Introduction
Updated June 5, 2015
Dear Educator,
Immigration is a major topic today in politics, the news, and the TEKS. This guide
explores the subject of immigration through lessons, resources and strategies to help
students grasp these difficult concepts. The resources, strategies and activities in this
guide are inspired by the exhibit Why We Came: The Immigration Experience, and can
be used independently in the classroom. The contents of this guide are based on Social
Studies and English Language Arts TEKS for grades 6 through 12, but some activities
may be modified for lower grades.
For additional resources and information on ITC exhibits and tours, please visit
http://www.texancultures.com/resources/
If you have any questions or would like more information on materials, resources and
services for students and educators, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Respectfully,
The Institute of Texan Cultures
Education and Interpretation
210.458.2281
[email protected]
Included in these
documents:
 TEKS and standards
based lessons and
activities
 Teaching strategies
 Reproducible
handouts
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Table of Contents
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction to the Study of Immigration ........................................................................................................................... 4
Citizenship Test ................................................................................................................................................................ 5
Citizenship Test Answer Key ............................................................................................................................................ 6
Online Citizenship Test..................................................................................................................................................... 6
The Study of Immigration ................................................................................................................................................ 7
Resource Articles on Current Immigration Issues ............................................................................................................ 8
Discussion Questions Handout ........................................................................................................................................ 9
Packing Luggage Activity ................................................................................................................................................ 10
Additional Resources ......................................................................................................................................................... 11
References ......................................................................................................................................................................... 11
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) ..................................................................................................................... 12
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Introduction to the Study of Immigration
This unit is part one of the Why We Came: The Immigration Experience Educator Guide, feel free to use only this section
or to incorporate the entire series into your lesson plans. This guide provides background information on immigration
and introduces students to important vocabulary words.
Using “The Study of Immigration” in the Classroom
You will find three parts in this unit: the introductory activity, supporting text, and classroom activities. Below is a list of
activities included in this guide. The activities may not be appropriate for all grade levels.
Introductory Activity
Citizenship Test – This introductory activity allows students to think about an important step to becoming a citizen of the
United States before they begin studying immigration.
Supporting Text
The Study of Immigration – This text will provide students with valuable background information and introduce key
vocabulary words.
Resource Articles – Articles will introduce students to one issue in the immigration debate. The use of the term “illegal
immigrant” students can use reading skills to analyze the articles.
Classroom Activities
Discussion Questions – Students will use The Study of Immigration text to answer questions about immigration.
Questions can be used to start an introductory discussion on the topic.
Packing Luggage Activity – This activity puts students in the shoes of someone leaving their home country. If students
could only bring two items with them, what would they bring?
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Name: _________________________________________
Date: ______________
Citizenship Test
People who apply to become U. S. citizens must answer 10 randomly selected questions about American history and
government. They must answer 60% correct to pass. Below are a few questions from the list of 100 possible questions.
Directions: Answer each question to see if you would pass the test to become a U.S. citizen.
1. What do the stripes on the American flag represent?
2. What country did we fight during the Revolutionary War?
3. What are the three branches of our government?
4. Who becomes president should the president and vice president die?
5. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
6. Who has the power to declare war?
7. What kind of government does the United States have?
8. What are the first ten amendments to the Constitution called?
9. Name one right guaranteed by the first amendment.
10. Who was the first president of the Unites States?
11. How many U.S. Supreme Court justices are there?
12. Who helped the Pilgrims in the New World?
13. Which countries were our enemies during World War II?
14. Who is the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court?
15. How many amendments are there to the Constitution?
16. How many states are there today?
17. What are the colors of the American flag and what does each symbolize?
18. What are the duties of Congress?
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Citizenship Test Answer Key
1. They represent the 13 original colonies.
2. England
3. Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary
4. Speaker of the House of Representatives
5. Freed many slaves
6. The Congress
7. A democratic form of government (or, a Republic)
8. The Bill of Rights
9. Freedom of speech/press/religion; peaceable assembly
10. George Washington
11. Nine
12. Native Americans
13. Germany, Italy, and Japan
14. John Roberts
15. 26
16. 50
17. Red stands for courage, white stands for truth, and blue stands for justice.
18. To make laws
Online Citizenship Test
An online citizenship test can be taken at http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/citizenship/. This is an excellent site for
students to review American history content and take a citizenship test. It is also a great site to find more questions to
custom create your own citizenship test like the one in this guide. The site also includes more resources for teachers
including lesson plans.
