Intel Unit Plan: Coming to America
First and Last Name: Elizabeth Joyce
School District: Rockingham County Schools
School Name: Morehead High School
School City, State: Eden, NC
Unit Overview
Unit Title
Coming to America
Unit Summary
Many immigrants view America as the land of opportunity. The American Dream presents
them with options immigrants may not have had in their home countries. However, language,
education, and culture can impede immigrants’ success.
Students will become involved with literary texts as evidence to support their interpretation or
viewpoint of what it means to be an American. Students will also learn the grounds for writing
a literary research paper by developing a critical response that takes into account multiple
texts representing a range of perspectives. By taking a position in a formal essay, students
will develop a clear and logical thesis. Discussion questions will promote deep thinking about
issues and controversies originating from the content and the curriculum. By reading different
texts, students will have a better understanding and appreciation of the subject, texts, and
social relevance and how society is still impacted today by the immigrant experience. For
a final product, students will create a TV talk show - “Coming to America” - that discusses
issues such as what it means to be an American, living the American Dream, being a part
of “the melting pot,” etc.
Subject Area: English
Grade Level: 10
Approximate Time Needed: 2 weeks
Unit Foundation
Targeted Content Standards and Benchmarks
Common Core State Standards
Reading: Literature
Key Ideas and Details
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RL.9-10.1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL.9-10.2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its
development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and
refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
RL.9-10.3. Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting
motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance
the plot or develop the theme.
Craft and Structure
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.
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RL.9-10.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text,
including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific
word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and
place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).
RL.9-10.5. Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order
events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create
such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
RL.9-10.6. Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of
literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
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RL.9-10.7. Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different
artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each treatment (e.g.,
Auden’s “Musée des Beaux Arts” and Breughel’s Landscape with the Fall of Icarus).
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
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RL.9-10.10. By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend literature, including
stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the grades 9–10 text complexity band
independently and proficiently.
Reading: Informational Texts:
Key Ideas and Details
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RI.9-10.1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text
.
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says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RI.9-10.2. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course
of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide
an objective summary of the text.
RI.9-10.3. Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events,
including the order in which the points are made, how they are introduced and developed,
and the connections that are drawn between them.
Craft and Structure
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.
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RI.9-10.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text,
including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact
of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court opinion
differs from that of a newspaper).
RI.9-10.5. Analyze in detail how an author’s ideas or claims are developed and refined by
particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of a text (e.g., a section or chapter).
RI.9-10.6. Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an
author uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
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RI.9-10.7. Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a
person’s life story in both print and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized
in each account.
RI.9-10.8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing
whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false
statements and fallacious reasoning.
RI.9-10.9. Analyze seminal U.S. documents of historical and literary significance (e.g.,
Washington’s Farewell Address, the Gettysburg Address, Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms
speech, King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”), including how they address related themes
and concepts.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
.
RI.9-10.10. By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend literature, including
stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the grades 9–10 text complexity band
independently and proficiently.
Text Types and Purposes
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W.9-10.1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts,
using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
. Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims,
and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s),
counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing
out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s
knowledge level and concerns.
. Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create
cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between
reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.
. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms
and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument
presented.
W.9-10.2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas,
concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection,
organization, and analysis of content.
. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make
important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics
(e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions,
concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the
audience’s knowledge of the topic.
. Use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the text, create
cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts.
. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of
. the topic.
. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms
and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the
information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance
of the topic).
.
.
Text Types and Purposes (continued)
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W.9-10.3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
. Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation,
establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or
characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events.
. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and
multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
. Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to
create a coherent whole.
. Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a
. vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters.
.
Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed,
or resolved over the course of the narrative.
Production and Distribution of Writing
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W.9-10.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization,
and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for
writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)
W.9-10.5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing,
rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a
specific purpose and audience.
W.9-10.6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update
individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to
other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
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W.9-10.7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a
question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden
the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating
understanding of the subject under investigation.
W.9-10.8. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources,
using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering
the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of
ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
W.9-10.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Analyze how an author
. draws on and transforms source material in a specific work [e.g., how Shakespeare
treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by
Shakespeare]”).
. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and
evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning
is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and
fallacious reasoning”).
