6-8 Benchmark, grade 6, reading strategies 1. and Writing- Strand III, 6-8 Benchmark, grade 6, writing strategies 1. The New Mexico State Social Studies Standard: Benchmark-III-D, grade six, Standard 1- Understanding that the nature of citizenship varies among societies. Lastly, it includes the National Geographic Theme: Movement- People interact with other people, places and things almost every day of their lives.

The goal for this lesson is to expose students to world literature using adolescent immigrations as a theme through adolescent literature. The objectives for this lesson are; 1) increase the awareness of world literature and 2) to increase the understanding of the cultural changes immigrants faced in the early years of immigration. Lessons are from one series using a different book for each lesson. This lesson incorporates the novel Dear America: So Far From Home By Barry Denenberg, published in New York by Scholastic in 1997.

This book takes place in 1847 and describes the plight of textile workers who were Irish immigrants. This book also describes the way that the immigrants lived after immigrating to America and their economic struggles. Factory work could be dangerous and the immigrants often did not have a choice when they came to America.

Guidelines or suggestions for the teacher to consider in this unit are to read the book orally or individually depending on the needs of the class. Discuss the book with the class as a whole and in small groups choosing the political development of a new settlement or other topics in small groups. Incorporate periodic activities (see below) to enrich the text of the book to increase student awareness of the content, orally assess student’s reading progress and connect the geographical themes. Another activity could be to have the students relate their immigration experiences or a topic of the book to their lives orally or in a written form. Ask students to complete the assessment data (see form at end of the lesson – SQS format). Recommend other books that relate to this lesson if the student(s) would like to know more about the topics in the book.

Suggested lesson enhancements are as follows; Web page connection: www.heritageireland.ie. Research Ireland’s heritage and present a summary to the class. Research Irish food and bring a sample of the food and the recipe for the class (connection food/cooking). Recreate a scene from the book using pictures from a magazine (art connection). Trace the main character’s root to America and make a map showing it (mapping connection). The middle school video could be Irish Americans (movie connection). A field trip in New Mexico could be Ortega’s weaving Shop in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, to see a demonstration of a working loom (Fieldtrip connection). A speaker connection could be the American Irish Society (speaker connection). Another reading source could be Ireland Land of the Celts by Iian Zaczek published in New York by Collins& Brown in 2000.

Dear America Lesson Plan # 4

Standards in this unit will encompass Albuquerque Public School 6-8 Language Arts Standards: Reading- Strand I, 6-8 Benchmark, grade 6, reading strategies 1. and Writing- Strand III, 6-8 Benchmark, grade 6, writing strategies 1. The New Mexico State Social Studies Standard: Benchmark-III-D, grade six, Standard 1- Understanding that the nature of citizenship varies among societies. Lastly, it includes the National Geographic Theme: Movement- People interact with other people, places and things almost every day of their lives.

The goal for this lesson is to expose students to world literature using adolescent immigrations as a theme through adolescent literature. The objectives for this lesson are; 1) increase the awareness of world literature and 2) to increase the understanding of the cultural changes immigrants faced in the early years of immigration. Lessons are from one series using a different book for each lesson. This lesson incorporates the novel Dear America: A Picture of Freedom By Patricia McKissack, published in New York by Scholastic in 1997.

This adventure takes place in 1859 and describes the events that helped shape the issues of the Civil War. The Underground Railroad and slavery were two of the biggest events described; both of them involved African immigrants brought here against their will. These immigrants made significant and heroic sacrifices throughout their early years as immigrants.

Guidelines or suggestions for the teacher to consider in this unit are to read the book orally or individually depending on the needs of the class. Discuss the book with the class as a whole and in small groups choosing the political development of a new settlement or other topics in small groups. Incorporate periodic activities (see below) to enrich the text of the book to increase student awareness of the content, orally assess student’s reading progress and connect the geographical themes. Another activity could be to have the students relate their immigration experiences or a topic of the book to their lives orally or in a written form. Ask students to complete the assessment data (see form at end of the lesson – SQS format). Recommend other books that relate to this lesson if the student(s) would like to know more about the topics in the book.

