IMMIGRANTS IN AMERICAN SCHOOLS

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Activity: Role playing an immigrant's experience in an American school

Time required: One class period

Objectives: Students will...

1. read primary sources about immigrant experiences in U.S. schools.
2. empathize with immigrant experiences.
3. share observations through role playing.

Materials:

1. Read sheets for different immigrant groups (see info below)

Procedure:

1. Divide students into groups of four. Distribute to each group four copies
of a particular immigrant group in American schools.

2. Have each person in the group read a selection.

3. After the readings are complete, have each person in the group prepare to role play one of the selections read.

4. When time is called, call up each immigrant group to sit up front before the
class to role play their experience of American School. The teacher can
ask questions of each person to draw out more details.

5. When all the groups have come forward, have the class make general observations like what was similar about the immigrant experiences, what was unique and different about their experiences.

 Japan

Immigrant groups

 Mexico

 China

 Ireland

 Jewish

  Italy

  Scandanavia

  Germany