Modern America, Discrimination, and Population Change
5th Grade
Developed by: Ellis A., Jim G., Mary S., Kayla M., and Brooke V.
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Table of Contents
Unit Introduction.................................................................................................................... 3
Lesson Objectives: Lesson Plans 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ............................................................................. 3
GLE Standards/ CCSS Standards: Lesson Plans 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ..................................................... 3-5
Domains of Knowledge: Lesson Plans 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ..................................................................... 5
Lesson Plan 1- Procedure, Materials, and Assessments ......................................................... 5-6
Lesson Plan 2- Procedure, Materials, and Assessments.......................................................... 6-7
Lesson Plan 3- Procedure, Materials, and Assessments............................................................. 7
Lesson Plan 4- Procedure, Materials, and Assessments............................................................. 8
Appendix: Lesson Plan Rubrics 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 .......................................................................... 9-11
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Unit Introduction:
In this lesson students will learn about the changes in the United States that have occurred since
the late 1800’s, specifically focusing on civil rights and immigration. Using a variety of
techniques and activities students will learn how different ethnic groups and cultural identities
have impacted our Nation’s thinking and how immigration has changed the face of our
population.
Lesson Objectives:
a) Lesson Plan 1
In journals, students will document their feelings and experiences being part of a discriminated
group and a privileged group.
b) Lesson Plan 2
Using provided questions as a guide, students will write a one page paper summary of a guest
speaker’s presentation.
c) Lesson Plan 3
In small groups and using provided questions as guides, students will research an assigned
ethnic/cultural population’s emigration patterns to the United States. Students will design a
presentation to be presented to the class.
d) Lesson Plan 4
Using research and documentation throughout the unit, students will write a 5 page persuasive
paper discussing what they have learned and their feelings and ideas on equal rights and
immigration
Lesson Standards:
a) Lesson Plan 1
GLEs:
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5.SS.Relations.6.E: Identify how a person becomes a member of a group or institution and what
factors influence inclusion or exclusion from a group.
CCSS:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view
with reasons and information.
b) Lesson Plan 2
GLEs:
5.SS.Relations.6.E: Identify how a person becomes a member of a group or institution and what
factors influence inclusion or exclusion from a group.
CCSS:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.3: Summarize the points a speaker makes and explain how each claim
is supported by reasons and evidence.
c) Lesson Plan 3
GLEs:
5.SS.Relations.6.E: Identify how a person becomes a member of a group or institution and what
factors influence inclusion or exclusion from a group.
5.SS.Geog.5.A: Use geographic resource sources to acquire information and answer questions.
5.SS.Geog.5.H: Identify major patterns of population distribution, demographics and migrations
in the United States.
CCSS:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view
with reasons and information.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.9: Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order
to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.
d) Lesson Plan 4
GLEs:
5.SS.Relations.6.E: Identify how a person becomes a member of a group or institution and what
factors influence inclusion or exclusion from a group.
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5.SS.Geog.5.A: Use geographic resource sources to acquire information and answer questions.
5.SS.Tools.7.G: Identify, research and defend a point of view/position
CCSS:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view
with reasons and information.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.9: Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order
to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.
Domains of Knowledge:
a) Lesson Plan 1
Analyze and Evaluate Metacognitive Knowledge
The lesson requires students to reflect on their experiences being part of a discriminated and privileged
group. Student thoughts and feelings will be used to write a summative paper at the end of the unit.
b) Lesson Plan 2
Understanding and Analyzing Conceptual Knowledge, Analyzing Metacognitive
Knowledge
Students will listen to presenters share their experiences as immigrants, with discrimination,
and/or ethno-cultural identities. Students will reflect on the presentation and write
c) Lesson Plan 3
Understanding, Analyzing, and Creating Factual Knowledge
Using multiple resources, students will research compiled data on an assigned ethnic/cultural
population’s emigration patterns to the United States. Students will work in groups to design a
presentation that best explains the most interesting and salient information on their topic.
d) Lesson Plan 4
Analyze and Evaluate Metacognitive Knowledge
Based on experiences and documentation from prior activities throughout the unit students will
write a five paragraph paper discussing their feelings and ideas on equal rights and immigration.
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Lesson Procedures:
a) Lesson Plan 1
1. A letter will be sent home introducing and explaining the lesson prior to lesson
presentation. No student will be intentionally singled out and all students will have
opportunities to document their feelings about the activity in journals.
2. Teacher and students will engage in a conversation about what makes each person
different and how those differences can impact society. Students will name something
that makes them different and the teacher will documents each statement on a post-it note
and put it on the board.
3. Working in pairs, students will arrange the post-it notes into several categories that can be
used to sort students into like groups. Example grouping could include: race, gender,
neighborhood they live in, ethnic background, genetic make-up (eye or hair color), etc.
4. Throughout the course of the lesson certain students groups will experience the feeling of
discrimination. In one instance students with brown hair may get a special treat; students
that live in the UMSL neighborhood may be allowed extra recess; students with blue eyes
may have to sit in the back of the class for a period without being able to ask questions.
5. The “minority group” will be selected randomly and the activity will occur at assigned
periods throughout the day.
6. It’s important that each student experiences being in the “minority group”. This may
require some additional sorting methods.
7. Students will submit journal entries at the end of every day throughout the unit. Students
will be provided writing prompts for journal writing. How did they feel when they were
part of the “minority group”? How did they feel outside of the group looking in on
people being treated differently? These journal entries can be short written responses, but
students should be aware that ultimately they will be writing a 5 paragraph essay to
document their experience.