Suggested lesson enhancements are as follows; Web Page connection: Http://scriporium.lib.duke.edu. research slavery and the life of a slave after they came from Africa to America. Research African foods and bring a sample in for the class and the written recipe that you followed (connection food/cooking). Create an African mask to share with others using construction paper (art connection). Create an Underground Railroad map that shows one slave’s route to “freedom” (mapping connection). The middle school video could be History of Slavery in America (movie connection). A New Mexico field trip connection could be Dixon Apple Farm in Sandoval County, New Mexico. This will allow the students to see how hard the slaves would have had to work in the field and what the labor entailed (Fieldtrip connection). A New Mexico speaker could be Don Perkins as Frederick Douglas, at www.nmeh.org. (speaker connection). Another reading source could be History of Slavery in Virginia by James Curtis Ballagh published in Baltimore by The Johns Hopkins Press in 1902 or other related book.

Dear America Lesson Plan # 5

Standards in this unit will encompass Albuquerque Public School 6-8 Language Arts Standards: Reading- Strand I, 6-8 Benchmark, grade 6, reading strategies 1. and Writing- Strand III, 6-8 Benchmark, grade 6, writing strategies 1. The New Mexico State Social Studies Standard: Benchmark-III-D, grade six, Standard 1- Understanding that the nature of citizenship varies among societies. Lastly, it includes the National Geographic Theme: Movement- People interact with other people, places and things almost every day of their lives.

The goal for this lesson is to expose students to world literature using adolescent immigrations as a theme through adolescent literature. The objectives for this lesson are; 1) increase the awareness of world literature and 2) to increase the understanding of the cultural changes immigrants faced in the early years of immigration. Lessons are from one series using a different book for each lesson. This lesson incorporates the novel Dear America: The Great Railroad Race by Kristiniana Gregory published in New York by Scholastic in 1999.

This exciting adventure of immigration takes place in 1868 and describes how the Chinese immigrants were used as labor for the American railroad system. The topics of this book include American expansion, the great railroad race, early newspapers, and Chinese immigrant workers. The railroad race was an important event in American history, but at what cost, and for whom?

Guidelines or suggestions for the teacher to consider in this unit are to read the book orally or individually depending on the needs of the class. Discuss the book with the class as a whole and in small groups choosing the political development of a new settlement or other topic in small groups. Incorporate periodic activities (see below) to enrich the text of the book to increase student awareness of the content, orally assess student’s reading progress and connect the geographical themes. Another activity could be to have the students relate their immigration experiences or a topic of the book to their lives orally or in a written form. Ask students to complete the assessment data (see form at end of the lesson – SQS format). Recommend other books that relate to this lesson if the student(s) would like to know more about the topics in the book.

Suggested lesson enhancements are as follows; Web page connection: http://cprr.org. using this site to research the role Chinese labor played in the building of the railroads. Bring in a Chinese food from the recipes listed on the site to share with the class www.reciepscource.com (connection food/cooking). Recreate a scene from the book that describes the Chinese laborers or the work they did using only paper (art connection). Create a map tracing the progress the two companies made in this race (mapping connection). The middle school video could be Railroads That Tamed the West (movie connection). A New Mexico fieldtrip could be Valencia County Historical Museum in Valencia County, New Mexico. This museum shows what the trains look and the equipment required to keep them running (fieldtrip connection). A speaker connection could be Helen Zia at www.kepplerassociates.com (speaker connection). Another reading source could be Frances Hsu. The Challenge of the American Dream by Frances Hsu published in California by Wadsworth Publishing Co in 1971.

Dear America Lesson Plan # 6

Standards in this unit will encompass Albuquerque Public School 6-8 Language Arts Standards: Reading- Strand I, 6-8 Benchmark, grade 6, reading strategies 1. and Writing- Strand III, 6-8 Benchmark, grade 6, writing strategies 1. The New Mexico State Social Studies Standard: Benchmark-III-D, grade six, Standard 1- Understanding that the nature of citizenship varies among societies. Lastly, it includes the National Geographic Theme: Movement- People interact with other people, places and things almost every day of their lives.