Range of Writing
.
W.9-10.10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and
revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks,
purposes, and audiences.
The CCR anchor standards and high school grade-specific standards work in tandem to
define college and career readiness expectations—the former providing broad standards, the
latter providing additional specificity.
Comprehension and Collaboration
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SL.9-10.1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (oneon-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts,
and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
. Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study;
explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other
research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of
ideas.
. Work with peers to set rules for collegial discussions and decision-making (e.g.,
informal consensus, taking votes on key issues, presentation of alternate views),
. clear goals and deadlines, and individual roles as needed.
. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current
discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the
discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions.
. Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of agreement
and disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views and
understanding and make new connections in light of the evidence and reasoning
presented.
SL.9-10.2. Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats
(e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source.
SL.9-10.3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and
rhetoric, identifying any fallacious reasoning or exaggerated or distorted evidence.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
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SL.9-10.4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely,
and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization,
development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.
SL.9-10.5. Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and
interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning,
and evidence and to add interest.
SL.9-10.6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of
formal English when indicated or appropriate.
Conventions of Standard English
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L.9-10.1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and
usage when writing or speaking.
. Use parallel structure.*
. Use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial,
prepositional, absolute) and clauses (independent, dependent; noun, relative,
adverbial) to convey specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing or
presentations.
.
L.9-10.2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing.
. Use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or more closely
. related independent clauses.
. Use a colon to introduce a list or quotation.
. Spell correctly.
Knowledge of Language
.
L.9-10.3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different
contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully
when reading or listening.
. Write and edit work so that it conforms to the guidelines in a style manual (e.g., MLA
Handbook, Turabian’s Manual for Writers) appropriate for the discipline and writing
type.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
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.
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L.9-10.4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and
phrases based on grades 9–10 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of
strategies.
. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s
position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
. Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or
parts of speech (e.g., analyze, analysis, analytical; advocate, advocacy).
. Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries,
thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or
clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, or its etymology.
. Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by
checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).
L.9-10.5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and
nuances in word meanings.
. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., euphemism, oxymoron) in context and analyze their
role in the text.
. Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations.
L.9-10.6. Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and
phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career
readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when
considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
Student Objectives/Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Understand the social, economic, and political events that led immigrants to come to
America.
● Analyze and assess the causes and effects of immigration in America.
● Analyze the actions and contributions of immigrants in order to identify their impact on
American cultural life that is still relevant today.
● Conduct research on immigration and develop a thesis statement.
● Gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources to create a TV talk
show about the impact immigrants have had on America.
● Use a variety of electronic and print resources to gather and synthesize information
and to create and communicate knowledge to a specific audience.
● Generate a thesis statement and produce a position paper using multiple texts as
evidence.
● Correct errors in written English by avoiding fragments, run-ons, and comma splices,
selecting correct subject-verb agreement, consistent verb tense, and appropriate
verbs, using and placing modifiers correctly, and editing for spelling and mechanics.
Curriculum Framing Questions
Essential Questions
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What does it mean to be an American?
What is the American Dream?
How does the American Dream apply to your future?
Unit Questions
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What circumstances or choices have brought people to
America?
How has the concept of being an American changed over
time?
What makes a person feel that he or she belongs in
America?
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Content Questions
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Assessment Plan
Assessment Timeline
In the poem, “The New Colossus,” how does the “Mother
of Exiles’” embrace of the oppressed contribute to the
American idea of a “melting pot”?
How does Hine’s “Playground in Tenement Alley, Boston”
reflect the vision in “The New Colossus”?
Why is the title of the poem, “Let America Be America
Again,” significant?
What is xenophobia?
Before project work begins
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Students work on projects and complete
tasks
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After project work is completed
Assessment Summary
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Accessing prior knowledge
Read/view articles, poems texts, and
images
Think-Pair-Share in Google Docs
Discussions in Canvas
Sticky notes for discussion (Linoit)
Benchmarks for completion of targets
Peer Editing Checklist
Teacher conference
Written response
Create thesis statement
Write essay synthesizing text into a
position paper taking a stand on an
issue raised in the readings
Group Project: Talk Show - Coming
to America
Project Rubric
Oral Presentation Rubric
Peer Feedback Form
Presentation to the class
Student Reflection
Various assessment tools will lead students to critically discuss the texts and their
relationship to a real world issue--immigration. The assessment tools help to
spark discussion, monitor learning, and promote higher-order thinking.
