The Real West Side Story

1
The Real West Side Story
2
Children play in the street in Barranquitas,
Puerto Rico. In the 1940s and 1950s, many Puerto
Ricans migrated to the United States mainland to
escape such poor living conditions. Photo
courtesy of the Library of Congress.

• NCSS Themes
• I. Culture
• II. Time, Continuity, and Change
• III. People, Places, and Environments
• IX. Global Connections

3
National Geography Standards

• Standard 4The Physical and Human Characteristics
  of Place
• Standard 6 How culture and experience influence
  peoples perception of places and regions
• Standard 9 Characteristics, distribution, and
  migration of human populations
• Standard 10 Complexity of cultural mosaics
• Standard 13 Forces of cooperation and conflict
  among people

4
Rationale

• Migration of peoples across the face of the earth
  is as old as the nomadic humans moving to greener
  pastures in search of better food sources.
  Migration occurs as the result of a combination
  of push and pull factors initiating the desire
  for people to change place. The case of Puerto
  Rican migration to the United States is unique in
  that, from 1918 to present, it was considered an
  internal migration, not an immigration. The
  barriers of race, language, and cultural
  differences resulted in similar negative
  experiences for Puerto Rican migrants and those
  of immigrants to the United States from other
  countries. This warrants further investigation of
  the migration of the Puerto Rican population in
  the 20th century.

5
Objectives

• Gather data from tables and construct graphs that
  show migration into the United States from Puerto
  Rico over the 20th century.
• Identify some of the push and pull factors that
  influenced the flow of Puerto Rican migrants to
  the United States.
• Analyze the waves of migration in relation to the
  primary destination of the migrants over time.

6
Materials

• Time one or two 45-minute class periods for 9th
  grade World Geography, depending on whether the
  students are asked to graph additional
  information from almanacs or other sources.
• 1. Background Information Why do people move?
  Push-pull factors in migration
• 2. Migrants to the United States data table
• 3. Poster-size unfinished graph of immigration
  through time
• 4. Completed graph of immigration through time
• 5. 4 Poster-size maps of United States to be
  created by students designating location of
  Puerto Rican populations by decade of migration

7
Data for Graphs

• 1900-1909 2,000
• 1910-1919 11,000
• 1920-1929 35,638
• 1930-1939 12,715
• 1940-1949 145,010
• 1950-1959 446,693
• 1960-1969 221,763
• 1970-1979 26,683
• 1980-1989 490,562
• 1990-1999 325,875

8
CHECKLIST OF PROCEDURES

• 1) Get students attention with Where does your
  family come from? and/or questions about ethnic
  origins and migration.
• 2) Demonstrate how to graph information from the
  Data Table and plot several points.
• 3) Hand out the data sheet on 20th Century Puerto
  Rican Migration to the United States and have
  students graph the migration from Puerto Rico on
  large poster-size paper using line and block
  graphs.
• 4) Have them "connect the dots" to show migration
  trend lines (peaks and valleys).
• 5) Explain some reasons for high and low
  migration years (tie this back to the opening
  discussion). Expand on the idea of push and pull
  factors as they relate to human migration
  particularly in relation to the unusual
  circumstances for the Puerto Rican migrant.
• 6) Have students create their own maps of the
  settlement according to the decade of migration.
• 7) Discuss settlement trends and the impact on
  the culture of the region.

9
Examples of Push/Pull Factors Based on Surveys

• TO BETTER MYSELF AND HELP MY PARENTS
  ECONOMICALLY. 1955
• BETTER OPPORTUNITIES CARE FOR SICK NEPHEW. 1954
• BETTER OPPORTUNITIES IN JOBS AND SCHOOL FOR ME
  AND MY BROTHERS. 1955
• TO TRAVEL WITH THE ARMY. 1985
• TO KEEP THE FAMILY TIES TOGETHER 1970
• MY KIDS TO HAVE A BETTER FUTURE. 2007
• FINANCIAL AND BETTER LIFESTYLE FOR MY FAMILY.
  2006
• SAFETY. 2007

10
Assessment

• Emphasize the idea that waves of immigration from
  different places at different times result in a
  complex set of ethnic groups interacting in the
  same country. The students should consider the
  interaction as the creation of a cultural mosaic
  unique to the United States or as assimilation
  creating a blend of cultures.