The goal for this lesson is to expose students to world literature using adolescent immigrations as a theme through adolescent literature. The objectives for this lesson are; 1) increase the awareness of world literature and 2) to increase the understanding of the cultural changes immigrants faced in the early years of immigration. Lessons are from one series using a different book for each lesson. This lesson incorporates the novel Dear America: A Coal Miner’s Bride by Susan Campbell Bartoletti published in New York by Scholastic in 2000.

This book relates to 1896 and Polish immigrants who worked in the coal mines are discussed. Polish immigrant faced horrible working conditions and substandard housing. In addition, the pay was low and much of that went back to the company store. The families were tied to the mining company through the job, house, and food supply available. The women often faced arranged marriage that resulted in immigration patterns from the old country to the new.

Guidelines or suggestions for the teacher to consider in this unit are to read the book orally or individually depending on the needs of the class. Discuss the book with the class as a whole and in small groups choosing the political development of a new settlement or other topics in small groups. Incorporate periodic activities (see below) to enrich the text of the book to increase student awareness of the content, orally assess student’s reading progress and connect the geographical themes. Another activity could be to have the students relate their immigration experiences or a topic of the book to their lives orally or in a written form. Ask students to complete the assessment data (see form at end of the lesson – SQS format). Recommend other books that relate to this lesson if the student(s) would like to know more about the topics in the book.

Suggested lesson enhancements are as follows: Web page connection: www.pgsa.org/. research what the Polish immigrants did after they immigrated to America. What contributions have they made and how? Research Polish foods and bring a sample and the recipe to class to explain and share with others in the classroom, explaining the process that you went through describing the recipe and the ingredients using. Show how to make sauerkraut using a diagram (art connection). Make a map describing in detail the route the main characters took during her trip to America (mapping connection). A middle school movie could be Polish Americans (movie connection). A New Mexico field trip could be the New Mexico Museum of Mining in Cibola County, New Mexico. www.grants.org/toc/culture.htm. This will allow the students to sample what it would have been like to work in a mine (field trip connection). A possible speaker could be The Polish American Society (speaker connection). Another reading source Polish Americans: Status Competition in an Ethnic Community by Helena Znaiecki Lopata published in New Jersey by Prentice –Hall Inc. in 1976.

Dear America Lesson Plan #7

Standards in this unit will encompass Albuquerque Public School 6-8 Language Arts Standards: Reading- Strand I, 6-8 Benchmark, grade 6, reading strategies 1. and Writing- Strand III, 6-8 Benchmark, grade 6, writing strategies 1. The New Mexico State Social Studies Standard: Benchmark-III-D, grade six, Standard 1- Understanding that the nature of citizenship varies among societies. Lastly, it includes the National Geographic Theme: Movement- People interact with other people, places and things almost every day of their lives.

The goal for this lesson is to expose students to world literature using adolescent immigrations as a theme through adolescent literature. The objectives for this lesson are; 1) increase the awareness of world literature and 2) to increase the understanding of the cultural changes immigrants faced in the early years of immigration. Lessons are from one series using a different book for each lesson. This lesson incorporates the novel Dear America: Dreams in the Golden Country by Katharyn Lasky published in New York by Scholastic in 1998.

The events of this book are described throughout the year 1903 and the focus is on a Russian Jewish family. One of the jobs available to these immigrants was factory work and they applied for them. One of the biggest struggles was the family’s traditional customs vs. what was available to them now as Russian immigrants who passed through Ellis Island.

Guidelines or suggestions for the teacher to consider in this unit are to read the book orally or individually depending on the needs of the class. Discuss the book with the class as a whole and in small groups choosing the political development of a new settlement or other topics in small groups. Incorporate periodic activities (see below) to enrich the text of the book to increase student awareness of the content, orally assess student’s reading progress and connect the geographical themes. Another activity could be to have the students relate their immigration experiences or a topic of the book to their lives orally or in a written form. Ask students to complete the assessment data (see form at end of the lesson – SQS format). Recommend other books that relate to this lesson if the student(s) would like to know more about the topics in the book.

