Introduction
I have designed a Unit based on Citizenship and Immigration in the united States. This unit fits into a 7th grade Social Studies curriculum. Within this unit students will explore questions like, What is the definition of citizenship? who can become a citizen? and What are the right and responsibilities of a citizen? This unit is important for the curriculum for a number of reasons. First, students are meeting the 7th grade MMSD social studies standards and the NCSS strands for social studies.
Within this unit students are studying current events relating to the current immigration reform. In the process of being informed individuals and analyzing media and it's messages students are learning about the US legislative process. Students are critically analyzing the reasons that people want immigration reform. Students have a historical lens for this since one of the lesson in the unit focuses on how citizenship has changed throughout American history. Students will make connections between naturalization laws and the historical context in which they appeared. Analyzing information within the context it is created is important for understanding and is a skill students are using in this unit. In one of the lessons we will be exploring the many different paths to citizenship. Students will take multiple perspectives by writing about the immigration process of different immigrant identities.
I realize that we have diverse students in our classroom with many different experiences so I have designed this unit with tact. I think this information is particularly important for the community that I created it for because of the diversity and large number of immigrants in the community. With that said I also realize that the community context can also make this a very sensitive topic. I will not be asking students to reveal their documentation status at any point during this unit. If students share personal experiences it will be completely voluntary and will not be required. When we are filling out our citizenship pyramids in Lesson 5 students can choose to write a different country of citizenship if that is their preference or even leave it blank if they are uncomfortable.
Students are also having an opportunity to reflect on what citizenship means for them personally. The final assessment for this unit will include a class project about classroom citizenship. Students will chart their own participation in the classroom and analyze what type of citizenship it is. Students will also collaborate to make changes in the classroom through democratic process. Each lesson individually also has it's own assessments as well.
This unit designed so that it can be self contained within the 5 lessons and the assessment however, there is plenty of room for additional lessons. More lessons could be included on the history of citizenship and on the current immigration reform. A lesson completely on the legislature could also be added. Additionally depending on the community context of this unit it would be wonderful for community members who have immigrated to come into the classroom and share their story. The final assessment project could also get very involved and students projects might require trips outside of school.
While developing this unit I found the 3 different types of citizenship: personally responsible, participatory, and justice oriented very helpful. I also used the reading that we did in class about social action. The reference to Spectacular Things happen along the Way and the citizenship project done in room 405 was helpful for me as I picked my assessment for this unit. I also used the pedagogical practices that we learned in class particularly those outline by Brian Gibbs in his guest lecture.
Within this unit students are studying current events relating to the current immigration reform. In the process of being informed individuals and analyzing media and it's messages students are learning about the US legislative process. Students are critically analyzing the reasons that people want immigration reform. Students have a historical lens for this since one of the lesson in the unit focuses on how citizenship has changed throughout American history. Students will make connections between naturalization laws and the historical context in which they appeared. Analyzing information within the context it is created is important for understanding and is a skill students are using in this unit. In one of the lessons we will be exploring the many different paths to citizenship. Students will take multiple perspectives by writing about the immigration process of different immigrant identities.
I realize that we have diverse students in our classroom with many different experiences so I have designed this unit with tact. I think this information is particularly important for the community that I created it for because of the diversity and large number of immigrants in the community. With that said I also realize that the community context can also make this a very sensitive topic. I will not be asking students to reveal their documentation status at any point during this unit. If students share personal experiences it will be completely voluntary and will not be required. When we are filling out our citizenship pyramids in Lesson 5 students can choose to write a different country of citizenship if that is their preference or even leave it blank if they are uncomfortable.
Students are also having an opportunity to reflect on what citizenship means for them personally. The final assessment for this unit will include a class project about classroom citizenship. Students will chart their own participation in the classroom and analyze what type of citizenship it is. Students will also collaborate to make changes in the classroom through democratic process. Each lesson individually also has it's own assessments as well.
This unit designed so that it can be self contained within the 5 lessons and the assessment however, there is plenty of room for additional lessons. More lessons could be included on the history of citizenship and on the current immigration reform. A lesson completely on the legislature could also be added. Additionally depending on the community context of this unit it would be wonderful for community members who have immigrated to come into the classroom and share their story. The final assessment project could also get very involved and students projects might require trips outside of school.
While developing this unit I found the 3 different types of citizenship: personally responsible, participatory, and justice oriented very helpful. I also used the reading that we did in class about social action. The reference to Spectacular Things happen along the Way and the citizenship project done in room 405 was helpful for me as I picked my assessment for this unit. I also used the pedagogical practices that we learned in class particularly those outline by Brian Gibbs in his guest lecture.