8th Grade Who Are Americans Lesson Plan

Topic: Immigration to the U.S. from the 1500's to the present

Objectives & Outcomes

• Understand the history of immigration to the U.S. from the 1500's to the present, including the motivations and benefits for immigrants and the U.S. as a country
• Explore current issues and debates around immigration today

Materials

• Textbook or other resource on the history of immigration to the U.S.
• Handouts with key concepts and vocabulary terms
• Computers or other devices with internet access for research and communication

Warm-up

• Ask students to brainstorm a list of countries that immigrants come to the U.S. from. Write the countries on the board.
• Ask students what they know about immigration to the U.S. and why people might want to come here.

Direct Instruction

• Begin by introducing the concept of immigration and the history of immigration to the U.S.
• Use the maps and images to show the routes that immigrants took to the U.S. and the reasons they came here.
• Discuss the laws and policies that have shaped immigration to the U.S., including the Chinese Exclusion Act, the Immigration Act of 1924, and the Refugee Act of 1980.
• Ask students to share any personal stories they have about immigration.

Guided Practice

• Divide the class into small groups and give each group a set of primary sources related to immigration to the U.S.
• Have the groups work together to analyze the sources and create a visual representation of the information they find, such as a chart or a timeline.
• Have each group present their visual representation to the class and discuss the information they found.

Independent Practice

• Have students choose one period of immigration to the U.S. (e.g. the Colonial era, the 19th century, etc.)
• Have them research the immigration patterns during their chosen period and write a brief report on their findings.
• Encourage students to use the primary sources provided to them during the guided practice as part of their research.

Closure

• Have students share their reports on immigration with the class.
• Facilitate a class discussion on the impact of immigration on the development of the U.S.
• Remind students of the importance of immigration to the present-day U.S. and the need to understand it better.

Assessment

• Evaluate students' reports on immigration and their participation in class discussions. Use this information to assess their understanding of the topic and their ability to present and discuss it.