Suggested lesson enhancements are as follows: Web page connection: http://www.ellisislandrecords.org/. Research the history of Ellis Island and write a narrative of an immigrant. A Teacher’s Guide is available on this web site that can be of assistance with this lesson. Research a traditional Russian-Jewish food and bring in a sample to class along with the recipe http://www.russianfoods.com/recipes/view/default.asp (connection to food/cooking). Imagine that you are an immigrant going through Ellis Island and create a piece of art to describe it using paint (art connection). Draw a map from the main characters home land to America highlighting her root (mapping connection).

A middle school movie could be Across the Sea of Time or Ellis Island Collection (movie connection). A New Mexico field trip could be M&J Restaurant and Sanitary Tortilla Factory in Bernalillo, New Mexico. This factory field trip will show what is like to work in a factory and the struggles that come with it (field trip connection). A possible speaker could be the Huston Holocaust Museum, Phone # (713) 527-1640 (speaker connection). Another reading source, The American Jew: A Study of Background by Abraham Feldman published in New York by Bloch Publishing in 1937 or another book that is appropriate.

Dear America Lesson Plan # 8

Standards in this unit will encompass Albuquerque Public School 6-8 Language Arts Standards: Reading- Strand I, 6-8 Benchmark, grade 6, reading strategies 1. and Writing- Strand III, 6-8 Benchmark, grade 6, writing strategies 1. The New Mexico State Social Studies Standard: Benchmark-III-D, grade six, Standard 1- Understanding that the nature of citizenship varies among societies. Lastly, it includes the National Geographic Theme: Movement- People interact with other people, places and things almost every day of their lives.

The goal for this lesson is to expose students to world literature using adolescent immigrations as a theme through adolescent literature. The objectives for this lesson are; 1) increase the awareness of world literature and 2) to increase the understanding of the cultural changes immigrants faced in the early years of immigration. Lessons are from one series using a different book for each lesson. This lesson incorporates the novel. One Eye Laughing the Other Weeping by Barry Denenberg published in New York by Scholastic in 2000.

In 1938 Hitler was terrorizing Austrian Jewish people and the character in this book was no different. Her family is divided and she is forced to immigrate to America when her father buys her freedom out of Austria. This is an emotional book that will be worth the read, but will have an impact on your students. The young girl goes on to become a famous actress in real life despite the hardships she faces.

Guidelines or suggestions for the teacher to consider in this unit are to read the book orally or individually depending on the needs of the class. Discuss the book with the class as a whole and in small groups choosing the political development of a new settlement or other topics in small groups. Incorporate periodic activities (see below) to enrich the text of the book to increase student awareness of the content, orally assess student’s reading progress and connect the geographical themes. Another activity could be to have the students relate their immigration experiences or a topic of the book to their lives orally or in a written form. Ask students to complete the assessment data (see form at end of the lesson – SQS format). Recommend other books that relate to this lesson if the student(s) would like to know more about the topics in the book.

Suggested lesson enhancements are as follows: Web page connection: Http://shamash.org/holocaust/photos/index.shtml. Pick ten photographs and describe them in detail and how they made you feel. Bring in a Jewish food after researching recipes on the web site above and bring an example for other to share using the web site below as a guide http://jewishfood-list.com/. Recreate a scene from the book using only paint (art connection). Create a map of the character’s voyage to America from her home land (mapping connection). A middle school movie could be Jewish Americans (movie connection). A New Mexico field trip could be Albuquerque Little Theater in Bernalillo County, New Mexico. www.newmexico.org. The students can see a play and the importance of an actor/actress to the play (fieldtrip connection). A teacher’s guide is available on Http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu./holocaust/default.htm (field trip connection). A New Mexico speaker connection could be the U.S. National Holocaust Museum, Phone # (202) 488-0400 (speaker connection). Another reading source could be Austria and After London by Franz Borkenau published by Faber & Faber in mcmxxviii.