11
Lesson Two

• Interdisciplinary Connections

12
When I Was Puerto Rican

• Using Literature to Teach Migration

13
Private Teacher Resource

• http//www.randomhouse.com/vintage/read/puerto/

14
Rationale

• many state standards now contain a Reading Across
  the Curriculum Standard. The goal of such
  standards is to address the belief that
• Reading across curriculum content develops both
  academic and personal interests in students. As
  students read, they develop both content and
  contextual vocabulary. They also build good
  habits for reading, researching, and learning.
  The Reading Across the Curriculum standard
  focuses on the academic and personal skills
  students acquire as they read in all areas of
  learning.
• (Taken from the Georgia Performance Standards)

15
Objectives

• After reading the book and Upon Completion of the
  Lessons Students Will Be able to
• Understand how literature is a source for
• geographic content knowledge.
• Recognize descriptions of events, patterns and
• place in literature that are illustrative of
• geographic themes.
• identify, discuss, and visually illustrate any
• four geographic themes occurring in the book.

16
REQUIREMENTS AND RESOURCES

• THE CLASSROOM LESSONS MUST BE TIMED TO ALLOW
  STUDENTS TO HAVE COMPLETED READING ALL (OR MOST)
  OF THE BOOK.
• TIME
• 1. TWO WEEKS OF INDEPENDENT READING OF
  BOOK
• 2. TWO 50-MINUTE CLASS PERIODS FOR
  GROUP
• ACTIVITY FINAL PRESENTATIONS
• 3. 2-3 EVENINGS OF INDEPENDENT COMPUTER
  WORK
• FOLLOWING THE CLASSROOM LESSON AS
  
• HOMEWORK TO CREATE GLOGSTER POSTER
• STUDENT COPIES OF WHEN I WAS PUERTO RICAN
• SETS OF PROMPT QUESTIONS FOR EACH GROUP DURING
  CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
• STUDENT ACCESS TO COMPUTERS CLASSROOM
  TECHNOLOGY TO DISPLAY STUDENT WORK

17
Procedures

• Open class by having four volunteers give their
  personal opinions of the most important thing
  they learned about Puerto Rico by reading the
  book. (Time 6 minutes)
• Divide the class members into groups of 4. Then,
• Provide each group copies of set of guide
  questions on a specific section of the book.
  (Time 4 minutes)
• Based on a review of that section of the book
  and their discussion of the questions, have the
  students in each group create a list of three
  specific events, descriptions of place, etc. that
  they believe illustrate some major theme in
  geography. (Time 30 minutes)

18
Procedures (continued)

• 5. Following the individual group discussions,
  have each group report to the class on its list.
  Then,
• End the class with questions asking students to
  connect the choices of each of the groups to
  create a longer list of Geography Themes that are
  seen in the book. (Time 10 minutes)
• Following class, all students will complete
  individual projects in which they illustrate
  their choice of 4 themes through the creation of
  a Glogster Poster.
• (Outside of class)
• 8. On the final day of the unit, students
  will present their Glogster Posters and explain
  the validity of their choices of themes. (50
  minutes.)

19
Assessments

• Formative
• Three reading progress quizzes during the time
  assigned for students to
• be reading the book, each with 5 simple questions
  based on specific
• sections of the book.
• Lists generated during small group discussions in
  class.
• Summative
• Glogster Poster created by each student.

20
Example

• Below is a sample of a Glogster Poster
  illustrating
• Themes 4, 6, 9 and 13.
• http//kreeve.glogster.com/pr-practiceglog/

21
Lesson Three Puerto Rican Narratives

• RATIONALE
• IN TODAYS WORLD, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS TO
  UNDERSTAND THAT MIGRATION IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF
  PEOPLES EVERYWHERE. IT IS SAID THAT WE ARE A
  NATION OF IMMIGRANTS, AND PUERTO RICAN MIGRATION
  PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR HISTORY DURING THE
  20TH CENTURY. THE NARRATIVES OF PUERTO RICAN
  MIGRANTS REVEAL BOTH AN UNUSUAL STORY AND A
  UNIVERSAL STORY.

22
Objectives

• UPON COMPLETION, THE STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO
• IDENTIFY RECURRING THEMES IN PUERTO RICAN
  MIGRATION STORIES.
• COMPARE THE PUERTO RICAN MIGRATION EXPERIENCES
  WITH OTHER IMMIGRANTS IN THE U.S.
• DEVELOP AN ENTRY FOR A SCHOOL HANDBOOK FOR
  WELCOMING NEW STUDENTS INTO THE COMMUNITY.

23
Materials

• 1. A BLANK COPY OF THE SURVEY OF PUERTO RICAN
  MIGRANTS FOR EACH STUDENT
• 2. MAP OF THE WORLD AND MAP OF THE UNITED
  STATES
• 3. PAPER FOR THE CREATION OF NOTEBOOK ENTRIES
  OTHER MATERIALS, AS NEEDED, FOR PUBLICATION
• 4. PRIMARY SOURCE MATERIALS AND WEB RESOURCES
  RELATING TO IRISH, ITALIAN, AND VIETNAMESE
  IMMIGRATION TO THE U.S. (One example of primary
  sources for each group is included here.)

