Immigration and Undocumented Youth

Undocumented youth and immigration are issues that affect school districts everywhere as people continue to move to our country in hopes of a better life. While many people recognize issues surrounding immigration, there are thousands of undocumented youth living in our country despite the lack of attention given to the topic. Undocumented youth are children who have moved to America without the necessary legal documentation to live here as a U.S citizen. Undocumented youth face many of the same hardships as immigrant children, except they also must live with the fear of being discovered and deported. Our target audience is both students who have experienced the immigration process and also those who have not. We felt it was important to include texts with multiple perspectives to be able to create connections for immigrant students while also raising awareness for students who have not. One of the biggest themes that run throughout these texts is the feeling of alienation and detachment felt by immigrant and undocumented youths in their new surroundings. It is important to raise awareness on this issue and to have students comprehend the difficulties that do not end at the borders, but rather just begin. In doing so, we can bridge the gap between immigrant and nonimmigrant students and create a sense of unity and understanding rather than one of isolation and segregation.

            We decided to divide our nine texts into three separate categories of reading levels and age groups by labeling them elementary, middle, and high school texts. We decided to do three texts for each academic level so that we could cover a wide range of texts with different levels of difficulty and depth.

Rationale

When choosing the books dealing with immigrants and undocumented youth for this research, our rationale was to consider including texts ranging in all grade levels from elementary to middle school and high school. Although it is certainly up to the individual teacher as to the selection criteria that they would impose when selecting books to use with their individual classes, we feel that all books selected could easily fit into one of the aforementioned educational levels. Further explanation of each text will clarify the particular age level and grade levels each text could be used with.  

The topic of immigrants and undocumented youth is pertinent to today’s educators because more and more immigrants and undocumented youth are present in classrooms across our country.  In our goal to educate every child, today’s educators must be sensitive, equitable, and knowledgeable concerning multicultural education. In his article, Multicultural Education:  Historical Development, Dimensions, and Practice (2006), James Banks states that “an equity pedagogy exists when teachers use techniques and methods that facilitate the academic achievement of students from diverse racial, ethnic, and social-class groups” (Banks, 2006). Furthermore, he states that teachers should strive to use selected approaches and interventions “that are designed to help students who are members of low-status population groups to increase their academic achievement”(Banks, 2006).   He goes on to say “that multicultural lessons, activities, and teaching materials when used with a democratic classroom atmosphere and implemented for a sufficiently long period, help students to develop more democratic racial attitudes and values” (Banks, 2006). These claims can be very easily addressed in choosing literature for classroom use that addresses the issues of immigrants and undocumented youth.  Through the choice of such literature, students who are nonresidents of this country can begin to feel included in the democratic classroom atmosphere and thus begin to feel they have a part in the culture of the classroom and the school.  This can certainly have a positive impact their academic achievement.         

In her article The Pearl in the Shell:  Author’s Notes in Multicultural Children’s Literature (2002), Rebecca Perini states that “sharing children’s books with students can provide opportunities to make explicit and call into question the traditional, prevailing beliefs and views people hold of themselves and others” (Perini, 2002). She goes on to say that often times authors will include information in the Author’s Note portion of the book that supports the social, political, and cultural issues presented in their books.  Many times, the author will explain the significance of certain aspects of the book including the geographic setting of the book, and will provide a wealth of other information concerning the author’s background and their intentions in writing the book.  These are valuable tools for any educator to become familiar with prior to presenting the literature to students because this knowledge will enhance how educators merge this key information with the text of the book.   

     With respect to the titles selected for this research on immigrants and undocumented youth, several of the authors provided valuable information in the Author’s Notes or the Acknowledgements portion of the book. This information could play a key role in fostering a better understanding of the circumstances surrounding immigrants and undocumented youth, and could provide a wealth of information when using these texts for a literary activity in the classroom.

      In Ebony Elizabeth Thomas’s article, Landscapes of Cities and Self: Places and Identity in Urban Young Adult Literature, she states that “reading about different kinds of places may change students’ previously held views about cities, or in the case of city dwellers, affirm their sense of identity and belonging. As they are transported into these urban spaces through literature, young adults expand their view of the world and what it means to be a citizen in it” (Thomas, 2011). This passage can directly relate to any of our books dealing with integrated city life, specifically in regards to The Storyteller’s Candle, which  features Puerto Rican youth trying to acclimate to the New York City lifestyle. Thomas’s statement is significant in terms of recognizing the how the difficulties of living in a new place can give the reader perspective on the lives of others as well as re-examining their own identities. This is a crucial reason behind the importance of including immigration and undocumented youth topics in the classroom not only because it adheres to curricular standards (NYS CCLS W.6-12.4a) but it also allows students to self-reflect and grow as critical thinkers. 

