Portfolio Project:

Immigration Nation

Each student is required to begin the portfolio with Choice A and conclude with Choice M. Individualize your portfolio by completing and including any threeof the additional requirements (Choices B-L), for a total of five sections in your portfolio. At least one of your options must be about the Dream Act and the lawmaking procedure used when trying to get a law passed. Your final project should be typed.

A. Prior Knowledge and Personal Goals

In a one-to-two page narrative, discuss your understanding, opinions, and beliefs about immigrationas it relates to the Constitution.

What are some laws that relate to immigration? (Both old and new) Through what means have you obtained this information? For example, are you an immigrant, do you know immigrants, or how have you or others been affected by immigration? Explain your response. What have you seen or heard about America’s immigration debates in the media? Conclude with your goals for this project.

B. Geography of Immigration

Using whatever creative materials you choose, create a 3-dimensional map of The United States showing major centers of immigration by country of origin. Be sure to include a map legend that would be clear to anyone studying the map. Although you will be turning in the 3-D map, include a one page description of your map in your portfolio.

C. Researching a Historical Topic in Depth.

Choose one of the following formal papers.

  1. The DREAM Act: What is it and why is it controversial? What are the major arguments for and against it? What kinds of people support it, and who is against it? Why? How would this potentially impact the United States positively and/or negatively? What is your position on the DREAM Act and why? What is the procedure to make this act a law?

D. Alternative Points of View: Making a Social Statement in a Song

Research a song about immigration. Make a copy of the song on a CD or as an MP3 file and make a copy of the lyrics to include in your portfolio. Write a 1-2 page paper analyzing the meaning of the song, its theme, and the "group" of Americans it best represents. Explain how the music fits into what you are learning in class and in your research about the controversy over immigration.

E. Alternative Points of View: Political Debates

Design and create a poster for a political rally that makes a political statement about immigration. Include appropriate symbols and/or terminology that portray a political point of view. Write a one-page explanation of your poster, and be prepared to discuss it.

F. Immigration from an Insider Perspective

(Group)

Conduct a 10-15 minute oral history interview with an immigrant. Use appropriate discretion when reporting the identity/status of immigrants. Ask about their experiences including why and how they or their family came to America and what they perceive to be the American Dream.

Also ask them how current laws/legislation have impacted their life. Record your interview by audio and/or video. Also include a one-to-two page summary including your personal reaction to the interview. Turn in the recording with your portfolio.

G. Political Cartoons: Humor as a Political Tool

Survey magazines, websites, and books to find political cartoons about the issue of immigration. Choose a cartoon to analyze, or draw an original cartoon. Include a one page written analysis of the major people, ideas, terms, or symbols being satirized in the cartoons. What is the cartoon's underlying message? Be sure to include a copy of the cartoon(s) in your portfolio.

H. Understanding through statistics(Group)

Choose one of the following:

  1. Select some relevant statistical aspect immigration to investigate. For example, compare statistics on immigration from different time periods, economic or political impacts of immigration today, different sources and/or destinations of immigration, potential impacts of the DREAM Act, etc. Create and include some type of graph or chart in your analysis.
  2. Conduct an opinion poll on a specific aspect of immigration. Try to collect a representative sample of your community. Analyze the data and present it in some graphic form.
  3. Open statistical topic. Seek teacher's approval for your choice.

I. Movie Review

Review a movieabout immigration. This could be a Hollywood-style movie or a documentary film. Your review (2 to 3 pages) should include a basic plot summary, your opinion of the film, how it portrays what we have discussed in class, and an analysis of its accuracy and impact. Some possible documentary sources might be Frontline, 60 Minutes, etc. Hollywood-style films include Fast Food Nation, Goodbye Solo, The Visitor, The Kite Runner, The Joy Luck Club, Gangs of New York, etc. If you wish, rather than write your review, you and a partner may make a video of an "At the Movies" style discussion of twoimmigration films, using the same criteria listed above. Even if you do a video, turn in a two to three page summary of your “show” for the portfolio.

J. Journalism: Role Playing a News Interview

(Group)

You and a group work together to prepare and video an interview for a nightly news program. One of you will be the reporter, while the others will simulate the role and personal perspective of one of the following: a major historical figure on the issue of immigration (politician, famous immigrant, anti-immigration spokesperson, immigrant rights leader, etc.); a border patrol agent, a immigrant attempting to get into America, an immigrant who has successfully made it to America, etc. Search magazines, the Internet, books, etc. for facts on which to base your interview. Although you will be turning in your video, include a 1-2 page paper explaining your video and the characters in it.

K. Power Point / Prezi Presentation

Prepare a Power Point or Prezi presentation on some aspect of immigration. This could entail a chronology of American immigration, major political debates , statistics about immigration, the DREAM Act, political and social battles within the US, music, etc. Your presentation should include at least six slides. You will turn in your presentation, and you should also write a one-page summary of your presentation for your portfolio.

L. Get Involved: Write Your Representative

Write a letter to your member of Congress regarding the DREAM Act or other significant aspects of current immigration debates. Find your representative’s web-page ( ), investigate their positions on immigration, and write a well-thought letter that displays your knowledge of the topic and asks your representative to support your position. Include a copy of your letter in your portfolio.

M. Concluding Reflection

After you have completed all the other components of your portfolio, write a two to three page narrative discussing the most important concepts that you learned in this unit. What insights have you gained? Has your perspective on immigration changed? If so, how? Which of the goals you identified at the beginning of the unit do you feel you have achieved? Do you still have goals toward which you are working? Has this project affected your viewpoint on immigration in any way? Have you gained any knowledge during this project that you feel you may be able to apply to your real life in the coming years?

Portfolio Project: Immigration NationName: ______

Important Notes:

  1. Be respectful, be honest, be prepared, and be productive.
  2. You should ultimately have five sections of your portfolio. Sections A and M are required. You must choose three more from B-L. Sections done as a group must clearly display work done by all group members.
  3. One of your sections should specifically focus on the DREAM Act and how that process relates to the Constitution.
  4. Your final portfolio should be typed with at least one page for each section you choose.
  5. You must include a Works Cited page with your portfolio.
  6. - basic guidelines on citing sources using MLA style
  7. - a great resource for creating works cited pages.

Potential Topics:

  1. Should immigration to America be limited or not? If so, how, and why?
  2. Debates on assimilation – “The Melting Pot” vs. Diversity
  3. 287 (g) Programs
  4. The DREAM Act
  5. Securing the border – building fences, immigration & terrorism
  6. State governments vs. the Federal government – laws in Arizona, Alabama, etc.
  7. Contributions of immigrants vs. costs – what do immigrants bring to America, and what problems arise from immigration? Economics, education, social programs, talents & ingenuity, etc.

A few suggested sources:

  1. – News Hour, Frontline
  2. – search immigration
  3. search immigration
  4. – search immigration
  5. – search immigration