The unit begins with background information on immigration and reading various texts that
discuss what it means to be American. Students will read the texts in Canvas and have
discussion as a class or in a discussion forum with their peers to discuss Americanization and
the American Dream. Students will collaborate by working with online tools such as Linoit,
Google Docs, and Canvas.
Once students have read the texts, benchmarks are set for how students will begin
research and create their group project - a TV talk show. As students create their TV show,
they will have several opportunities to conference with the teacher and their group members
to edit their production. Research skills will be assessed during teacher/student conferences
and suggestions will be made based on individual circumstances.
After the TV show has been completed, groups will present their production in front of their
peers and will receive feedback from their peers. Once the TV show has been
reviewed and feedback provided by the teacher and peers, students will begin their individual
research paper based on their readings and evidence collected for the group project.
Students will learn how to generate a thesis statement, take a position on a topic, and use
evidence to prove their point. These culminating activities will be a reflection component that
will allow students to express the impact of the readings, collaboration, research, and use of
Web 2.0 tools on their learning.
Unit Details
Prerequisite Skills
Student should have familiarity with:
● Digital and video cameras
● Multimedia presentations
● Basic research
● Internet
● Computer skills
● Project management
● Microsoft Office
● Google Docs
Instructional Procedures
Day 1:
In order to begin the lesson, the teacher will post a discussion in Canvas in order to determine
prior knowledge. Students will answer the following questions and respond to two of their
classmates’ postings.
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What does it mean to be an American?
Why do people immigrate to America?
Discuss how jobs and income influence a person’s decision to immigrate.
What does America seem to provide immigrants with regard to career and financial
opportunity?
Does America meet immigrants’ expectations in this regard? If yes, in what ways? If
no, where does it fall short?
What types of jobs do the majority of immigrants tend to get?
The teacher will provide students a copy of the sonnet, “The New Colossus” by Emma
Lazarus. The teacher will discuss the poem, the poet, and how “The New Colossus” is a
part of the Statue of Liberty in 1903. Students will read the poem and discuss as a class the
symbolism, the allusions, the figurative language, the diction, the imagery, etc.
Talking points for “The New Colossus”:
● Reference to the Colossus of Rhodes
● Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
● Helios, sun god
● “Mother of Exiles”
After discussion of the poem and several readings, the teacher will show the Lewis W. Hine’s
photograph entitled, “Playground in Tenement Alley.” The teacher will have the students
post to a discussion forum (Canvas) asking the students to tell what is significant about
the photograph. After students have posted their responses, the class will discuss their
interpretations.
Talking points for the photograph:
● The children and their actions
● Absence of adults
● Buildings - protections, shelter or confinement, crowding
● Scene - promising or pessimistic
Day 2:
The students will read Langston Hughes’ poem, “Let America Be America Again.” The
teacher will provide background knowledge about Hughes and his prominence in the 1920s.
The poem is influenced by Walt Whitman’s “I Hear America Singing,” but Hughes offers a
different viewpoint. The teacher will define anaphora - the repetition of the initial word or
words throughout the poem - and point out examples for students. Using Linoit, students will
post a sticky note answering the question - What is the significance of “Again” in the title of
the poem? After students have posted their responses, students will work with a partner in a
Google Doc that will be submitted as an assignment answering the following questions:
● What is a paradox?
● What is the central paradox in the poem? (lines 62-63)
● How does this poem connect with Hine’s photograph?
● Does the poem confirm your interpretation of the photograph, conflict with it, or
perhaps add another dimension to how you think about it? Explain.
Day 3:
The teacher will have the students read Okita and Mora’s poems. The teacher will provide
background information on the poets, their message, and the Japanese internment camps
during World War II. The teacher will ask the students the following:
● Why do you think Okita wrote the poem as a letter?
● What is the significance of the tomato seeds?
● Why is the speaker telling her story to the men relocating her?
● Why does the speaker avoid an angry or bitter tone?