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The Study of Immigration
Why Do People Move?
People have moved since the earliest times of our existence. Travelling in search of sustainable sources of food, water
and shelter has always been a major function of human culture. This act of moving from one place to another is called
migration. Today, people still move for the pursuit of better opportunities or to escape a less desirable situation. For
some people, relocating is short-term, to work a seasonal job or to experience life in another area. For others, moving is
permanent and may involve moving from one country to another. The act of leaving a country to reside in another is
called emigration. Immigration is the process of entering a country to live there. People who have moved from one
country to live in another are called immigrants.
Ways of Studying Immigration:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Determining the reasons people move and identifying the specific push and pull factors involved
Learning the laws that govern immigration and the legal, and illegal, processes of immigration
Exploring the stories of those who have made the journey
Considering the consequences of immigration. These may range from overcrowded cities, overpopulated
workforces, and unemployment to cultural richness and diversity. Many of the greatest artists, scientists and
thinkers have been immigrants. Immigration often leads to a fear of foreigners and laws that prohibit or limit
immigration.
Why We Came
The reasons for migration are many and varied and are determined by a number of factors. These factors can be placed
into two categories. There are factors that make the place where someone lives unattractive or, in some cases,
dangerous. These are called push factors because they are the influences that push a person to leave. There are also the
factors that make another place seem very attractive or “better” than where one currently lives. These are called pull
factors because they pull a person to live somewhere else. Pull factors are what makes people want to go to one place
rather than another.
Pull Factors
Push Factors
Push and pull factors may be economic, environmental, political, or social. The most common push factors are
unemployment, war, threat of incarceration, loss of civil liberties, death threats, lack of educational opportunities,
poverty, famine, drought, and natural disasters. Common pull factors include jobs, safe and/or pleasant environments,
freedoms, better housing, family, possible or better education, and high supply of food and resources.
Forced Immigration
For many people, moving is a choice. However, some people have had no choice but to leave their homes and families
due to extreme poverty, natural disaster, war, or persecution. People who seek solace in another country because
violence or natural disaster has forced them to move are called refugees. Refugees often undertake long and difficult
journeys in search of safety and security.
Whether forced or voluntary, the story of each immigrant is unique and the journey can be physically difficult and
frightening, but hopeful and exciting at the same time. The length and ease of their journey depends on a number of
disparate factors, choices and coincidences.
Assimilation
In both theory and practice, there are a variety of models and ways of thinking about how people of different
backgrounds and identities live together in society. Much depends on how the receiving country responds to immigrants
and refugees, which may vary from time to time and place to place. Some places may demand or encourage immigrants
to become like the majority populations. Other places may welcome and encourage diversity and the preservation of
one’s heritage. Regardless, it is easy for an immigrant to feel social pressure to change the way they dress, the food they
eat, or the language they speak. When a person forsakes their languages, religion and/or cultural practices to adopt
those of their new country it is called assimilation.
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Controversy & Terminology
There is a great deal of controversy surrounding the topic of immigration. Among the subjects of debate is the term used
to refer to illegal immigrants. Below are two statements that illustrate both sides of this argument.
"The correct terminology for the nearly 20 million persons illegally in the U.S. is illegal aliens. The term
undocumented immigrants is purposely incorrect in order to sway the public in favor of special interest
groups and only clouds the reality of the situation... The term illegal alien is broader and more accurate
because it includes undocumented aliens and nonimmigrant visa overstayers. ...the term illegal alien,
being broader in scope, is the accurate term to use. In that immigrant connotes legality, the term illegal
immigrant is really an oxymoron."
