Grades 9-12: How Does Immigration Shape the Nation’s Identity?
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Common Core Standards
Reading Informational Text
Grades 9-10
RI.9-10.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RI.9-10.2 Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
RI.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court opinion differs from that of a newspaper).
RI.9-10.6 Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an author uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose. RI.9-10.8 Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning.
Grades 11-12
RI.11-12.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
RI.11-12.2 Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis; provide an objective summary of the text.
RI.11-12.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).
RI.11-12.6 Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness or beauty of the text.
RI.11-12.8 Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority opinions and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy (e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses).
Writing
Grades 9-10
W.9-10.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
W.9-10.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above.)
W.9-10.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Grades 11-12
W.11-12.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
W.11-12.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above.)
W.11-12.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Speaking and Listening
Grades 9-10
SL.9-10.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
SL.9-10.2 Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source.
SL.9-10.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.
SL.9-10.5 Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.
Grades 11-12
SL.11-12.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
SL.11-12.2 Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.
SL.11-12.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks.
SL.11-12.5 Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.
Language
Grades 9-10
L.9-10.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 9-10 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
Grades 11-12
L.11-12.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 11-12 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
Literacy in History/Social Studies
Grades 9-10
RH.9-10.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.
RH.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social science.
RH.9-10.8 Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author's claims.
Grades 11-12
RH.11-12.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
RH.11-12.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including analyzing how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).
RH.11-12.8 Evaluate an author's premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with other information.
Description of Lesson
This Grades 9-12 lesson titled “How Does Immigration Shape the Nation’s Identity?”from Teaching Tolerance/A project of the Southern Poverty Law Center is targeted for use in a Social Studies or Reading/Language Arts classroom. In this lesson, students consider what it means to be an American. Using an opinion piece titled “American identity crisis? What’s an American Identity?” and several related videos as central texts, students: analyze how the changing demographics of the United States impact the American identity; reflect on important concepts from the central text; encourage thinking among peers about how the “face of America” is changing and what that means in their lives and for our nation. Lesson activities have students answer a series of text-dependent questions and debate their opinions. As a culminating task, using information from the article, the videos, and responses to text readings, students independently write a brief constructed response that answers the question: “How has immigration changed the American identity?” In addition, each student independently creates and shares with the class a video that reflects their interpretation of “the face of America.”
Cautions
Connecticut teachers should be cautioned that it is unclear if there is explicit instruction for many of the standards listed for the lesson; additional support for students who are ELL, have disabilities and or read or write below grade level may be needed. The instructional time required for the lesson is unclear. While Reading Informational Text Standards are listed in the curriculum document, Common Core Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies could be substituted if used solely in a social studies classroom. Because the topic aligns with the CT Social Studies C3 Frameworks Standards, these standards could also be added to the targeted standards listed above. For a direct link to this source, see below. The development of an aligned rubric to sufficiently interpret student performance for many of the standards listed is recommended. The article and videos included in the lesson, while still relevant, are somewhat dated and could be replaced with more current material readily available on the topic. Connecticut Elementary and Secondary Social Studies C3 Frameworks
Rationale for Selection
This lesson is a useful example of how to integrate literacy with history content. It provides students with a variety of authentic learning tasks that cultivate interest and engagement in reading and speaking about texts. The plan is designed to have students gain a deeper understanding of themselves within the larger society, identify common understanding among differing views, as well as develop speaking, listening, and analytical skills. The instructional plan uses technology and media to deepen learning and draw attention to evidence and texts as appropriate. It could be the kick-off lesson to a larger unit on immigration and ethnic identity. All materials needed for the lesson are included.