Thursday/ Friday 21/22 November

Class completed viewing Papers.

Mr. Zartler discussed the summation project for the Immigration Unit. Students will produce a project that
A) Explains what they think United States Policy should be in regards immigration.
B) Explains the benefits and the drawbacks of this / these policies
C) Draws connections to historical policies and events
More details will be available after the break.

Students should have reviewed their Immigration Narratives, those students whose work does not yet meet proficiency standards should be working with Mr. Zartler and on their own to meet those standards.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tuesday/ Wednesday, 19/20 November

Class reviewed the homework analysis of "1965 Immigration Law Changed Face of America" transcript.

Then class did a preview activity for the documentary Papers.

Details of this activity will be posted tomorrow.

Monday, 18 November

All classes studied the following news story (a secondary source): 1965 Immigration Law Changed the Face of America.

This document is one way that the class is finding out information about the status of immigrants and attitudes towards immigrants in the United States between 1920 and 1965.

Periods 5,6, and 7 have homework: They are to identify five key facts from the history presented in the news article.

November 12-15

This week the class reviewed what we have learned about immigration in the three waves:

Wave 1: 1600-1775
Wave 2: 1820-1870
Wave 3: 1880-1920s

The class then began learning about contemporary issues in immigration including
Wave 4: 1965-on

The class read and completed a SOAPS+Claim analysis on the article Dream Act Advocate Turns Failure into Success

After studying this article, the class created a Venn Diagram comparing issues surrounding the Dream Act to issues surrounding the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

Mr. Zartler also gave a mini-lecture to discuss terms used in politics, and the ideas normally associated with different aspects of the political spectrum.

November 4-7

This week the class focused on studying the history of Chinese Immigration to the United States between 1880 and the 1920s.

We focused on Angel Island. We studied poems available on this website.

We also watched and analyzed this video Carved in Silence, about the experiences of immigrants from China.

Thursday/ Friday 31 October / 1 November

Before turning in the 3rd Wave European Immigrant Narrative students completed a Self-evaluation / reflection, and read to the class one of their favorite passages.

The reflection responded to the following questions in paragraph forms (except for the question about candy):

1. What did you like about doing the 3rd Wave European Immigration Unit and Narrative?
2. How good is your story?
3. What's your favorite part of the story?
4. Other concerns?
5. What's your favorite candy?

Next classes began looking at some Angel Island poetry as source documents.

Class finished (in some cases) with note taking on a lecture about immigration from Asia to the United States.

Tuesday/ Wednesday 10/29 - 10/30

Mr. Zartler began with a short lesson on the proper presentation of dialogue in narrative writing.

The class began by completing a self-evaluation of the 3rd Wave Immigration Narrative.

Then students followed the following process for conferencing on their drafts:

1. In random groups first share you name and a gift you would like to receive in the near future.
2. 
   
3. Next, each student read their piece aloud.
4. 
   
5. After reading the piece aloud group members said back which aspects of the rubric they heard in the story.
6. 
   
7. If the author wished to ask for additional feedback he / she could.

Next Mr. Zartler began with some lecture notes on Chinese Immigration.

Their was little economic mobility (new vocabulary word) in China.

Many Chinese men (and some women) came to the United States. Frequently they worked in hard heavy labor jobs.

There was a lot of prejudice against these immigrants. There are stories that in John Day Oregon, it was not uncommon for white folk to get drunk at night and shoot randomly towards the Chinese section of town.

Angel Island was the main entry point for immigration from Asia to the United States from 1910-1940. It was sometimes called "the Ellis Island of the West," but was much more like a prison. The vast majority of immigrants were detained for long periods on Angel Island.

Mr. Zartler then shared this poem which was carved into a wooden wall of a barack on the island.