My students need 32 copies of "Chinese Immigrants in America: An Interactive History Adventure" to read together. In addition, I would like to provide other books in this series, also connected to the immigrant experience, for independent reading. These books include: "The California Gold Rush", "The Japanese American Internment", and "Westward Expansion".
What to do with a class who loves paperback adventure novels and hates history?!
I teach a classroom of thirty fourth grade students. We are fortunate to have a diverse population; linguistically (eight languages), ethnically (Chinese, African-American, Korean, Norwegian, Mexican, etc.), and economically. Nearly one-third of our class are themselves immigrants, and over half live with a relative who is an immigrant. Together they create a worldly bunch, respectful and curious about one anther's cultures and experiences.
Creating a curriculum which validates the experiences (both present and historical) of my students is a challenge. I would like to develop a unit on immigration which links literature, history, and math. We've got a field trip planned to the Angel Island immigration center for the end of the year, but where to start?
My students love "Choose Your Own Adventure" books, and I've just discovered a historically accurate series in which the experiences of different immigrant groups is chronicled. A perfect starting place!
My students will read "Chinese Immigrants in America : An Interactive History Adventure" in small groups, voting to determine the choices their characters will make. Once student interest is piqued, I'd like to have on hand copies of other books in this series to round out the experience for voracious readers.
These small group reading circles will supplement our Social Studies textbook and the resources available through Angel Island and its extensive database. My students will learn about history in a way that taps into their current interests and experiences, and connects them to a rich American history.
Please help my students, and students to come, explore history and literature in a way that is relevant to them. The adventure we'll embark on with our new books will be one my students will remember, and may prompt inquisitiveness and a sense of belonging that might otherwise fade away.
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