     Furthermore, research in teacher education programs supports an in-depth inquiry into how both the teachers and their students have come to occupy the particular social status they find themselves in. Gloria Ladson-Billings presents information as to how certain institutions of higher education across the country have addressed this issue.  In her article, Preparing Teachers for Diverse Student Populations:  A Critical Race Theory Perspective (1999), she presents an option that one university in particular has adopted.  Santa Clara University has implemented a program where prospective teachers are given the opportunity to experience social settings that are different from the ones they have been familiar with.  In this particular example, prospective students are required to do a one-week immersion experience prior to the start of classes where they volunteer time in homeless shelters, soup kitchens or other facilities that are designed to serve poor, homeless, or displaced people.  Reflecting upon these experiences, Ladson-Billings stated, “students are challenged to see a fuller range of the human condition and begin a yearlong questioning of social inequity” (Ladson-Billings, 1999). This immersion experience “provides a basis for continual self-reflection and community based experiential learning” (Ladson-Billings, 1999).

     Maria Teresa de la Piedra discusses the difficulties non-English speaking and immigrant students face in the American classroom in her article entitled, Adolescent Worlds and Literacy Practices on United States-Mexico Border (2010). Piedra suggests that it is critical for educators to value the language and cultural experiences that adolescents bring to the classroom in order to engage them in content and to support literacy development (Piedra, 2010). She also points out that the norm for American classrooms is English based literacy and thus students whose dominant language is also English are deemed "normal". This is important when considering our theme of immigration because it demonstrates how immigrant students are often automatically placed in a separate, usually lower, domain in schooling because of their non-dominant identities--in other words, being non-"normal." Piedra states that even though schools are often aware of the importance in integrating students’ cultural backgrounds, they usually fail to do so and ignore the available resources to include such students. Piedra believes that the best way to include non-English speaking and immigrant students would be to use a student-based perspective, teach with sensitivity and respect, incorporate cooperative learning styles, and integrate native language during instruction (Piedra, 2010).

In selecting the books for this research, much discussion and thought was given as to what ages and what grades levels these titles would be appropriate for and how these titles address the issue of immigrants and undocumented youth.  One Green Apple, by Eve Bunting deals with the issue of immigration in the portrayal of Farah, a young Arab immigrant who recently immigrated to the United States; the book is appropriate for grades K-3.  Victor Flores is the undocumented youth protagonist in Will Hobbs’s Crossing the Wire which could be used with students in grades 6-8, and Luis Urrea recounts the terrible tale of twenty six illegal aliens who cross the border from Mexico into the United States in search of work in his non-fiction work, The Devil’s Highway; this text is appropriate for students in grades 9-12 and beyond.  The Storyteller’s Candle, by Lucia Gonzalez is a picture book for readers in grades K-5 dealing with young Puerto Rican immigrants living in New York City. The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce is a short novel with pictures about a Mongolian new student in England who happens to be  undocumented, suitable for grades 5-8. My Family for the War, by Anne C. Voorhoeve, is a longer novel about the complications of self-identity during WWII, suitable for high school students. My Name if Jorge on Both Sides of the River, by Jane Medina, is a book of poetry suitable for grades K-5. Someone Like Summer by M.E. Kerr is teen romance book about a girl falling in love with an undocumented migrant worker, suitable for grades 6-8. Finally, The Arrival by Shaun Tan is a graphic novel that explores one man’s journey to a new country entirely through pictures, suitable for high school readers. 

Overview of Literary Genres

The literary genres used for this project span a broad spectrum and include picture books, graphic novels, poetry, realistic fiction, and nonfiction/biography/current events.  Additionally, some of the texts come with audio CDs as in Eve Bunting’s One Green Apple, and Will Hobbs’ Crossing the Wire, which can certainly benefit limited English speakers such as immigrants or undocumented youth.  The graphic novel, The Arrival is completely without text while My Name is Jorge has text in two languages and uses poetry side by side in English and Spanish.  The works of fiction include Someone Like Summer by M. E. Kerr, and My Family for the War by Anne Voorhoeve. Frank Cottrell Boyce’s The Unforgotten Coat can fall under fiction, however it more closely falls under realistic fiction.  The Devil’s Highway is a work of nonfiction by Luis Urrea.  Both One Green Apple and The Storyteller's Candle (La Velita de los Cuentos) by Lucía González are picture books.

     The book selected for a literary activity for students in grades 2-3 was One Green Apple by Eve Bunting.  In this activity, students would be given the opportunity to view the jacket of the text and then share in the story being read aloud to them while being able to view the illustrations as the story is being read. At the conclusion of the reading, students would then be guided in a discussion to help them become more familiar with the main character, Farah. They would then proceed to the writing portion where they would create a character map for Farah to help them better understand where she may have come from and how she is feeling in the story.