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Materials:
Post Its, student journals, pencils, treats
Assessments:
Informal assessment of journal at end of unit
b) Lesson Plan 2
1. Letters will be sent home to parents asking for volunteers to discuss their cultural
identities—the goal is to have parents that have immigrated to the United States and to
the region from different countries speak to the class about their experiences.
2. Speakers will be provided prompts about why they left their home country or why they
wanted to come to the United States. Since coming to the United States have they
experienced any forms of discrimination? Were they forced to leave for particular
reasons?
3. Speakers will be encouraged to bring in a cultural artifact that is significant to their
personal or familial identity.
4. Students will be allowed to ask questions throughout the presentation.
5. Students will discuss and answer teacher provided questions.
6. Students will be asked to write a short one paragraph summary of the speaker
presentation.
Materials:
Paper, pencils
Assessments:
Rubric (see Appendix)
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c) Lesson Plan 3
1. Students will move into small groups to investigate the immigration patterns of a given
ethnic population.
2. Using websites and a text book such as:
Buggey, J., Franks, B. B., Frierson, J. L., Green, M., Hagopian, R. (Eds.). (2009). The
Nystrom atlas of our country’s history. Indianapolis, IN: Nystrom.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/03/10/us/20090310-immigrationexplorer.html?_r=0; www.dhs.gov;
http://teacher.scholastic.com/ACTIVITIES/IMMIGRATION/;
http://www.history.com/topics/united-states-immigration-to-1965;
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2006/03/the-real-problem-with-immigrationand-the-real-solution; http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/05/31/issues.immigration/
Students will research their region’s history regarding immigration into the United States.
3. Questions students should answer through research should include: How long have
people been coming here from my region? How many people have emigrated since 1900?
What kinds of jobs have people taken? What part of the United States did they settle in
and why? What impact have my region’s people had on the United States? Do you notice
any changes in immigration, growth or decline? How might this be affected by world
events?
4. Students groups will present completed research. Students will use visual aids to inform
the class about the immigration patters of their assigned ethnic population.
5. Each student will be assessed based on their participation in the presentation.
Materials:
Computers with internet, The Nystrom Atlas of Our Country’s History, paper, pencils
Assessments:
Rubric (see Appendix)
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d) Lesson Plan 4
1. Based on experiences from prior activities throughout the unit students will be provided
time to write a five paragraph paper discussing their feelings and ideas on equal rights
and immigration.
2. Questions students should address: What are common reasons why people emigrate to the
United States? What common difficulties do immigrants face? Do you feel that most
immigrants feel happy about the decisions they have made to move?
3. Students may work on the paper at home. The essay will be graded as a final assessment.
Materials:
Student journals, unit documentation
Assessments:
Rubric (see Appendix)
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Appendix:
Grammar
References to
presentation
Summary
questions
a) Lesson Plan 2
1 Point
2 Points
3 Points
4 Points
Addresses
little or no
summary
questions.
Answers some of
the summary
questions.
Answers most of the Answers all of the
summary questions. summary questions.
Shows little or
no
understanding
of the purpose
of the essay.
Shows some
understanding of
the purpose of the
essay.
Shows a good
understanding of the
purpose of the essay.
Shows a clear
understanding of the
purpose of the
essay.
Serious errors. Several errors in
Errors interfere grammar. Errors
with
may interfere with
understanding.
understanding
Some errors in
grammar. Errors do
not interfere with
understanding.
Few or no errors.
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1 Point
2 Points
3 Points
4 Points
Shows little or
no
understanding
of the purpose
of the
presentation.
Shows some
understanding of
the purpose of the
presentation.
Shows a good
understanding of the
purpose of the
presentation.
Shows an clear
understanding of the
purpose of the
presentation
Shows little or
no reference to
research.
Shows some
reference to
research. Few
citations.
Shows clear
Shows clear
references to research. references to
research. Provides
Some citations.
Little or no use
of visual aids.
Visual aids do not
help with
presentation
understanding.
Visual aids provide
enhancement of
presentation.
Use of visual aids
provides clear
enhancement of
presentation.
Lack of
preparation.
Serious
communication
errors. Errors
interfere with
understanding.
Low presentation
preparation. Low
eye contact. Hangups may interfere
with understanding
Some hesitation.
Hang-ups do not
interfere with
understanding.
Few or little hangups.
Effective
Communication
Visual Aids
References to
research
Presentation
b) Lesson Plan 3
adequate citations.
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Grammar
References to
unit activities
Critical
Thinking
c) Lesson Plan 4
1 Point
2 Points
3 Points
4 Points
Shows little or
no
understanding
of the purpose
of the essay
Shows some
understanding of
the purpose of the
essay.
Shows a good
understanding of the
purpose of the essay
Shows an clear
understanding of the
purpose of the essay
Shows little or
no reference
unit activities
Shows some
reference to unit
activities
Supports essay with
good references to
unit activities
Supports essay with
clear references to
unit activities
Some errors in
grammar. Errors do
not interfere with
understanding.
Few or no errors.
Serious errors. Several errors in
Errors interfere grammar. Errors
with
may interfere with
understanding.
understanding
Ellis A., Jim G., Mary S., Kayla M., and Brooke V. University of Missouri-St. Louis