Documentation

Cultural Assessment Lesson Sheet

Pre test:

Teacher directions: Teachers, this is a sample of what the pretest could look like, therefore, omit any questions that don’t apply for you. The test needs to fit the needs of the unit, and each class has its special culture.

Student directions: Before you start to read the Dear America book for this lesson complete the questions below to see what you know prior to the start of the lesson.

1. What do you know about people from the __________ culture?

2. List ten things that you can tell me about this culture now.

3. Have you read a book about this culture? If so, name the book and a short summary.

5. Have you ever written about this culture?

6. Has someone read a book about this culture to you? If so, name it and give a short summary of it.

Post Test:

Teacher directions: Teachers, this is a sample of what the posttest could look like, therefore, omit any questions that don’t apply for you. The test needs to fit the needs of the unit, and each class has its special culture.

Student directions: After reading the Dear America book for this lesson complete the questions below to see what you know prior to the start of the lesson.

1. List one thing that surprised you about this culture.
2. List twenty things that you learned about this culture.
3. What activity did you like the best and why?
4. Describe one event/topic that you liked in the Dear America book you read in a one page essay.
5. List 3 ways that your reading comprehension improved after reading this book.
6. List one writing activity that helped you understand the book better.

Teacher Bibliography

Books:

Arsenault, Cindy. Teaching Reading in Intermediate Native American Classrooms: A Centers                Approach.

Au, Kathryn H., Carroll, Jacquelin H., & Scheu, Judith A. Balanced Literacy Instruction. Norwood: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc., 2001.

Bigham, Vicki Smith & Bigham, George. The Prentice Hall Directory of Online Educational               Resources. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1998.

Bierhorst, John. Four Masterworks of American Indian Literature. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1974.

Caws, Mary Ann & Prendergast, Christopher. The Harper Collins World Reader: The Modern                World. New York: Harper Collins College Publishers, 1994.

Dornan, Reade, Rosen, Lois Matz, & Wilson, Marilyn. Multiple Voices, Multiple Texts: Reading                in the Secondary Content Areas. Portsmouth: Boynton/Cook Publishers, 1997.

Erb, Thomas O. This We Believe… And Now We Must Act. Westerville: National Middle School                Association, 2001.

Harrison, Gary. What is world Literature?. April 1, 2001.

Lawall, Sarah. Reading World Literature: Theory, History, and Practice. Texas: Austin:                University of Texas Press, 1994.

Ledbetter, Mary Ellen. Writing Portfolio Activities Kit: Ready -To –Use Management
            Techniques and Writing Activities for Grades 7-12. New York: The Center For Applied               Research In Education, 1998.

Marden, Patricia C. & Barchers, Suzanne I. Cooking Up World History: A Multicultural Recipes               and Resources. Colorado: Teacher Ideas Press, 1994.

Miller, Wilma H. Alternative Assessment Techniques for Reading & Writing. New York: The              Center for Applied Research in Education, 1995.

Robb, Laura. 35 Must-Have Assessments & Record-keeping Forms for Reading. New York:               Scholastic, 2001.

Robb, Laura. Teaching Reading in Middle School: A Strategic Approach to Teaching Reading               That Improves Comprehension and Thinking. New York: Scholastic, 2000.

Pavlak, Stephen A. Classroom Activities for Correcting Specific Reading Problems. New York:                Parker Publishing Co., 1985.

Pavlak, Stephen A. Informal Test for Diagnosing Specific Reading Problems. New York:                Parker Publishing co., 1985.

Sanderson, Jeannette. Teaching With Dear America Books. New York: Scholastic, 2001.

Smith, Duane E. We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution. California: Center for Civic                 Education, 1995.

Spencer, Margaret. In the Canon’s Mouth: Being lucid About Local. Austin: U. of Texas Press,                  1994.