      The book that was chosen for a literary activity for the middle school level is The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce.  This activity would be appropriate for grades 6-8 and would involve students bringing their coats to class with the pockets filled with items that are important to them and symbolize their cultural identity.  The coats would be laid out and students would be given the opportunity to walk about the room to view the coats and items in the pockets.  While doing so, they would take notes to prepare to complete a written report, two to three pages in length, that explains what they had learned about the cultural identities of at least three students in the class.

      The book selected for the high school level literary activity is The Arrival by Shaun Tan. This activity would be aimed at students in grades 9-10. Students would work together in small groups to discuss and analyze one of the immigration stories shown in the novel. Students would then independently use the images from the graphic novel to produce a journal entry in the voice of one of the immigrants shown in the text. Students would need to create a first person narration that goes along with the text to explain their reason for leaving their home country and to describe their journey to the new country. Because the text has no words, students’ journal entries would essentially be providing the missing text and dialogue to accompany the visuals. Students would then jigsaw with members of different groups to share their completed journal entries. This activity would allow students to creatively express their own interpretation of the graphic novel.

Grade Level	Activity	Assessment	Connection to CCLS
Elementary School	Students will participate in a read aloud of Eve Bunting’s One Green Apple. In a large group or with partners, they will discuss the attributes of the story’s main character, Farah, and fill out a character map.	After discussing the attributes of Farah with classmates, each student will fill out a character map, which will require the students to address what Farah looked like, how she acted in the story, and how other characters in the story reacted to her. This will assess the students’ knowledge and understanding of how characters grow and evolve throughout a story.	RL.3.1 : Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. RL.3.3: Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events. . RL.3.7: Explain how specific aspects of a text’s illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting) W.3.1a: Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons. W.3.1b: Provide reasons that support the opinion W.3.1c: Use linking words and phrases (e.g. because, therefore, since, for example) to connect opinion and reasons S.3.1a: Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion. S.3.1b: Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion). S.3.1c: Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others. S.3.1d: Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion. S.3.1e: Seek to understand and communicate with individuals from different cultural backgrounds S.3.2: Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. S.3.6: Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification.
Middle School	The students will bring in their own “unforgotten coats” to fill the pockets with items or pictures of items that are near-and-dear to them that represent or symbolize an aspect of their identity. They will participate in a gallery walk and take notes as they go along exploring each other’s jackets and belongings.	The students will have to complete a 2-3 page write up that summarizes what they have learned about each other and why this is important to the identity of others as well as themselves. The write-up should portray what the students have learned in regards to perspective and diversity of cultures in the classroom.	RL.7.1: Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. RL.7.2: Determine the theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text. RL.7.6: Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text RL.7.6a: Analyze stories, drama, or poems by authors who represent diverse world cultures. W.7.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. W.7.4a. Produce text that explores a variety of cultures and perspectives.
High School	Students will be placed into groups in accordance to which sub-plot from The Arrival that they will be working with. Each group will be assigned a sub-plot from the story to interpret in their own words; essentially providing their own text to the images. The students will then participate in a jigsaw activity, which will then have the rest of the class caught up on the book’s deeper meanings.	By having the students provide their own words to the given images, it shows their understanding of the book while also allowing them to confirm their inferences in small groups as well as with the whole class.	RL. 10. 6:  Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.   W.10.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. W.10.3f: Adapt voice, awareness of audience, and use of language to accommodate a variety of Cultural contexts.   W.10.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Annotations for Elementary Texts

Medina, J. (2004). My Name is Jorge: On Both Sides of the River. Honesdale, PA:

Boyds Mills Press.

Genre: Poetry

Interest level: Elementary (K-5)

            Jane Medina’s, “My Name is Jorge On Both Sides of the River”, is a book of poems depicting young Jorge’s immigration journey from Mexico to America. His journey is told through short poems that are written side-by-side in both English and in Spanish accompanied by kid friendly illustrations. Although the poems are short and written in easy to read language, the underlying subject matter is somewhat dark as Jorge describes the struggles he faces as an immigrant student. These struggles include classmates teasing him for his name, becoming a lower level student because of the language barrier, being labeled as “stupid”, and missing his father who is still stuck in Mexico. Jorge struggles between learning the customs of his new culture while still trying to hold on to those from his homeland. Perhaps one of the most telling poems for an immigrant student is when Jorge gets reprimanded by his teacher for calling her “Teacher” instead of “Mrs.Roberts” to which Jorge replies that he would like her to call him “Jorge” instead of “George.”  Jorge’s poems show the various difficulties that immigrant students face and also how we can attend to these difficulties to avoid alienating new students.

