Mandala essays are complete and posted on the class website. They will be graded by the end of this week. Presentations will continue until Wednesday. If you have not posted your essay, make sure to post it by Wednesday, otherwise you will lose 20 points. Because the mandala essays turned out so well, we will post positive comments on each others essays and take the opportunity to congratulate each other on completing the assignment.
Our learning on immigration continues for about another week and a half. In exploring the essential question, "Why do people immigrate from one country to another" we have read a fictional story (Liberty by Julia Alvarez) and a nonfictional article (Different Like You by Jessica Hernandez). In "Liberty" we read about a family fleeing the Dominican Republic and escaping the brutal dictator Raphael Trujillo. In "Different Like You" we read about a young girl and her mother adjusting to their new life in the United States. The article reveals the struggles and challenges immigrants have to overcome in order to survive in a foreign country.
To assess our understanding and application of knowledge on the theme of immigration we answered four constructed response questions. Here are the questions along with some of your classmates answers.
1. How does Jessica change through her immigration experience? What textual support can you find for your answer?
"Jessica keeps everything bottled up inside because she didn't know what she wanted to say. She couldn't speak English correctly. Until middle school everything began to change. She was speaking English fluently so it was easier to communicate." ~Jasmine D.
"Jessica changed through her immigration experience by learning to speak English." ~Helen G.
"When she had barely came to the United States in her second grade class, they made fun of her. Then in high school it got easy and she made new friends." ~Amber L.
"Jessica has changed through her experience of being an immigrant by trying to learn a new language which is very hard for someone her age." ~Angela R.
2. Has this article changed your view on what it's like to be an immigrant? If so, how?
"It changed my view by helping me see what she has been through. I never knew how hard and frustrating it would be. I imagine just passing the border, but it's more than that." ~Jimena D.
"Yes because I used to think it's not hard to speak another language or to make friends." ~Patti L.
"An immigrant is a person who has to face challenges and has to adapt to their new environment and a new language." ~Steve C.
"This article has changed my view of what it's like to be an immigrant because all immigrants go through a lot of things, but in the inside they hide all their feelings." ~Gabriela V.
3. What struggles do Jessica and her mother face when they arrive in the United States? Which of these struggles do you consider the most difficult to overcome?
"A struggle Jessica and her mother face is the fear of being deported because they are not legal." ~Jendaya S.
"The struggle Jessica and her mom face is that they have to share a one bedroom apartment with strangers. Jessica and her mom couldn't trust their roommates." ~Billy F.
"The struggle they had was speaking the language. They were made fun of for speaking less of something." ~Muyleng T.
"Jessica and her mother had to stay at their house because they didn't want to get deported back to Morelia." ~Marilyn F.
4. How could your school and classmates make the transition easier for students immigrating to the United States?
"They could help them learn English. Also, become close friends with them." ~Arkeen T.
"The school and classmates could make it easier by helping them, and answering any questions they might have. Becoming their friends would also help, that way they wouldn't feel so alone." ~Alejandra R.
"I think that my school and classmates can help immigrant kids by talking to them and showing them how to do stuff." ~Gabriela R.
"Be there for them when they need a friend no matter what language they speak. Help them understand that it is possible to get friends and learn a new language." ~Mikayla W.
Finally, we started two new strategies to make the class run more effective. We started 80/20 which is where the teacher explains the task and then the students discuss the task to ensure that everybody understands the assignment. We also started using the iPad app Class Dojo to keep each other accountable during class.
Mr. J.
Stay Alert Stay Alive!