The American Immigration Council is pleased to
present the outcomes of our 2014-2015 Teacher and Community Grants. The grant
program is an initiative to provide educators and community organizers with the
resources they need to implement a successful immigration curriculum or an
immigration-themed project. Grants are awarded on a bi-annual basis. The
deadline for the next grant is June 29,
2015, so it’s not too late to apply
by clicking here.
This year’s grant recipients epitomize both facets
of our program in that they offer an easily reproducible Common Core aligned
curriculum for teaching about immigration in the classroom as well as
fulfilling a civic need for immigrants in the local community through the
completion of a student-driven, student-led service project. The awardees are
teachers Kerri Fenton and Debra Moreau from Joseph A. DePaolo Middle School,
Southington, CT and Delia Lancaster from Saint Joseph Catholic School, Palm
Bay, FL. We want to share their work with you to inspire similarly creative,
engaging, and rigorous learning on immigration in your own classrooms and
communities.
Educate, Celebrate, and Empower: This one-week immigration community
outreach project and lesson plan developed by Kerri Fenton and Debra Moreau meets
three objectives: 1) to educate students
on the experiences of the immigrant population; 2) to celebrate and welcome immigrant students; and 3) to empower all students to implement a
social justice project.
Through research, interviews, reflection, and
project-based learning, students wrestle with these essential questions over
the course of the project: How do
immigrants contribute to our school community? How can we create a welcoming
school climate for individuals and their families of diverse backgrounds? What
are commonalities and distinctions of immigration experiences?
One student wrote empathetically in response to what
she learned that “the guest speakers [featured in this project] opened my mind
to how hard it is for immigrants to come to a new country (learning the
language, adapting to new culture and ways of life).”
To view the lesson plan, please click here.
Schools are encouraged throughout the year to discuss the diverse contributions
of immigrants within their own communities. Some ideas are provided at the end
of the lesson plan. Adaptations and extensions are encouraged.
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| Students creating "Welcoming Brochures" using Google Docs |
Health First, Protections for Migrant Workers: This video and
service-project created by Delia Lancaster brings awareness and assistance to
those persons who perform the “unseen” and risky jobs of bringing fresh fruits
and vegetables to our tables. As teacher Delia Lancaster says, “What began as a
grant funding a simple video project, turned into a significant fundraising and
service project, after our students learned of the extreme conditions faced by
farm workers who live and work within twenty miles from our own comfortable
homes.” As the students researched,
learned, and questioned the community that served them just 20 miles away, they
became more invested and engaged to “do
something.”
Projects like these can happen organically, when
students, teachers, and community members recognize an unmet need and feel
compelled to act. This is the heart of social justice and service-learning in
action. Take a cue from these students, Ms. Lancaster, and the Saint Joseph
Catholic School community for a model of an immigrant-based, service-learning
project by learning more about what ended up being a year-long project here.
To watch a short video of their first semester where
students interviewed community members and created a news broadcast, please
click here.
To watch a follow-up video of their second semester where
students initiated and completed a fundraising drive for badly-needed toiletry
items, please click here.
As a result of their health care drive, students
collected 258 hair care products, 507 dental care products, 475 body care
products, 22 bottles of sunscreen 146 sticks of deodorant, 20 wide-brimmed hats,
30 pairs of sunglasses, and an assortment of baby products.
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Top Photo Adults Pictured from Left to Right: Delia Lancaster, Art Teacher &
Enrichment Facilitator, Saint Joseph Catholic School; Colette Heid,
Communications Director, Treasure Coast Community Health; Moses Santos,
Outreach Director, Treasure Coast Community Health; Claudia Stokes, Principal,
Saint Joseph Catholic School
|
Treasure Coast Community
Health Center is a non-profit organization that provides medical, dental and
mental health services for people who could otherwise not afford those
services. You can visit their website at www.tcchinc.org
Our lesson, Interpreting the Impact of Cesar Chavez’s Early
Years, is primary-source,
Common-Core aligned lesson that asks students to analyze how Chavez’s own words
and early life experiences led to his later achievements that features the news
broadcast produced by Saint Joseph Academy students and is an excellent model
for social justice in action today.
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