Independent Mini-Projects (IMs)
Each unit, the homework choices change to reflect the content of the new unit as well as the new skills the students learned in prior units. In addition to presenting the students with opportunities to be creative, it also gives them the chance to build on skills they have learned but wish to develop further. Below is one IM packet from our unit on World War II, followed by a few examples of IMs.
worldwariihw2011-2012ims.doc | |
File Size: | 71 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Create Your Own DBQ
Creating ones own DBQ (and writing it) is a task few students attempt. It is very difficult, but is incredibly illuminating to those students who attempt it. Here is one example of a bilingual student tackling this high level task.
im_dbq.doc | |
File Size: | 164 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Historical Fiction
Chinese Exclusion Act Experience
Chang Lian Lee, a 21 year-old Chinese immigrant, arrived at San Francisco, California in October 21, 1920. He came out of the ship he had boarded a week ago. The long journey had made him exhausted, and other wise, filthy and dirty. He only have a luggage of clothing, pictures of his family, friends, teachers, and some Yuan to spend in America, or converted into American dollars. After he left the ship, he is escorted by American guards to the center, along with other immigrants. This is one of the immigrant centers across America, for example, Ellis Island in New York City. All those immigrants look peculiar, each a strange clothing, each speak a different language, and each a different skin color. The crowd around him seem to be elated to enter the center and to pass into San Francisco, California.
As Chang Lian Lee got closer to the center, he could manage to see the words on signs right next to the entrance of the center. One sign to the right said,“Welcome to San Francisco!” Another sign left of the center’s entrance said, “ Welcome to the United States of America, the land of opportunity, freedom, and equality.” Chang Lian doesn’t know what the words meant, but by looking at an soaring eagle, a man holding a scale, and two shaking hands on the left, he knew they represent freedom, equality, and opportunity. He was amazed by how many people are waiting online in the small center, hundreds, or maybe thousands of them in the center, sitting on benches, leaning on walls, being examined, and some just talking in foreign languages that Chang Lian couldn’t understand. Odd enough that the center is small with crowds of immigrants, but Chang Lian have to be examined to pass. Chang Lian’s hands felt clammy, and he felt nervous about his examination, how those examiners look and act a bit more like mad scientists, experimenting with new people from other countries.
Why do every immigrant have to be examined to pass, like anyone of them might have a disease or something, Chang Lian thought. Just thinking about the causes made him fearful. Chang Lian decided to decided to focus on the present, not wandering about the future. He still regretted leaving his home country and his family, how he could have happy times with them, and savor those moments of happiness. It’s too late, Chang Lian reasoned mentally. I am supposed to earn money for my family, to give them a better life with those money. Chang Lian is now waiting in line for the examination and be allowed to pass into San Francisco, California.
Chang Lian was overcome with fear once again. He started fanning himself with his feather fan, holding it with his right hand. His left hand fidgeted around his black pant, putting his hand into his pant pocket and out repetitively. He started thinking about what might happen when he got examined, how he gets cursed in English by one of the examiners. He imagined himself getting hit, like in China when someone did something wrong, then the judge or the emperor ordered the guards to hit the person with a wooden poles on the back on the floor. Stop imagining these unfortunate and woeful possibilities, he thought. Then, Chang Lian heard some said “Next” in English. Chang Lian didn’t understand the word, and then he noticed he’s in the front of his line.
Chang Lian thought he have ample time to think when he just got into the line, but he’s totally wrong. Time went by so fast, he felt like he only have seconds to think. He went up to the examiner 2 yards in front of him, and the examiner opened Chang Lian’s eyes really wide. Chang Lian felt like he’s a property of someone, being analyzed, looking for any dust or dirt. Then the examiner looked at Chang Lian’s entire face and body. This time, he really felt like a property being analyzed when the examiner looked at him. The next thing happened is very similar to his prediction, coming true. The examiner’s face contorted into a sneer, and he said something in rapid English to other examiners. Then, Chang Lian heard the examiner cursing at him in very ANGRY and RAPID English.
The examiner got a Chinese woman, who knew English, to translate the examiner’s words to Chinese to Chang Lian. Chang Lian heard the woman translating about the examiner saying something about some law, Chinese Exclusion Act, that Chinese are not allowed to be immigrated to America anymore, and Chang Lian will be given three days to prepare himself to leave the country and back to China. Hearing those words just hurt Chang Lian’s heart a lot, because he just came to America, and he had to go back China after such a long exhausting journey.
“It’s just so unfair. I thought America is supposed to be the land of opportunity, freedom and equality. Now, I don’t have the freedom to be in America, I don’t have the opportunity to have a good job, and I don’t have the equality to have the same rights like everyone, whereas they’re allowed to stay, but I’m not!” Chang Lian protested in Chinese. “I will leave then, but I will not forget how much I hate America, about how much inequality, how less opportunity, and how little freedom the country contained. So much for equality, freedom, and freedom!”
On Chang Lian’s last word, he turned his back to the woman and the examiner, outrageous. Then, he ran down the line of immigrants waiting, pushed the entrance door, and got out of the center. He continued to run to the ship at the dock, just as the ship is about to leave. He boarded the ship, found an empty room on the ship, and wept. He can’t believe he’s forced to leave America, and what his family might think of him when he came back. Probably selfish and greedy, he thought woefully. He folded his legs, continued to wept, and he’s lost in his moment of woe.