IllegalAliens.us
"Calling an Illegal Alien an Undocumented Immigrant Is Like Calling a Burglar an Uninvited House Guest," illegalaliens.us
Last updated on: 10/19/2011 3:31:55 PM PST
"The National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) is concerned with the increasing use of pejorative
terms to describe the estimated 11 million undocumented people living in the United States. NAHJ is
particularly troubled with the growing trend of the news media to use the word 'illegals' as a noun,
shorthand for 'illegal aliens.' Using the word in this way is grammatically incorrect and crosses the line by
criminalizing the person, not the action they are purported to have committed. NAHJ calls on the media
to never use 'illegals' in headlines... [and] to avoid 'Illegal alien.' Alternative terms are 'undocumented
worker' or 'undocumented immigrant.'"
National Association of Hispanic Journalists
"NAHJ Urges News Media to Stop Using Dehumanizing Terms When Covering Immigration," nahj.org
Last updated on: 12/6/2007 10:41:00 AM PST
Throughout this guide, the term “illegal immigrant” is used to refer to a person living in a country without that country’s
permission to do so*. It should be pointed out that those who are sympathetic to illegal immigrants prefer the use of the
term “undocumented immigrant” and those who are opposed advocate the use of the term “illegal alien.”
Resource Articles on Current Immigration Issues
The articles provided are an additional tool for the classroom discussing the controversy of the term “illegal immigrant”.
They may be used as a catalyst for writing assignments, class discussions, or debates. One good strategy is to have
students highlight or circle words or phrases they do not understand or question as they read. Another strategy is to
have students read the articles and then summarize, making sure to convey the main idea, as well as the author’s bias
and the article’s purpose.
Analysis: Why the Debate over 'Illegal' Matters
Cristina Costantini. ABC News: Univision. April 4, 2013.
http://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/Opinion/analysis-debate-illegal-matters/story?id=18871400
‘Illegal immigrant’ no more
Paul Colford. The Definitive Source: A look inside the world’s most trusted news organization. AP.
http://blog.ap.org/2013/04/02/illegal-immigrant-no-more/
*Please note that this term is chosen for the sake of consistency and to keep with the language common to the TEKS and other literature used in primary and
secondary education. It does not reflect UTSA’s or the ITC’s position on immigration or the use of this term. We understand the evolution of language as it
corresponds to culture and highly recommend incorporating discussions on this issue of terminology into your class discussions. For more on the controversy
surrounding the use of the term, please see the articles in the resources section.
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Name: _________________________________________
Date: ______________
Discussion Questions Handout
Directions: Use the “The Study of Immigration” text to answer the questions below. Be prepared to discuss
your answers with the class.
1. What are some ways to tell if a person has assimilated, or fit into, American society? Why and how do these
things show they are fitting in?
2. Why is there controversy surrounding the terms used for immigrants? What are the two opposing viewpoints?
Directions: Read the definition below and answer the questions. Be prepared to discuss your answers with the
class.
One definition of a refugee is a person who flees their country because of persecution for reasons of race, religion,
nationality, political opinion, or social affiliation, and who are unable to gain the protection of their country.
3. What are some examples of refugee groups that illustrate parts of this definition?
4. Think about the definition. What could be the possible push and pull factors that act upon refugees?
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Name: _________________________________________
Date: ______________
Packing Luggage Activity
Often times when people migrate to another location they are only able to take a few items with them. Some people
took food, clothing or a family heirloom. Children may carry their favorite toy along with a few clothing items. If you
were forced to migrate and you were only allowed to take TWO items with you, what would you take?
Directions: Describe and draw the 2 items that you would take with you on your journey to a new home. In your
description, explain why you would choose each item.