The teacher will point out the different experiences of being an American - the divide between
the desire to belong and the reality. Students will read Mora’s poem, “Immigrants.” The
teacher will have students make references to the American popular culture. The teacher will
have the students answer the following questions in a discussion forum (Canvas):
● How do you interpret the final four lines of the poem?
● What is “that dark / parent fear”?
● Who are “they”?
● Are the parents apprehensive? bitter? hopeful? intimidated? Explain.
Students will watch a video clip about Japanese Internment Camps. Students will submit their
answers in Canvas to the following question:
● Citizens show allegiance to their country, but is their country required to do the same?
After reading Okita and Mora’s poem and viewing the short documentary, students will
complete the following assignment in Canvas using a Google Doc:
Assume the voice of the speaker in Okita’s poem when she is ten years older, and write a
brief letter giving the parents in “Immigrants” advice on raising a child in America. Consider
whether she [older Okita] would approve of their efforts to “Americanize” their children.
Day 4:
Students will read an excerpt from The Joy Luck Club. The teacher will provide background
information on the author and the novel. This short story, “Two Kinds,” shows the tension
between two different cultures and two different generations. When students finish reading
the text, they should work with a partner answering the following questions in Canvas:
● What American values do Jing-mei and her mother share?
● In what ways do you see Jing-mei holding on to her Chinese heritage?
● How does the ending of the story inform your understanding of Jing-mei?
● How does the story complicate Lazarus’ idea of a “golden door” that immigrants walk
through?
Day 5:
Students will read the poem “The Latin Deli” by Judith Ortiz Cofer. The teacher will provide
background information on the poet and the Puerto Rican community in New York. The class
will read the poem and discuss the images, sights, sounds, and smells experienced by the
vivid descriptions from the poem.
Talking points:
● the woman’s role in the deli
● role of the community
● compare “Patroness of Exiles” to “Mother of Exiles”
● sense of nostalgia
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religious allusions
language
psychological cost of immigration
Students will read “Two Ways to Belong in America,” an autobiographical essay by Bharati
Mukherjee. Mukherjee immigrated to the United States from India in 1961. In her essay, she
contrasts her choice to become an American citizen with her sister’s decision to live and work
as a legal immigrant, while retaining her Indian citizenship.
Begin Group Project
Students will form groups (4 per group) and work on creating a TV talk show - Coming to
America. Students will be given the following directions:
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Imagine that you have been asked to host a talk show on the topic of "Coming to
America." Begin by setting the stage with a few comments on the topic. Then
introduce your guests - the authors from the text and other significant people - to your
audience. Be sure to give the names and titles of the speakers, and provide a little
background on each before summarizing the main argument each will contribute to the
discussion.
● Next, write the transcript for your imaginary show. As host, you should use questions
to guide the conversation. Call on guests who might have something interesting to say
in response to your questions or who might disagree with what another guest said.
● Students will present their TV show to the class and give background on how they
completed the project.
● The class will complete a peer review for each group in order to provide feedback.
**Podcasts can be made in place of video.
Day 6:
Begin Research Paper
Students will synthesize some of the texts from this unit into a position paper taking a stand
on one or more of the issues the texts raise and using the texts themselves as evidence.
Students will complete a graphic organizer responding to the texts covered in the unit.
Students will start to develop a thesis statement and need to know that their thesis statements
need to be clear and focused. Students will want to craft a thesis that acknowledges the
complexity of the works and the subject. Students will use contrasting words in their thesis
statements, such as although, but, yet, despite, regardless, and however, to show that they
recognize the complexity of the issue.
Students will need to ask themselves the following questions to develop their own thesis
statements:
● Is the thesis clearly stated and focused?
● Does it present an opinion or viewpoint rather than a summary?
● Does it imply an organizational structure for the essay?
● Is it broad enough to include several of the texts in question?
● Does it acknowledge the complexity of the issues, or does it ignore evidence to the
contrary?
With a partner, students will open a Google Doc and explain the strength or weakness of
each of the thesis statements provided. After the students complete this task and review the
answers with the teacher, the teacher will showcase Thesis Generator. The teacher along
with the class will generate an example of a thesis. Students will then use this tool in order to
generate their own thesis statements.
Day 7:
Students will learn about text-by-text organization and idea-by-idea organization by
developing well-constructed paragraphs. In text-by-text organization each paragraph of the
essay deals with a single piece [text] and discusses how it relates to the thesis.