            “My Name is Jorge On Both Sides of the River” connects to our theme of immigration and undocumented youth because it tells the story of immigrating to a new country through the eyes of a child. Jorge’s story specifically focuses on being a new immigrant student and the hardships one may face in the classroom when dealing with an unfamiliar language in an unfamiliar place. His story is relatable not only for immigrant students, but for any new student who may feel lost or out of place.

            Because “My Name is Jorge On Both Sides of the River” deals directly with immigrant students and schooling, this is an ideal book to use in a diverse elementary level classroom. This would be a good text to use in an ESL classroom or in school districts with a large or growing immigrant population. This text appeals to any student from a different country or even a different culture who is struggling to fit in and to learn new customs. This text could also appeal to new students in general because it explores the difficulties of entering a new school surrounded by unfamiliar people and settings. This text includes both immigrant as well as nonimmigrant students because it highlights the struggles immigrant students face while also providing insight for other students on how they may be alienating or hurting classmates who are from a different culture.

Gonzalez, L. (2008). The Storyteller's Candle. San Francisco, CA: Children's Book Press.

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Interest level: Elementary (K-5)

     In Lucía González’s children’s book, The Storyteller’s Candle, the story takes place during the 1920s as Hildamar and Santiago, young cousins from Puerto Rico, move with their family to New York. It is wintertime and the children and adults are both wary of their new surroundings, missing warm Puerto Rico everyday. On their way to school one day, they pass an intimidating looking building that stood out from the rest of the homes in El Barrio, the Hispanic neighborhood in which the characters live. Hildamar and Santiago are curious, however, Titi Maria was convinced that Spanish speakers were unwelcome at this library. In school that day, a special guest storyteller, who had happened to be Pura Belpré, the first Puerto Rican to be hired by the New York Public Library system, visited Hildamar and Santiago’s class. Ms. Belpré had changed the perspectives of both the children and the adults in regards to feeling at home in New York, while away from home in Puerto Rico. Hildamar and Santiago are uplifted when Ms. Belpré arranges for a celebration of Three Kings Day at the public library. Pura Belpré becomes a neighborhood heroine as she brings the Puerto Rican community together in order to make them feel welcome in New York City.

            The Storyteller’s Candle is an incredible book to work with immigrant students because it reveals the power of cultural connections in order to feel welcome in an unfamiliar place. However, the story certainly targets the Hispanic population, especially when considering how each passage also has a Spanish translation. Regardless of the target language, the message behind the story is still very much applicable to anyone feeling unwelcome in a strange new place that you must now call home. Furthermore, the fact that Pura Belpré was a real person further gives the reader a sense of genuine sympathy for immigrants as we can connect to someone who had made such accomplishments and reached out to those in need that they can relate to.

       This story can be used to teach elementary students about the difficulties of being an immigrant in the US, specifically in an urban setting. Each passage has a Spanish translation on the corresponding page, which makes the book a great read for those who need the bilingual accommodations, especially when considering ESL students. Though it may not be intended for Spanish learners, English speakers who wish to learn Spanish can also use this book as a means of practicing reading the language. In addition to this, the illustrations are magnificent and carry a motif as pieces of newspaper print are collaged out on various objects throughout the book. A suggestive promoting of literacy? I think yes. 

Bunting, Eve. (2006). One Green Apple. (T. Lewin, illustrator). New York: Clarion Books.

Genre:  Picture Book

Interest Level:  Grades K-3

Content Areas:  Science (apple growing, apple products, orchards),  Social Studies (immigration), English Language Arts (friendship)

Multicultural Connections: Immigrants, Arab & Muslim culture

Farah, a young Arabic girl who has recently immigrated to the United States, feels very alone even though she is surrounded by her classmates.  She listens and nods when she is spoken to but doesn’t speak as she doesn’t know the new language.  Then one day on a field trip to an apple orchard, she discovers that there are lots of things that sound the same as they did in her, now far away, home from dogs crunching their food to the laughter of her classmates.

The story is told in the first person and the readers gain insightful perspectives from Farah, a new immigrant in a strange new country.  The beautiful illustrations capture all of Farah’s emotions from her initial hesitancy to her delight in being accepted by her classmates, and the tender text marries well with the illustrations, so that young readers will quickly find themselves enthralled with the story of the young immigrant girl.  A recorded version of the story performed by Charlotte Parry is available on a 2 disc CD set for classroom use.

One Green Apple by Eve Bunting is an excellent book to have in the elementary classroom since it provides the opportunity for students to examine the main character and make inferences about traits that she possesses, and to discover if these character traits change along the course of the story.  The story gives students an opportunity to get to know what it might feel like to be an immigrant from another country in a strange place.  If there are students in the class who may be immigrants or undocumented youth, they may begin to feel a little bit more comfortable about their surroundings after seeing the illustrations and being involved in the story.  If students are natural born citizens, they get to see the world through another perspective, that of an immigrant.  Either way, the book is a valuable resource for teachers to utilize for character analysis, inference, and provides opportunity to get a broader view of the world we live in.  