24
Procedures

• Day 1
• 1. Teacher will lead discussion of survey
  responses and research regarding characteristics
  of Puerto Rican migration.
• 2. Teacher will highlight unusual and universal
  nature of the Puerto Rican responses.
• 3. Students will begin group work related to
  mid-1800s Irish, early-1900s Italian, and
  late-1900s Vietnamese immigration to the U.S.
• Day(s) 2 - 3
• 1. Students will complete group work and
  related class discussion. Maps will be used to
  emphasize area in which different groups settled.
  Teacher will also introduce idea that migrants
  today often face similar issues. Possible
  examples North Africans in France, Eastern
  Europeans in Western Europe, Turks in Germany.
• 2. Students will plan their individual entries
  for the handbook welcoming new immigrant
  students to the community. Teacher/class may
  organize handbook in terms of topics, special
  needs of school, and publishing process.
  Handbooks can be made available to new students
  through the counseling or registrars offices.

25
Procedures (continued)

• Day 3
• In computer lab or classroom, each student will
  write a one-page entry for student handbook.
  Teacher will provide instructions as appropriate
  for class(es).
• Students will, in groups set up by topic or other
  consideration, peer review their rough drafts.
  Entries will then be corrected and turned in to
  the teacher. (Upon teachers review and then
  further revision, class will create copies of the
  handbook for distribution through counseling or
  registrars office.)

26
Day 1 Summary of Results from Surveys and
Research

• UNUSUAL CHARACTERISTICS
• Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens and were
  originally viewed as the model minority
• Circular migration pattern creates constant
  cultural interaction between the U. S. and Puerto
  Rico
• There is pressure both to Americanize and
  maintain a strong Puerto Rican identity.
• Returning migrants may not be particularly
  welcome back in their homeland.

27
Summary of Results (Continued)

• 2. UNIVERSAL CHARACTERISTICS
• PUERTO RICANS ASK THE SAME KINDS OF IDENTITY
  QUESTIONS THAT OTHERS ASK.
• THEY TYPICALLY LIVE IN URBAN AREAS AND DEAL WITH
  ISSUES LIKE POVERTY, SEGREGATION, DISCRIMINATION,
  CRIME, AND MARGINALIZATION.
• PUERTO RICANS IN THE U.S. CREATE EXTENSIVE AND
  STRONG SOCIAL NETWORKS.
• PUERTO RICANS VIEW THE U.S. AS A LAND OF
  OPPORTUNITY AND SEEK THE AMERICAN DREAM THERE.
  

28
Day(s) 1 - 2 Group Work

• COMPARATIVE INVESTIGATION OF
• IMMIGRANT CULTURES
• DIVIDE THE CLASS INTO SIX GROUPS.
• PROVIDE EACH GROUP WITH A SET OF SOURCE MATERIALS
  THAT TELL THE STORIES OF EITHER IRISH, ITALIAN,
  OR VIETNAMESE IMMIGRANTS.
• TAKING INTO ACCOUNT INFORMATION FROM THE
  PREVIOUS DISCUSSION, EACH GROUP WILL IDENTIFY
  UNUSUAL AND UNIVERSAL CHARACTERISTICS AS REVEALED
  IN THEIR SOURCE MATERIALS.
• EACH GROUP WILL THEN REPORT TO THE CLASS ITS
  FINDINGS, AND TEACHER WILL LEAD DISCUSSION
  COMPARING THE VARIOUS MIGRATION STORIES.

29
Days 2 - 3 Handbook

• Upon completion of discussion of various
  immigrant groups, their similarities and
  differences, teacher will provide instructions
  for handbook activity. Teacher may organize
  assignment as appropriate for the class(es)
  completing the project.
• Each student will prepare one entry for the
  handbook. Upon completion of rough drafts,
  students will meet in groups to peer review each
  others entries.
• Students will revise based on peer feedback.
  Teacher will then review and make suggestions for
  final drafts. Teacher will proofread and grade
  final drafts according to stated criteria
  (connections to objectives for lessons, specific
  content, organization, appropriate grammar and
  composition skills, etc.) .

30
Assessment Procedures

• Formative Teacher will monitor student
  responses during discussion of surveys and
  research and during group activity.
• Summative Each student will prepare one entry
  for a handbook welcoming new immigrants to the
  school and community. Entries should reflect an
  understanding of the immigrant experience as
  revealed in the previous activities. Students
  will edit and teacher will approve each entry
  prior to publication in handbook.