Last Course Unit: Citizenship, Immigration and Identity today
by admin - November 23rd, 2012
In our last unit, we’ll be presenting our research to one another, and discussing the current state of citizenship, voting rights, and immigration/naturalization policy. Now that you understand the history, you can participate in these current debates with greater insight.
Monday 11/26 – our last group of soapboxes, and a discussion of the “Silent New Deal” that came after the fervor of the Civil Rights Movement. Reading: Good Citizen p. 264-287 and Right to Vote p. 217-233.
Wednesday 11/28 – Citizens vs. “Illegals.” Reading: RV 246-257 + Vargas, “My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant” (New York Times June 2011) – Vargas is a journalist and founder of Define American.com who came to speak to our campus last year. Due in class: Response paper on Vargas’s essay or on the DefineAmerican website (remember – response papers are analysis, not opinion)
Link for today: US Census 2010 – The Foreign-Born Population
Monday 12/3 – Citizenship “Lightning Round” – check the instructions under the Research Project tab – you will each have EXACTLY 2 minutes to present your research, either as a well-polished timed oral presentation, or as a 6-slide Pecha Kucha Powerpoint presentation. Due in class: your 175-200 word abstract (preferably emailed)
Wednesday 12/5 – Last day of class. Discussion on RV Ch 9 – where are we now with US citizenship rights? What’s the trend, is our democracy healthier or sicker, more open or less open – and why? What evidence would you use to back up your ideas? Due in class: RP 5, on the readings in this unit.
Friday 12/14 – Course Final Exam beginning at 12:30 pm in our classroom. Due at the final: RP 6 Reflection paper (prompt will be handed out in class)