Annotations for Middle School Texts

Kerr, M. E. (2007). Someone like summer. New York, NY: Harper Teen.

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Interest Level: grades 6-8

M.E. Kerr’s, Someone Like Summer, depicts a teen romance between an American girl and an undocumented migrant worker. Esteban is an immigrant worker who begins working for Ana’s father along with a crew of other immigrant workers. Ana’s father underpays the crew and often makes stereotypical jokes around them. Ana is immediately attracted to Esteban for his tan skin and exotic looks. Ana knows that Esteban is an immigrant, but is unaware that him and his family are illegally living in the country. The two quickly fall in love but are soon met with discontent from both of their families. Esteban’s family is particularly against him dating Ana, who they call “Flour Face” and are convinced she will only bring the undocumented family trouble. Ana’s family tries to be more understanding of the romance but are also clearly bothered by the pair. Her father continues to make stereotypical jokes around Esteban and tries to push Ana towards her ex-boyfriend, a white college football player. Ana’s brother worries that she is getting herself into more than she can handle with dating someone from a different culture and who comes from a different background. The two ignore the protests from their families and continue to date until someone from Esteban’s family gets into trouble and the whole house is raided. Esteban reveals to Ana that he is undocumented so he must go into hiding until things settle down and can no longer date her. Ana is determined to make things work but tensions in the town begin to rise and a manhunt begins to find and deport Esteban’s family. Ana does not see Esteban for sometime until she receives a letter from Esteban and learns that he has joined the U.S army in order to become a legal citizen.

Someone Like Summer explores both the topic of immigration as well as undocumented youths. Esteban lives in a house with a group of undocumented workers who are living in the country illegally. The story examines some of the issues that come with being an undocumented person including finding work, unfair wages, and living with the constant fear of being deported. Kerr integrates the important, but less acknowledged, issue of undocumented youth into the popular genre of teen fiction which makes this book appealing to a wider audience and raises awareness.  

I would not recommend this text for whole class use but rather as an independent reading choice or as an inclusion to a school library collection. The book does not go deeply enough into the immigration issues that it tries to expose to make it the best choice for a whole class text. This text is almost directly targeted towards teenage girls, which is another reason it would work better as an independent reading choice. It includes both the perspective of immigrants and nonimmigrants on the issues surrounding undocumented youths and deportations. However, the novel really does not do a good job in fully exploring these topics and providing the reader with factual information regarding the topic. Because the story is told from the perspective of Ana, an American teenager, we do not fully get the experience or perspective of the undocumented youth and almost none of the issues are resolved. Esteban speaks throughout the novel about unfair wages and the poor living conditions him and his family must endure, but in the end we are left with a carefree image of Ana going off to college while Esteban must go fight in a war in order to avoid deportation. Because of this, it leaves the reader wanting more and makes one question what the overall message of the story is promoting.

Hobbs, Will. (2006). Crossing the Wire. New York: Harper-Collins.

Genre:  Adventure/Realistic Fiction

Interest Level: Grades 6-8

Content Areas: Social Studies (civil rights, government, immigration), English Language Arts (heroism, friendship, courage, bravery, survival)

Multicultural Connections:  Immigration, Latin America, Human rights

Victor Flores, a young fifteen-year-old Mexican who, dealing with falling corn prices and impending starvation for himself and his family, attempts to cross the border from Mexico into the United States in an effort to find work and send money home to support his family, encounters danger at every turn in his struggle to survive.  He endures jumping onto trains, stowing away on trucks, constant hunger and thirst, and hiking many grueling miles through both blinding snowstorms and blistering desert heat in order to cross the border into the United States.  

Victor’s desperate struggle is brought to life through Hobbs’ artful writing and young readers will be captivated by his enduring fight for freedom from the harsh elements in his hope to provide for his family.  In his Author's Note, Hobbs states that Urrea’s book, The Devil’s Highway, was one of the books he found most helpful when researching the topic for this border story. The American Library Association has recognized many of Hobb’s novels as Best Books for Young Adults.  A recorded version of the story performed by Ramon de Ocampo is available on a 5 disc CD set.

Boyce, Frank Cottrell. (2011). The Unforgotten Coat. Candlewick Press.

