Multicultural America - Immigration

http://scout.wisc.edu/Projects/PastProjects/NH/96-03/96-03-14/0012.html

http://www.globalschoolnet.org/index.cfm

This website contains notes and information from teachers on issues to be explored and projects to be used when teaching about immigration to 8th grade students.

The way in which the subject is approached seems very well rounded and fairly in depth with a number of different areas related to immigration being explored. The overall purpose of the module is described as "providing students with an understanding of the important contributions made by various ethnic groups who immigrated to the United States". It is suggested that this be explored via different avenues such as why people emigrated from their homeland, what difficulties they faced and where they settled etc. The whole concept of immigration to the US seems to be taught fairly in depth, teaching not just the history but how it has affected modern America e.g the problems that are still experienced by immigrants and the cultural make up of the US. The students are also encouraged to look into their own family background and construct 'family trees' in an attempt to explore their own ethnic roots. An acknowledgement to the lack of ethnic diversity and immigrant populations in certain areas within the US is made, by suggesting working with schools that possibly have a different ethnic majority to your own. Overall the issue of immigration to the US is explored from a number of different angles. However the one thing that seems to have been omitted is modernday immigration and how this affects the US, with the focus instead being primarily on the effects of past immigration.