Jeff+Spisak

By **Jeff Spisak** **Grades**: 11-12
 * Unit Title**: Understanding Immigration with //How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents// by Julia Alvarez
 * Time needed**: Five fifty minute days and ten thirty minute days.

This assignment will consist of reading //How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents// by Julia Alvarez along with internet research in order to help students better understand the aspects of modern immigration. These aspects include who, why, and how people immigrate to the U.S. This coming to age story incorporates problems and situations that students are dealing with or will have to deal with in the future. It also exposes students to situations they may never have to deal with but should be aware of.
 * Unit Overview**:

This unit will teach students that immigration is not a thing of the past but an ever changing entity. In order to better understand and connect with peers from different countries and cultures students must learn what immigrants have to go through to come to the U.S. Not only is this lesson made to enlighten students of immigrant’s lives, but it is meant to give immigrant students something to connect to as well. To often immigrant students have no interest in traditional English literature. That is because they have no cultural connection with it. By introducing aspects of immigrant culture into the classroom you are enabling immigrant students to become involved in the class.
 * Theory to Practice**:

· Give students understanding of how other cultures are different from America’s · Teach students the hardships of immigration to give them understanding and sympathy towards immigrants · Engage student’s interest in reading through a book that connect with them along with internet resources that relate their interests to the real world
 * Student Objective**:


 * Michigan** **Content Expectations**: 1.1.1 – 1.1.8

Students will need //How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents// by Julia Alvarez, internet access, computer access for word processing, and a notebook and writing utensil for journal writing. Need two days with access to internet for research. Computer access would also be helpful so students can work on their final papers in class if time provides. Read //How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents// by Julia Alvarez and research modern U.S. immigration before the start of the lesson. __Each day__ you will need to dedicate __15 minutes to a whole class discussion__ on the chapters that were read for homework and __15 minutes for journal writing__. Have students start by reading the first two chapters for the first Monday, followed by reading one chapter a day and two on the weekends.
 * Instructional Plan Components**:
 * ** Resources **
 * ** Teacher Preparation **
 * ** Detailed Lesson Plans **

Week 1: Read first third of the book Day 1: Research modern immigration in the U.S. on the internet. Write a journal response. Day 2: Day 3: Day 4: Day 5: Week 2: Read second third of the book Day 1: Research modern immigration policy in the U.S. on the internet. Write a journal response. Day 2: Day 3: Day 4: Day 5: Week 3: Read last third of the book Day 1: Day 2: Day 3: 1st draft of journal compilation due. Give class time for self edit. Day 4: 2nd draft due. Give class time for peer edit Day 5: Final draft due. Have students share their experiences and idea or read their papers.

Journals Throughout these next three weeks you will be reasonable to keep a journal that documents what you have learned about immigration. Entries have no length requirements but you will need to use them for our final project. So make sure you’re keeping up. I will be giving you topics to write on but feel free to use your own if you would like. What you will need everyday in class:
 * Assignment Sheet:**
 * Your journal
 * A writing utensil
 * Your book

**Pre-writing Activity:**

The following can be used as discussion questions for the whole class discussion or as journal writing topics.
 * How do you think you would feel if you were taken away from your friends and family and forced to move to a new country, learn a different language, and adjust to new cultural rules?
 * Have any of you had experiences like this? How did it make you feel?
 * What if you couldn't go back home because of disputes with the government?
 * What are the class dimensions of the Dominican society? How do the wealth live compared to their servants?
 * What are the different social roles for men and women in the novel?
 * What differences and conflicts exist between generations?
 * Who is Trujilio? How did he come to power? What role did the CIA and American government play in his rule?
 * This book recounts events that took place from 1956 to 1989. Do you think this time period played a role in how the sisters were treated in both the USA and Mexico? Are women still treated in this manner today?
 * Do you think the United States is a male dominated society? Why or why not?
 * How would you feel if you lived in a male dominated society like the Dominican Republic? How would your life change? What would you do differently on a daily basis?

Conduct your peer review in whatever way has suited you best in the past. Here our some question that could be included on your peer review sheet. What aspects of the book did they incorporate into their paper? What internet resources did they use? What was their personal opinion on immigration? Who/where did their professional opinions come from? What caught your attention most? Good and bad. What grade would you give this person if they made no revisions?
 * Peer Review:**

Take five or ten minutes during the days your class has computers and have them do one or two exercises on modal verbs from this website, [].
 * Grammar Mini-Lesson: **


 * Discussion Activity/Prompt**

Here our some themes that you can point out to your students. You can have them come up with support for them in whole class discussion or write about them in their journals.


 * Strengthening of family through adversity
 * Old world values vs. American values
 * Family life and assimilation (how it effects assimilation)
 * Dynamics of male vs. female relationships
 * Sexuality in different cultures


 * Student Self Reflection & Assessment rubric:**

Journal Compellation

Look back on your journal entries and compile a paper on everything you learned about immigration. Include reasons for immigrations; problems immigrants face; how they overcome these problems; positives and negatives of immigrating; how people view immigrants; how immigrants view natives and other immigrants; along with any other incites you might have on immigrants lives, lifestyles, and concerns. 4-5 pages in length.

30% - Uses knowledge gained from reading //How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents// by Julia Alvarez (site the book in your paper)

20% - Uses knowledge gained from internet resources (site websites in your paper)

10% - Includes personal opinions on immigration

10% - Includes professional opinions on immigration (site sources and persons)

10% - Includes all drafts and self and peer review sheets

20% - Meets length requirement and uses proper grammar, spelling, and formatting