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Interest Level: Grades 6-8

       Frank Cottrell Boyce’s The Unforgotten Coat is a story about revealing perspectives and how culture shock can be a means of learning. The story takes place in Bootle, England and is told from the reminiscent perspective of Julie, who had been dubbed as the “good guide” by her new classmate, Chingis and his little brother Nergui. Chingis is very protective of his little brother, as he refuses to listen to their teacher about having him in the appropriate classroom for his grade. Along with this, Chingis and Nergui are convinced that a demon, determined to make Nergui vanish, has followed them to Bootle from Mongolia. The students are initially intrigued by Chingis, as he talks about having eagles as pets in his homeland of Mongolia. Julie is flattered by Chingis’s want for her to be their guide, so she studies up on their culture and constantly hopes that she would one day be invited to their home. Julie learns more about Mongolian culture through looking at Polaroid photographs that Chingis has told her were parts of Mongolia. The more time she spends as a good guide, the more she realizes the little things around her that make the world as beautiful as it is. After Chingis runs away from class one day, Julie follows him and his little brother to the rural outskirts of Bootle. She passes by the places and things in the pictures that Chingis showed her—mountains made of metal, flowers that were the size of trees, majestic pastures, and the railway that Chingis claimed they had followed from Mongolia to Bootle.

        One day, Julie’s teacher announces at the beginning of class that Chingis, Nergui and their family were deported due to having insufficient documents required in order to live in Bootle. Chingis’s coat was left in the class cloakroom, unforgotten by Julie, in which the photographs of Bootle’s Mongolia resided. At the end of the book, Julie realizes that although she hadn’t seen any demons, she finally understands Chingis and Nergui’s fear of vanishing.

        This book deals directly with the issue of undocumented youth and the difficulties they face as travellers as well as when they must interact with non-immigrants. Because the story comes from a first hand account, it gives the reader more of a sense of how “real” the issues of immigration and undocumented youths are.
       The book can certainly be used in the classroom especially when thematic lessons (e.g. immigration and undocumented youth) are implemented where students are encouraged to think empathetically about other’s cultures and identities.

Annotations for High School Texts 

Voorhoeve, Anne C. (2007). My Family for the War. New York: Penguin Group.

Genre:  Fiction/Historical Fiction

Interest Level: Grades 9-12+

      It is December of 1938; Franziska Mangold is a ten-year-old girl from Berlin who identifies as a Protestant Christian. However, since her family had converted from Judaism several generations ago, her and her family are still endangered by the Nazis. Franziska splits from her family and is transported to Great Britain through Kindertransport, where thousands of other children take a train to safety. She is taken in by a surrogate family, the Shepards, and is given an Anglicized name, Frances. The story follows Frances as she grows and essentially becomes accepted as part of the Shepard family.

Eventually, London is bombed and Frances loses many things and people she has grown to love. She eventually reconnects with her long lost mother, and realizes that the war has changed herself and her mother very much.

      Franziska is faced with the difficult decision of moving away from home in order to stay safe from Nazi activity. The story connects to our theme in the sense that Franziska must acclimate herself to not only new surroundings, but a new home and family. The readers are given a portrait of what life can be like as a young girl who must move due to warring nations.

    I would not be so sure as to how common this text would be in the classroom context besides it’s potential effectiveness when teaching about the WWII Holocaust. It certainly gives a different perspective than many other Holocaust novels out there because the main character is a Protestant Christian, however she still faces the challenges brought forth by Nazi Germany as well as the challenges involving emotionally complex familial relations. The novel is fairly long (400 pages), which may make it difficult for students to finish in a timely fashion in accordance to curriculum demands. 

Urrea, Luis Alberto. (2004). The Devil’s Highway. New York: Little, Brown and Company.

Genre:  Non-fiction/Biography/Current Events

Interest Level: Grades 9-12+

Content Areas: Social Studies (illegal immigrants, government, immigration laws), English Language Arts (courage, survival, friendship)

Multicultural Connections:  Mexican-American border, Illegal aliens, Immigration, Human smuggling, Human rights

A true story of the Wellton 26, a group of undocumented workers, who hoped to gain entrance to the United States for work via the Devil’s Highway, but instead were abandoned in the Arizona desert by their incompetent young guide.  The setting of this biography is one of the deadliest regions on the continent and it’s name is rightly earned as it has taken men’s lives for hundreds of years.  Urrea writes a balanced biography in which he exonerates no one nor does he cast blame on anyone, instead he captures the most detestable villain of the story, the unforgiving desert heat, which he gives an almost human characteristic to through his prolific writing style and subtle use of personification.  The coyote who abandoned the men, the border patrol agents, and the Wellton 26 themselves are all portrayed honestly and truthfully leaving the reader to ponder and consider the many controversial facets surrounding illegal immigration from Mexico to the United States and what these men were hoping to achieve in their quest for opportunity.

Although many of these men were fathers, several of them brought their sons along; these sons were mere teenagers and should still have been in school.  The fact that they were crossing the border to find work as undocumented workers lends itself well to the issue of immigrants and undocumented youth.  

