Embedded Files
Essential Question:
Essential Question:
Whose stories are told and privileged and how does this impact our understanding of what it means to be an American?
Whose stories are told and privileged and how does this impact our understanding of what it means to be an American?
Guiding Question: How is the immigrant experience an integral part of the American Dream and why did the U.S. government act to severely limit immigration in the 1920’s? How is the immigrant experience portrayed in The Great Gatsby (or, how is it absent)?
Access Recommendation: While short, this explanation of the Johnson-Reed Immigration Act of 1924 is fairly technical, so it may be best for students to read it with the support of the teacher, or in small groups. A printed out copy would be best for annotation purposes.
Annotation: This text explains what the Immigration Act of 1924 actually meant: the act effectively barred Asian immigrants from America and severely limited immigrants from other nations, creating a quota for each nation. It first gives a brief synopsis of the previously passed 1917 immigration laws, including the use of “literacy tests.” It then explains how the 1924 law was developed and what it entailed. This piece is important for historical context.
The Immigrant Contribution by John F. Kennedy, 1958
Guiding Question: Is the American Dream truly achievable by everyone?
Access Recommendations: This text is easily accessible by 11th grade students. It should be printed out so that students can annotate it as they read. They will be able to read it on their own or with the help of the teacher. If accessed alone, it may be best to include discussion questions.
Annotation: This excerpt from John F. Kennedy’s book, A Nation of Immigrants, shows how immigrants are at the very heart of America. He questions the “melting pot” idea previously touted as the best way for America’s many ethnicities and identities to coexist and instead proposes the end of exclusion, shame and second-class citizenship. But like many before him, he promotes the American Dream as a means to social mobility. Reading this text provides a way to begin a discussion about the role of privilege and identity in the American Dream.
Guiding Question: How do these poems and the stories of Chinese immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th century inform your understanding of the American Dream?
Access Recommendation: These poems are easily accessed by 11th grade students but the context provided by the text is integral to understanding them.
Annotation: The 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act legally excluded Chinese immigrants from the United States. Over many years, Chinese immigrants were detained at Ellis Island and interrogated about their family history as a way to legally prevent them from immigration into the United States. These poems were etched into the walls of the Angel Island immigration station as an act of protest against the harsh treatment and discriminatory practices aimed at Chinese immigrants.
I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez
Guiding Question: How does Julia grapple with what it means to be an American? How are themes of the American Dream portrayed in this novel?
Access Recommendation: This is a very accessible young adult novel and easily read by most 11th graders. Students will need time to read it at home and in class while discussing its very relatable themes in literature circles in class.
Annotation: I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter centers on Julia, a 15-year old Mexican-American girl whose older sister tragically dies in the beginning of the novel. Throughout the story, Julia attempts to learn more about her sister’s life, discovering that she may have not been so “perfect” after all, as their mother contends, while simultaneously figuring out her own identity. Themes such as racial identity, sexuality, grief and depression, and being true to oneself emerge, making this a well-loved book by many teens. This novel pairs well with The Great Gatsby because it brings into question the issue of American identity and offers an alternative perspective and more updated view of what it means to be an American compared to Gatsby.
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