University of Southern California
Coming to America After the War
As part of their exploration of the American dream, class members examine primary source materials to compare immigrant experiences of those arriving early in our country's history to those arriving in the US after World War...
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A Country of Migrants?
Students list reasons in support or rejection of the United States being a country of migrants through a written statement and discussion. They answer questions posed regarding immigration.
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Irish-Americans: Work and Song
Students research the experience of Irish immigrants who helped build the railroad systems of the United States. They analyze primary source documents, take notes, and create an artistic piece.
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American Migrations Timeline
In order to answer the question of whether the United States is a country of migrants or immigrants, students compile a list of migrations in America. From this list they conduct individual research for a particular episode of migration...
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Freedom to Worship
Students investigate reasons why people sought freedom to worship in the United States and some of the difficulties and issues facing them in their immigration. As immigrants, they write letters to family members in the old country.
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Japaneses Internment: Lesson 1 of 4: Chronological Events Leading to Internment
Young scholars examine facts about history of the Asians experience in America and identify patterns of Asian immigration in the United States. Students develop reasons specific Asian ethnic groups migrated to the United States and...
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Hispanic Immigration: America in the Year 2000
Young scholars investigate the underlying reasons for immigration, focusing on five major trends: political, economic, family, career and educational. They examine the immigration of Spanish speaking groups.
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Reading for Information: Chinese Emigration
Students explore Chinese emigration and answer comprehension questions from the reading; students conduct interview with someone who has immigrated to the United States.
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Colonization and Emigration
Students explore emigrants deciding to leave the United States and the events that lead to their decisions.
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My Diary From Here To There: Understanding Mexican Culture Through Research and Diary Entries
Third graders explore the adventures of an immigrant as she comes to the United States. They discuss the difficulties the immigrants had and they research the Mexican culture and society. Students create a diary of their own.
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From America, With Love
Students research the experiences of specific immigrant groups in the United States. Letters are written from imaginary immigrants to relatives in their countries of origin, including historically accurate details.
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Discovering Your Heritage
Learners interview a family member about their heritage. They listen to and record part of their family's oral history. Students also create and label a family tree going back a minimum of two generations and compare and contrast...
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Rice Farming in Texas
Third graders explore how rice farming came to Texas. In this rice farming lesson, 3rd graders discover the history of how farmers began to grow rice in the United States. Students color code maps and create a timeline for rice farming...
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The Cuban Missile Crisis
Students reflect on the events that lead up to the Cuban Missile Crisis in the early 1960s. For this history lesson plan, students explore the conflicts between the United States and the Soviet Union revolving around missiles in...
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The Other Americans
Students explain the concept of culture and identify the components of a culture. They describe the characteristics of selected immigrant groups and the conditions they faced upon arrival in the United States. Students analyze the...
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Holocaust Studies
Eleventh graders trace the history of intolerance in American history and familiarize themselves with the actions of the United States towards the Holocaust. They explore present day Holocaust denial and Neo-Nazism in the United States.
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Spanish & Chicano English
Students examine the history of Spanish in what is now the United States. They examine the current language status of the Hispanic population. Students are able to characterize Spanglish and Chicano English. They examine some features...
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The Cold War And Beyond
Students interview an adult that grew up in the United States during the Cold War to develop an understanding of the concept of mutually assured destruction. They focus the interview on how the person dealt with the threat of nuclear...
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Oral History of World War II
Students research how citizens from the United States respond to the onset, duration and aftermath of World War II. They view clips from the movie "Swing Shift" and discuss the roles of civilians, minorities and military personnel. They...
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The Voice of Dreams
Students explore, analyze and study novel reflections on the American dream that the United States has held the promise of unlimited possibilities. They describe the concept of the American dream, listen to and record real stories of...
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The Westward Movement
Students study the westward movement through examining stamps. For this westward movement lesson plan, students draw conclusions, determine cause and effect relationships and examine the westward movement of the United States by...
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Ellis Island Writing Prompt
In this writing prompt worksheet, students read the questions and story starter about Ellis Island. There are provided lines for the story which the students will write.
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What was Behind the Golden Door?
Students adopt the persona of an immigrant child to explore the reasons underlying why families left their homelands. They empathize with the emotional plight of immigrants through creative composition.
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The Transcontinental Railroad
Learners investigate the impact of the Transcontinental Railroad. In this Transcontinental Railroad lesson, students research Internet and print sources regarding the effect of the railroad on Chinese immigrants and American...