Objectives:

• Students will suggest reasons for bias and stereotypes about immigrants
• Students will reflect on discrepancies between facts and beliefs
• Students will discuss the importance of and ways to achieve a voting public that is well informed and thinks critically about complex issues

Materials:

• Worksheet #1: “Commonly Held Assumptions: Data Collection”
• Worksheet #2: “The Energy of a Nation: Immigration in America”
• Handout #1: “Cycles of Nativism in U.S. History”
• Handout #2: “Minnesota Muslims Denounce Attacks, Brace for Harassment”
• Handout #3: “Jewish-American Experience Timeline”
• Video: “The Energy of a Nation”
• Other relevant materials from local media, personal stories, and/or Appendix

Time Frame: Four to five class periods

Age Level: Middle school to adult

Vocabulary: Naturalization, Nativism

Relevant Subject Areas and Connection to Minnesota State High School Standards:

• Inquiry and Research: History through Culture
• Social Studies: Themes of United States History, Diverse Perspectives, Community Interaction, Institutions and Traditions in Society