Urrea reveals what happened to these men, how twenty six men went into the desert but only twelve survived and came out, how they fell prey to the dreams for a better life and the misguided promises of those who engage in smuggling.  He chronicles the saga of the Yuma 14, the fourteen men who, not having sufficient water for the time it took them to find the right route, died in their quest for work and the opportunity to provide for their families.   He weaves the story to include brief sketches of the their lives including failed coffee farms and the hungry families they left behind while also portraying the controversy in patrolling the border as well as the politics that go hand in hand with that.  Urrea is a recipient of the American Book Award, the Western States Book Award, the Colorado Book Award, and has been inducted into the Latino Literary Hall of Fame.

Tan, S. (2007). The Arrival. New York, NY: Arthur A. Levine Books.

Genre: Graphic Novel

Interest Level: grades 9-12+

            “The Arrival” by Shaun Tan is a graphic novel that explores one man’s journey to a new country entirely through pictures. “The Arrival” provides the reader with a first hand perspective of what it is like to be in a foreign country surrounded by unfamiliar objects. The man in the story is shown leaving his family and home behind in search of a better life in a new country. The book elicits feelings of confusion and fear as nothing in the new place is recognizable. Instead of words we see unfamiliar symbols just as an immigrant would when first trying to learn the language of their new home. Even the objects and animals in the story look strange and foreign. Tan does this purposely to show what it is like to arrive in an unfamiliar place surrounded by confusion. As the man looks for work and continues on his journey, he meets other assumable immigrants who briefly reveal their own account of coming to the new country. All of their accounts vary and are eerily similar to real life events such as the Holocaust, making the story even more universal and relatable to a variety of people who have gone through the immigration experience. The reader sees the man slowly adjusting to the strange new country and his wife and daughter who had been left behind eventually join him in his homeland. In the end we see the daughter helping another immigrant girl who has just arrived and we become aware of her adjustment as the cycle continues.

       “The Arrival” provides a first hand perspective of the immigration experience and the alienation felt by those arriving in an unfamiliar place. This text fits into the overall theme because it provides readers with an insight into how it feels to leave behind your family and home to move to a new unfamiliar place

        “The Arrival” would be a great text to use in any type and level classroom since it is entirely told through the use of images. By doing this, Tan’s story creates a level playing field for any level learner and is accessible to students of all languages.  “The Arrival” would be especially useful in school districts with ethnically and linguistically diverse populations. This text allows for multiple interpretations and could be used with a variety of literacy activities to encourage students to find meaning within a text that doesn’t have any words. This text appeals to anyone who has ever moved to a new and unfamiliar place, whether it be a new country or to a new city or town. It is especially appealing to someone who has gone through the immigration experience because it so beautifully and realistically depicts the feelings a foreigner feels upon arriving and the assimilation process that follows. Because this text uses images only, I feel that no one is excluded because it allows the reader to make meaning out of what is taking place regardless of their reading ability or language background. Although the book focuses on the experience of arriving in a new country, this text is an eye opening experience for those who have not had to go through such an experience and provokes empathy towards those who have. 

Literary Activities 

Literary Activity for One Green Apple - Character Mapping

            This character mapping activity would work well for a 3rd grade classroom but could be adapted for 2nd grade as well.  For this activity students should be given opportunity to view the book jacket for One Green Apple, and then share in a read aloud of the book with access to the illustrations in the book.  At the conclusion of the read aloud, students should be given opportunity to share orally with the class or with a partner about the main character of the book, Farah.  During this discussion, the teacher should direct the questions to help students to address what Farah looked like, how she acted in the story, and how other characters in the story reacted to her.  

            The next phase of the activity would include a writing portion where students would be given an opportunity to create a character map for Farah.  See the link below for a printout:

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/printouts/CharacterMap.pdf

This Character Mapping printout is reproducible for educational purposes.

In this segment of the activity, students would answer the following questions to help them gain a better understanding of who Farah was, where she may have come from, and how she is feeling in the story.  

- What does the character look like?

- How does the character act?

- How do other characters in the story react to this character?

In each section, students would address the question in complete sentences and provide the rationale for their answers based on the discussion that was had during the read aloud activity earlier.

Rubric for Character Mapping Activity -

Level 4 -

All sentences are complete and use correct spelling, grammar and punctuation.

All questions provide a rationale for the answer.

Level 3 -

Most sentences are complete and only have slight errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Most answers are provided with a rationale.

Level 2 -

Sentences are fragmented and have several errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Little rationale is provided for the answers.

Level 1 -

Does not use correct sentence structure, spelling, grammar or punctuation.

No rationale is provided for answers.