Staats, Todd R. New Mexico off the Beaten Path: A Guide to Unique Places. Connecticut: The                  Globe Pequot Press, 1991.

Swann, Brian. On Translation of Native American Literatures. Washington: Smithsonian                  Institution Press, 1992.

Stowe, Cynthia M. Let’s Write!: A Ready-To-Use Activities for Learners with Special Needs.                 New York: The Center for Applied Research in Education, 1997.

Tully, Marianne. Helping Students Revise Their Writing: Practical Strategies, Models,and Mini-Lessons that Motivate Students to become Better Writers. New York: Scholastic, 1996.

Oral History Collections:

No Author. Spirit of the Present: The Legacy from Native America Tape 1-5. Smithsonian Institution and Native American Public Broadcasting Consortium, 1992.

Periodicals:

Carbon, Lisa. “Standards Issues for Our Schools Experts, the Teachers: Assessment of Student Learning.” APS Perspective Date: April 29, 2002 Page: 8.

Carr, Katheryn S. “Not just for the Primary Grades: A Bibliography of Picture Books for
    Secondary Content Teachers”. Journal of Adolescent 7 Adult Literacy V. 45 No. 2 Date:               October 2001.

Max, Arther. “A New Chapter Surfaces in Saga of Ann Frank”. Albuquerque Sunday Journal               Date: May 12, 2002.

Pascopella, Angela. “Today’s Media Specialist.” District Administration Date: January 2002. Page: 41.

Roempler, Kimberly S. “Literate- and Safe- On the World Wide Web.” Becoming A Literate in               Mathematics and Science v. 8 No. 3 Date: 2001.

Townsend, Jane S. “Paw’s Story: A Laotian Refugee’s Lonely Entry into American Literacy.”
            Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy v. 45, no. 2 Date: October 2001.

“We The People…… Institute Engage Teachers.” Center Correspondent V.14, No 2 Date:               Winter 2002.

The Vision Maker: A publication of Native American Public Communications Date:
            Spring/Summer 2002.

Student Bibliography

Books:

Arsenault, Cindy & Lovell, Stacy. Teaching Reading in the Intermediate Native American                Classroom: A Center Approach.

Bierhorst, John. Four Masterworks of American Indian Literature. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1974.

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. Dear America: A Coal Miner’s Bride. New York: Scholastic, 2000.

Bigham, Vicki Smith & Bigham, George. The Prentice Hall Directory of Online Educational              Resources. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1998.

Denenberg, Barry. Dear America: So Far From Home. New York: Scholastic, 1997.

Garland, Sherry. Dear America: Valley of the Moon. New York: Scholastic, 2001.

Gregory, Kristiana. Dear America: The Great Railroad Race. New York: Scholastic, 1999.

Kittler, Pamela Goyan. & Sucher, Katheryn Sucher. Cultural Foods: Traditions and Trends.               Canada: Wadsworth, 2000.

Laskey, Kathbyrn. Dear America: A Journey to the New World. New York: Scholastic, 1996.

Lasky, Kathryn. Dear America: Dreams in the Golden Country. New York: Scholastic, 1998.

Marden, Patricia C. & Barchers, Suzanne I. Cooking Up World History: A Multicultural Recipes                 and Resources. Colorado: Teacher Ideas Press, 1994.

McKissack, Patrica. Dear America: A Picture of Freedom. New York: Scholastic, 1997.

Sanderson, Jeannette. Teaching with Dear America Books. New York: Scholastic, 2001.

Smith, Duane E. We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution. California: Center for Civic                  Education, 1995.

Staats, Todd R. New Mexico off the Beaten Path: A Guide to Unique Places. Connecticut: The                  Globe Pequot Press, 1991.

Denenberg, Barry. Dear America: One Eye Laughing the Other Weeping. New York:                   Scholastic, 2000.

Oral History Collections:

Spirit of the Present: The Legacy from Native America Tape 1-5.

Smithsonian Institution and Native American Public Broadcasting Consortium, 1992.