Example:
Despite Emma Lazarus' hopeful view of America as a place willing to take anyone in,
immigrants to America face obstacles both in mainstream society and within their own cultural
groups.
Students could structure the developmental paragraphs like this:
Paragraph
Topic Sentence
I.
"The New Colossus" expresses the dream of America as a place that
welcomes those who are exiled from their original homeland.
II.
Langston Hughes argues that America has never been a place
where everyone has had an equal chance to pursue life, liberty, or
happiness.
III.
In "The Latin Deli," Judith Ortiz Cofer conveys the longing for home
of those who feel displacement and alienation in America.
IV.
In "Two Kinds," Amy Tan shows that immigrants' conflicts are often
within their own families.
This outline shows a solid step toward a clearly organized essay. Each paragraph focuses
on a specific text. The question for students is: How do you pull everything together in the
concluding paragraph to show how these texts support the main point? Students do not want
to summarize. They need to use the texts to make their point.
In idea-by-idea organization each paragraph centers around an argument and uses several
texts as evidence.
Example:
Despite Emma Lazarus' hopeful view of America as a place willing to take anyone in,
immigrants to America face obstacles both in mainstream society and within their own cultural
groups.
Paragraph
Topic Sentence
I.
America promises unlimited possibility and freedom for those willing
to embrace hard work and optimism.
II
The reality for many is giving up their own culture, even their
language, as they attempt to fit in.
III.
Even those who embrace the promise of America face exclusion
as they try to assimilate into mainstream American culture while
attempting to preserve their cultural heritage.
IV.
Immigrants face the challenge of conflicts within their own families
when there are different interpretations of what it means to be an
American.
No specific text is identified. The paragraphs are based on ideas, which one or more of the
texts can be used to develop and support. Students should know that one text may support
more than one point.
Next, students will choose one of the following topic sentences and write a well-developed
paragraph that could be part of their essay. Students will use paraphrases and quotes that
are carefully chosen from two of the texts read from this unit.
1. Those who stand outside of the mainstream because of their appearance or language
often find themselves barred from passing through the "golden door" of America's promise.
2. Financial security, even wealth, may be the dream for those who hope to belong to
America, but too often poverty and struggle are the reality.
The teacher will review the proper method for integrating quotations into an essay. The
teacher should review the following:
● Choose brief quotations rather than long block quotations.
● Use a clause to introduce a quotation.
● Use a full sentence to introduce a quotation.
● Integrate a quotation into your own sentence.
● Introduce the author using relevant information.
● Identify the source of the quotation.
Days 8-10:
Complete Individual Project
Once students have had practice with identifying thesis statements, generating a thesis, and
developing paragraphs, students will begin writing their argumentative paper using the texts
covered in the Coming to America unit. Students will draft their papers and have reviews from
their peers and at least one teacher conference before submitting the final paper.
Accommodations for Differentiated Instruction
Special Needs Students
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Non-Native Speakers
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Gifted/Talented Students
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Supply visual guides and graphic organizers
Break activities into manageable sections, and
record tasks on a timeline or calendar
Provide extra time to complete assignments
Supply an audio version of the text, allow read
aloud and paired or partner reading
Group the student with more capable learners
Leveled texts to provide options for groups of
struggling readers
Provide cloze notes (partial notes) or support
materials
Modify assignments
Provide copies of the text in the student’s first
language
Provide cloze notes (partial notes)
Visual representations
Scaffold learning goals/support
Audio versions of the text
Leveled texts
Encourage the student to create supplemental
assignments or extensions
Provide technologies that offer advanced features
Materials and Resources Required for Unit
Technology
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Chromebooks
Canvas
Printed Materials
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Copy of the texts
Supplies
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Sticky notes
Highlighters/markers
Internet Resources
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Google Docs
Linoit (online sticky notes)
○ www.linoit.com
Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)
○ http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/545/1/
The Center for Teaching and Learning at UIS
○ http://www.uis.edu/ctl/writing/PrewriteandThesisStatements.pdf.pdf
Thesis Generator
○ http://www.mpcfaculty.net/molly_may/thesis_generator.html
Other Resources
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CD/tape player