NY State CCLS addressed in this lesson:

RL.K-5.1

RL.K-5.3

RL.K-5.7

W.K-5.1A

W.K-5.1B

W.K-5.1C

S.K-5.1A

S.K-5.1B

S.K-5.1C

S.K-5.1D

S.K-5.1E

S.K-5.2

S.K-5.6

Literary Activity for The Unforgotten Coat – Coat Gallery Walk

Grades: 6-8

RL.7.1: Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RL.7.2: Determine the theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

RL.7.6: Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text

RL.7.6a: Analyze stories, drama, or poems by authors who represent diverse world cultures.

W.7.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

W.7.4a. Produce text that explores a variety of cultures and perspectives.

As a project/homework to in-school assignment, the students will be asked to bring in their coats and fill the pockets with items that are important to them. Specifically speaking, the students will bring items that symbolize their identity. Once the students had brought their items, the coats will be hung or laid throughout the room for others to observe and explore (gallery walk). The students would have to take notes about a person’s coat and items in order to prepare to create a write up that involves an explanation regarding what they had learned about the identities of at least 2-3 students. The report should be at least 2-3 pages and should address the importance of recognizing other’s cultural identities while re-examining one’s own identity.

Alternative: The following is an alternative to the above-mentioned activity due to the following possible conflicts:

If students had either forgot to bring their coat

If using real coats is too much of a hassle

If less time is required for the activity

If any of these or other conflicts arises, instead of using real coats, the teacher may make paper coats that the students can decorate and color, while also making illustrations of their important items to stick into the slits of where the pockets would be to their paper coats. The same writing activity can be applied.

Writing Prompt:

Please provide a 2-3 page (double spaced) write up and answer the following questions:

What did you learn about others in class? Please write about the findings of (3) classmates. What did you learn about yourself?

How does this activity relate to The Unforgotten Coat and its themes?

Literary Activity for The Arrival- Image-to-text Writing and Jigsaw

Grade 10
Connection to CCLS :

RL. 10. 6:  Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.  

W.10.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

W.10.3f: Adapt voice, awareness of audience, and use of language to accommodate a variety of

cultural contexts.  

W.10.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

 My literary activity based on Shaun Tan’s The Arrival would be designed for a tenth grade English class. The Arrival is a graphic novel that shows the immigration experience through a series of images. I would first “read” through the text together as a class because it is an unfamiliar medium for most students. Students would need this type of guided practice to ensure that everyone follows the story and comprehends what is going on before we can begin the activity. Once we are finished, I would have students break into four smaller groups for group discussion. Within the larger text there are four “mini” or sub-pot stories about four very different immigration experiences. I would assign one of the sub-plots within the story to each group. I would ask that each group discuss the mini story that they have been assigned. Groups should provide their own interpretation of the images, ask questions, clarify any confusion, and discuss possible narratives to go along with the images. Once students are done discussing their assigned story, I would have students independently write a two to three page journal entry describing the immigration experience shown in their story. Students would be taking on the voice of the immigrant in their story by writing in first person narrative style. They would need to use the images as their guide to create a logical narrative that includes details from the visuals shown. Students would essentially be providing the missing text to go along with the images in their assigned story. This would require students to practice writing in a specific style, with a specific audience in mind, and with a purpose. It would also allow them to practice using textual details to support their writing as well writing in chronological order since they would be following a series of images. Students could then jigsaw with other groups to share their different narratives. This type of narrative writing would allow students to explore different interpretations of the text and would allow students of all abilities to participate.

 I would assess students in various ways throughout this activity. First, I would be informally assessing students as they work in smaller groups to make sure students are staying on task and contributing to the discussion. I would formally assess students on their final product of the written journal entry. I would assess students based on their use of the text as a support to create a logical and coherent journal entry. Students should use the visual images as their main support to produce a story of their person’s immigration experience. Because audience and writing style is one of the main learning standards for this activity, I would be checking to see that students use the first person narrative in their writing along with other story elements such as voice and figurative language. Students should be writing in a chronological order of events in order to create a logical and fluid storyline. Because one of the greatest strengths of using this novel is to allow students of all abilities to participate, I would focus less on grammar and spelling and more on the overall content and creativity of their narrative as it pertains to the text.

Contributing Writers:
Heather Jenkins
Mary Perun
Matthew Yu 

Misc. Sources: 

http://www.inclusiveclassrooms.org/inquiries/one-green-apple

http://www.amazon.com/One-Green-Apple-Eve-Bunting/dp/0618434771

http://www.amazon.com/One-Green-Apple-Unabridged-CDs/dp/B0012YTPCM/ref=tmm_other-meta_binding_title_0

http://www.willhobbsauthor.com/books/bk_crossing.html

http://www.amazon.com/Crossing-the-Wire-ebook/dp/B000SEFG2A

http://www.theaudiobookstore.com/will-hobbs/crossing-wire-unabridged_bkreco003327.aspx

http://www.luisurrea.com/books/non-fiction/devils-highway

http://www.amazon.com/Devils-Highway-True-Story/dp/0316010804