Immigration Essay

Go back over the articles we read the first week of school (linked in the August 7 post). Then read More Than Just A Shrine by Mary Gordon.

Write an essay describing what it must have felt like to have been an immigrant back in the Ellis Island days, during the Irish potato famine, during Vietnam or during the Cuban refugee crisis. Can you identify with what they must have felt in any way? Under the same circumstances, would you have taken the same risks in order to follow your hopes and dreams for a better life?

Weekly Organizers

These are worth fifteen points every week in the gradebook. Blank ones are handed out every Monday, and completed ones are due every Friday.

Each day, copy the EQ (Essential Question) and LT (Learning Target) from the board, then complete the warm up in the first three spaces provided for each day. You will get initials for being prepared in the fourth space if you have your materials (or book) for the day, and you will get a check for class participation for being on task.

Just do this at the beginning of class every day, and earn 15 points by Friday!

If you lose your copy, you can print a blank form here: Weekly Organizer

Immigration Ticket out the Door (TOD)

Write a paragraph explaining what reasons or opportunities would motivate you to leave your family and/or possibly risk your life to start over in another country? Why? Explain and give examples. (10 pts.)

Immigration: Articles, Facts and Questions

After discussing the definition of immigration as a class, read the following articles:

Mariel Boatlift
Vietnamese Boat People
Reverse Immigration
Parachute Kids

Then copy and paste the following into your blog and complete:

A.      Individual Work

1.       Finish Reading Articles J

2.       For each article, write one FACT and one QUESTION you may have about each article.

a.       “Mariel Boatlift”

                                                                           i.      FACT:

                                                                         ii.      QUESTION:

b.      “Vietnamese Boat People”

                                                                           i.      FACT:

                                                                         ii.      QUESTION:

c.       “Reverse Immigration”

                                                                           i.      FACT:

                                                                         ii.      QUESTION:

d.      “Parachute Kids”

                                                                           i.      FACT:

                                                                         ii.      QUESTION:

B.      Partner Work

1.       Identify CAUSES or  REASONS for each immigrants’ departure (example: war)

a.       “Mariel Boatlift”

                                                                           i.      IMMIGRANT GROUP:

                                                                         ii.      CAUSE/REASON:

b.      “Vietnamese Boat People”

                                                                           i.      IMMIGRANT GROUP:

                                                                         ii.      CAUSE/REASON:

c.        “Reverse Immigration”

                                                                           i.      IMMIGRANT GROUP:

                                                                         ii.      CAUSE/REASON:

d.       “Parachute Kids”

                                                                           i.      IMMIGRANT GROUP:

                                                                         ii.      CAUSE/REASON:

2.       Analyze and Explain the DANGERS each immigrant group faced .

a.       “Mariel Boatlift”

                                                                           i.      IMMIGRANT GROUP:

                                                                         ii.      DANGER(S):

b.      “Vietnamese Boat People”

                                                                           i.      IMMIGRANT GROUP:

                                                                         ii.      DANGER(S):

c.        “Reverse Immigration”

                                                                           i.      IMMIGRANT GROUP:

                                                                         ii.      DANGER(S):

d.       “Parachute Kids”

                                                                           i.      IMMIGRANT GROUP:

                                                                         ii.      DANGER(S):

3.       Analyze and Explain the OPPORTUNITIES each group looked forward to upon arrival.

a.       “Mariel Boatlift”: OPPORTUNITIES=

b.      “Vietnamese Boat People:” OPPORTUNITIES=

c.        “Reverse Immigration:” OPPORTUNITIES=

d.       “Parachute Kids:” OPPORTUNITIES=

Welcome back to NHS!!!

Hopefully you all feel rested, well read and ready to write! (Remember that you do have until August 30 to complete summer reading if you have not done so already.)

For my class, we will be writing quite a bit in a web log like this one. We will use google accounts for everything. The first thing you will need is a gmail address. If you do not have one, go to gmail.com and set up a new account.

Next, open "drive," then under "more" select "blogger." Set up your blogger account, and you are ready to write! In my comments section below, be sure to leave me your gmail address and your url for your blogger.

Your first writing prompt will be a fun one. We all have very different personalities, but interestingly enough, most of us can fit into four categories.

Some call it "true colors," and some call it the "personality compass." Take your quiz here, and write your first journal entry on your results. Do you think this is an accurate description of yourself? Do you think you might be a blend of two types? What other personality type do you think you would work well with, and which one might be a challenge to work with?