1._________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
2. __________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
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Additional Resources
Library of Congress Teacher’s site on Immigration,
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/immigration
Scholastic Immigration Education website,
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration
The Smithsonian’s History Explorer with lessons, media and other resources,
http://historyexplorer.si.edu/themes/theme/?key=2
References
British Council/BBC. OPENCities. “Why do people migrate?” Accessed March 4, 2013.
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/lesson-plans/opencities-%E2%80%93-lesson-2-why-do-people-migrate.
The Canadian Council for Geographic Education (CCGE). “Why Do People Migrate?” Accessed February 4, 2013.
http://www.ccge.org/resources/learning_centre/matrix.asp?currentPage=5&range=1.
Hemispheres, the International Outreach Consortium at the University of Texas at Austin. “Understanding Migration:
Curriculum Resources for the Classroom.” Revised Edition. December 2011.
http://www.utexas.edu/cola/orgs/hemispheres/curriculum/migration.php.
Immigration Policy Center. “How the United States Immigration System Works: A Fact Sheet.” Last modified November
4, 2012. http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/how-united-states-immigration-system-works-fact-sheet.
Knott, Kim. “Moving People Changing Places.” Copyright 2011. MovingPeopleChangingPlaces.org.
http://www.movingpeoplechangingplaces.org.
National Geographic. “Migration: Why People Move.” Accessed February 5, 2013.
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/archive/xpeditions/lessons/09/g68/tgmigration.html? ar_a=1.
The UN Refugee Agency’s United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. uncr.org. “Why do people move to another
country?” Last modified March 9, 2007. http://www.unhcr.org/45efe7852.html.
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Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)
§113.18. Social Studies, Grade 6, Beginning with School Year 2011-2012.
(15) Culture. The student understands the similarities and differences within and among cultures in various world societies. The
student is expected to: (C) define a multicultural society and consider both the positive and negative qualities of multiculturalism;
(22) Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to: (A) use social
studies terminology correctly; (B) incorporate main and supporting ideas in verbal and written communication based on research;
(E) use standard grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation; and
§113.19. Social Studies, Grade 7, Beginning with School Year 2011-2012.
(21) Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired through established
research methodologies from a variety of valid sources, including electronic technology. The student is expected to: (D) identify
points of view from the historical context surrounding an event and the frame of reference that influenced the participants;
(F) identify bias in written, oral, and visual material;
(22) Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to: (A) use social
studies terminology correctly; (B) use standard grammar, spelling, sentence structure, punctuation, and proper citation of sources;
(C) transfer information from one medium to another, including written to visual and statistical to written or visual, using computer
software as appropriate;
§113.20. Social Studies, Grade 8, Beginning with School Year 2011-2012.
(23) Culture. The student understands the relationships between and among people from various groups, including racial, ethnic,
and religious groups, during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. The student is expected to :( A) identify selected racial, ethnic, and
religious groups that settled in the United States and explain their reasons for immigration;
(29) Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired through established
research methodologies from a variety of valid sources, including electronic technology. The student is expected to: (B) analyze
information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusions; (F) identify bias in written, oral, and
visual material;
(30) Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to:
(A) use social studies terminology correctly; (B) use standard grammar, spelling, sentence structure, punctuation, and proper
citation of sources; (C) transfer information from one medium to another, including written to visual and statistical to written or
visual, using computer software as appropriate;
§113.43. World Geography Studies, Beginning with School Year 2011-2012.
(7) Geography. The student understands the growth, distribution, movement, and characteristics of world population. The student
is expected to: (B) explain how political, economic, social, and environmental push and pull factors and physical geography affect
the routes and flows of human migration;
(18) Culture. The student understands the ways in which cultures change and maintain continuity. The student is expected to:
(A) analyze cultural changes in specific regions caused by migration, war, trade, innovations, and diffusion; (B) assess causes, effects,
and perceptions of conflicts between groups of people, including modern genocides and terrorism.
§113.42. World History Studies, Beginning with School Year 2011-2012.
