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 Throughout the semester, students read the novel The Joy Luck Club. Dealing with the theme of assimilation, students were introduced to a WebQuest project related to this topic. Students had the opportunity to research the history of immigration in the United States, including specific individuals and the problems they faced during their assimilation process.
Working in groups, students created a four-question survey about assimilation in America. They each asked five peers or family members to take the survey. Once these results were compiled, students were able to use the data to create graphs, write a two-page policy report, and complete a reflection piece. |
Cari Gersh |
Cari Gersh teaches ESL at Christopher Columbus High School in New York. As a New York City Teaching Fellow, she recently completed her Master's coursework at City College (CUNY). Her previous teaching experience was a six month volunteer position teaching English in Ghana, West Africa.
woobyer@hotmail.com |
Subject:
ESL, Technology
Grade Level: 9-12
Time: Approximately 10 class periods
Materials: Internet connection; LCD projector; all worksheets are included in the project link
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Objectives:
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Students will:
1. Be able to conduct research on the Internet using the links provided to them.
2. Understand and demonstrate how to draft a survey, tally results, and create a graph.
3. Read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
4. Gain greater understanding of people and their views.
5. Work cooperatively with a group of peers.
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Web site: |
http://maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/
tips/t5prod/gershwq2.html
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Overall value:
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Students were extremely motivated to complete this WebQuest. This project helped to strengthen their research skills, and taught them about different resources available on the Internet. This project is student-centered, whereby students are responsible for completing each task in order to proceed to the final report. For ESL students, tapping into their personal knowledge of immigration and assimilation enabled them to relate to the topic at hand and also reflect on their own assimilation process in America.
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Standards:
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Students use oral and written language for effective social communication with a wide variety of people. Students use the writing process to produce a well-constructed report and reflection, observing the basic conventions of spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Students examine how the Constitution, United States law, and the rights of citizenship provide a major unifying factor in bringing together Americans from diverse roots and traditions. They compare and contrast the experiences of different groups in the United States
Students use the Internet to research, enter, display, and communicate information.
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