Inspirational Immigrants Presentation

Share with students some statistics and facts, infographics, and famous quotes about immigrants and immigration in the United States and California. For instance, share these quotes by past presidnets:

“More than any other nation on Earth, America has constantly drawn strength and spirit from wave after wave of immigrants. In each generation, they have proved to be the most restless, the most adventurous, the most innovative, the most industrious of people. Bearing different memories, honoring different heritages, they have strengthened our economy, enriched our culture, renewed our promise of freedom and opportunity for all….”

-- Former U.S. President Bill Clinton

“The land flourished because it was fed from so many sources -- because it was nourished by so many cultures and traditions and peoples.”

― Lyndon B. Johnson

 “Nearly all Americans have ancestors who braved the oceans – liberty-loving risk takers in search of an ideal – the largest voluntary migrations in recorded history… Immigration is not just a link to America’s past; it’s also a bridge to America’s future.”

-- former U.S. President George W. Bush

“Everywhere immigrants have enriched and strengthened the fabric of American life.”

– former U.S. President John F. Kennedy

 Then you can ask these questions and have students predict or give multiple-choice answers that students can choose from before providing them with the answers:

1. Which country has more immigrants than any other in the world?

2. What percentage of the U.S. population is foreign born?

3. From which country do most immigrants in the U.S. come from?

4. Which states in the U.S. have the most immigrants?

5. Which cities in the U.S. have the most immigrants?

6. What percentage of people living in California are foreign-born?

7. What percentage of Californian have positive views of immigrants?

Answers:

1. U.S.A.

2. In 2019, 44.9 million immigrants (foreign-born individuals) comprised 14 percent of the national population. The United States was home to 22.0 million women, 20.4 million men, and 2.5 million children who were immigrants. One in seven U.S. residents is an immigrant, while one in eight residents is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent.

3. The top countries of origin for immigrants were Mexico (24 percent of immigrants), India (6 percent), China (5 percent), the Philippines (4.5 percent), and El Salvador (3 percent).

4. Nearly half (45%) of the nation’s immigrants live in just three states: California (24%), Texas (11%) and Florida (10%). California had the largest immigrant population of any state in 2018, at 10.6 million. Texas, Florida and New York had more than 4 million immigrants each.

5. In 2018, most immigrants lived in just 20 major metropolitan areas, with the largest populations in the New York, Los Angeles and Miami metro areas. 

6. 27% - California is home to almost 11 million immigrants—about a quarter of the foreign-born population nationwide. In 2019, the most current year of data, 27% of California’s population was foreign born, more than double the percentage in the rest of the country.

7. Nearly four in five Californians (78%) believe immigrants are a benefit to the state because of their hard work and job skills, compared to only 18% who believe they are a burden. An even larger share (87%) believe there should be a way for undocumented immigrants to stay in the country legally, and a majority (61%) favor state and local governments making their own policies and taking actions, separate from the federal government, to protect the legal rights of undocumented immigrants in California.

Sources:

American Immigration Council, Immigrants in the United States Fact Sheet, https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/immigrants-in-the-united-states

Pew Research Center, Key Findings about U.S. Immigrants https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/08/20/key-findings-about-u-s-immigrants/ 

Public Policy Institute of California, Immigrants in California Fact Sheet, https://www.ppic.org/publication/immigrants-in-california/ 

Tell students that the United States is a country of immigrants and that before outsiders came here, there were indigenous people, the Native Americans, living here. Immigrants contribute to the country in the workforce and in innovative industries like technology, sciences, and business.

For this lesson, students will read about successful immigrants and then research and create and deliver an oral presention about an inspirational, successful immigrant in the United States.

Using a slideshow you create about someone fictional or a successful immigrant, review words for biography, such as the following, having the student repeat past tense verb forms:

• was born
• started school
• lived (in)
• grew up (in)
• learned / studied
• graduated
• immigrated
• went to college
• became a citizen
• got a job
• traveled
• got married
• had children / became a parent
•  got a promotion
• worked
• became a grandparent
• retired
• (passed away)

Model the following questions and answers and then in pairs or small groups, have students practice by answering in complete and grammatically accurate sentences:

Biography Information Practice

Say your answers to these questions in complete sentences.  Help your group members use the correct verb tense (past).

1. When were you born?
2. Where were you born?
3. Where did you grow up?
4. How many brothers and sisters do you have? What are their names? Where do they live? What is your position in your family (only child, the oldest, middle, the youngest)?
5. When did you get your first job?  What was the job?
6. When did you learn to drive?
7. When did you immigrate to the USA?
8. Are you married?  If so, when did you get married? What is your spouse’s name?
9. Do you have children?  If so, when did you have your first child? How many children do you have? What are their names and ages? Do they live with you? If you don’t have kids, talk about your pets.
10. When did you start school here?
11. Are you a United States citizen?  If so, when did you become a citizen?
12. What is a plan you have for the future?

If you teach with a learning management system, you can create a discussion forum for students to write their answers and interact with others.

• Make a jigsaw reading using some entries from the Carnegie Great Immigrants Honoree bios. Perhaps select immigrants from countries not represented in your class in case students want to select someone from their country for their presentation.
• Direct students to the website and have groups of three to four students read about an assigned honoree.
• Model for groups how to answer the following questions on the handout, Jigsaw Reading Notes.
• When the teams have finished, regroup students so that every student in each group has read about a different honoree.
• Then students will take turns sharing information about the honoree they read about in their home groups, with their group members taking notes.
• If you are teaching synchronously online, you can create a shared Google Document of the Jigsaw Reading Notes and have homegroups fill in their answers in break-out rooms.

• Go over the presentation prompt, "Great Immigrant Presentation" and then model for students how to use the Carnegie Great Immigrants and other websites to find information and fill out the note-taking section. Optionally create a sample presentation to help students understand the assignment expectations.
• Students can use the PowerPoint template or make a copy of this Google Slides template to create their visual aids for their oral presentation.
• Model for students how to change the theme and search for and insert images and enter text.
• Show students how to save (if using PowerPoint) and share their slides with you.
• Students deliver their presentation with students and/or the teacher evaluating with a checklist or rubric to give feedback.

Students will be able to use the internet to search for information on a less familiar topic, take notes, plan and deliver an oral presentation using terms for biography, and use a slideshow tool as a visual aid.