(29) Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of valid
sources, including electronic technology. The student is expected to: (E) identify bias in written, oral, and visual material;
(30) Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to:
(A) use social studies terminology correctly; (B) use standard grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation; (C) interpret
and create written, oral, and visual presentations of social studies information;
§113.41. United States History Studies Since 1877, Beginning with School Year 2011-2012.
6) History. The student understands significant events, social issues, and individuals of the 1920s. The student is expected to:
(A) analyze causes and effects of events and social issues such as immigration, Social Darwinism, eugenics, race relations, nativism,
the Red Scare, Prohibition, and the changing role of women;
(26) Culture. The student understands how people from various groups contribute to our national identity. The student is expected
to: (C) explain how the contributions of people of various racial, ethnic, gender, and religious groups shape American culture
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§113.44. United States Government (One-Half Credit), Beginning with School Year 2011-2012.
(20) Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of valid
sources, including electronic technology. The student is expected to: (D) analyze and evaluate the validity of information, arguments,
and counterarguments from primary and secondary sources for bias, propaganda, point of view, and frame of reference;
(21) Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to: (A) use social
studies terminology correctly; (B) use standard grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation; (C) transfer information
from one medium to another, including written to visual and statistical to written or visual, using computer software as appropriate;
§110.18. English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 6, Beginning with School Year 2009-2010.
(9) Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Culture and History. Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions
about the author's purpose in cultural, historical, and contemporary contexts and provide evidence from the text to support their
understanding. Students are expected to compare and contrast the stated or implied purposes of different authors writing on the
same topic.
(10) Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Expository Text. Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about
expository text and provide evidence from text to support their understanding. Students are expected to: (A) summarize the main
ideas and supporting details in text, demonstrating an understanding that a summary does not include opinions;
(28) Listening and Speaking/Teamwork. Students work productively with others in teams. Students will continue to apply earlier
standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to participate in student-led discussions by eliciting and considering
suggestions from other group members and by identifying points of agreement and disagreement.
§110.19. English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 7, Beginning with School Year 2009-2010.
(11) Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Persuasive Text. Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about
persuasive text and provide evidence from text to support their analysis. Students are expected to: (A) analyze the structure of the
central argument in contemporary policy speeches (e.g., argument by cause and effect, analogy, authority) and identify the different
types of evidence used to support the argument;
§110.20. English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 8, Beginning with School Year 2009-2010.
(11) Comprehension of Informational Text/Persuasive Text. Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about
persuasive text and provide evidence from text to support their analysis. Students are expected to: (A) compare and contrast
persuasive texts that reached different conclusions about the same issue and explain how the authors reached their conclusions
through analyzing the evidence each presents;
§110.31. English Language Arts and Reading, English I, Beginning with School Year 2009-2010.
(10) Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Persuasive Text. Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about
persuasive text and provide evidence from text to support their analysis. Students are expected to: (A) analyze the relevance,
quality, and credibility of evidence given to support or oppose an argument for a specific audience;
§110.32. English Language Arts and Reading, English II, Beginning with School Year 2009-2010.
(10) Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Persuasive Text. Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about
persuasive text and provide evidence from text to support their analysis. Students are expected to: (A) explain shifts in perspective
in arguments about the same topic and evaluate the accuracy of the evidence used to support the different viewpoints within those
arguments;
§110.33. English Language Arts and Reading, English III, Beginning with School Year 2009-2010.
(10) Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Persuasive Text. Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about
persuasive text and provide evidence from text to support their analysis. Students are expected to: (A) evaluate how the author's
purpose and stated or perceived audience affect the tone of persuasive texts;
§110.34. English Language Arts and Reading, English IV, Beginning with School Year 2009-2010.
(10) Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Persuasive Text. Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about
persuasive text & provide evidence from text to support their analysis. Students are expected to: (A) evaluate the merits of an
argument, action, or policy by analyzing the relationships (e.g., implication, necessity, sufficiency) among evidence, inferences,
assumptions, and claims in text; and (B) draw conclusions about the credibility of persuasive text by examining its implicit and
stated assumptions about an issue as conveyed by the specific use of language.
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