Immigrate: To enter and settle in a country or region to which
one is not native.
As recent immigrants from the country of Little Dalton to the country of Big Dalton you are being true to a significant aspect of life in the United States, often called a nation of immigrants. In fact, everyone in the United States has either been an immigrant or has ancestors who immigrated here. In this unit you will be exploring immigration in numerous ways.
- through your own personal experience as an immigrant from Little Dalton
- through immigrant family stories – your own and others
- through books, videos, activities, and field trips
- through projects
Most importantly, you will be reflecting on the whole immigrant experience always considering the following questions:
Why do people immigrate?
What was their journey like?
What were their initial impressions of the new country
How do they assimilate yet maintain what is important from their country of origin?
Immigration from Little Dalton to Big Dalton
Discussion: Why did you immigrate from the First Program to the Middle School?
Illustration: Create a personal map of your journey from Little Dalton to Big Dalton.
Everyone is an Immigrant
Read Alouds
The classroom is full of picture books about immigration. Your teacher may read some aloud and you can read more on your own!
Videos/DVDs
We will view and discuss a number of interesting videos and DVDs about immigration to the United States.
Field Trips
· Ellis Island
· Lower East Side Tenement Museum and Walking Tour
· Museum of Chinese in the Americas
Oral History Project