Global Movements: Migration, Trafficking, and Tourism

A Summer Institute for Educators
July 9 - 13, 2012

World Voices – the Novel Juliet Closing Project
Heidi Ahlstrom-Miller, North Branford High School, English, Grades 11-12
This closing activity for the US/Italy-based novel Juliet, by Danish author Anne Fortier, requires students to apply information learned from the novel to their own life and their own choices, as they plan a trip.  They must choose locales referred to in the novel and design a trip to these places. They must also explain their rationale for their choices, and include a detailed budget.  The research and budgeting work has paralleled nicely with their college-decision research.

Who is a Migrant?
Mark Allen, Lauralton Hall, Social Studies/History Grades 9-12
Students will explore the concept and impact of migration/immigration through personal and family background/experiences and how these have and will impact the world.

The Site and Situation of Hartford, Connecticut
Kurt Alletzhauser, Cromwell Middle School, Social Studies, Grade 7
This lesson focuses on site and situation– two factors that help describe a settlement’s location and growth potential. Students will use Hartford, Connecticut (USA) as a case study. Besides examining physical geography, students will investigate human geography, such as the impact of migration on a settlement’s growth. The Students will work in small groups to collect, analyze, and organize main ideas and supporting details. At the end of the lesson, each student will write an expository essay on the site and situation of Hartford.

World Tourism Day
Ellen Clark-Cruz, Lansingburgh Central School District, English as a Second Language, Grades 6-12
This unit celebrates World Tourism Day, September 27, 2012, as set forth by the United Nations World Tourism Organization .  It provides an opportunity for students to examine the environmental impact of tourism as well as the global organizations that promote sustainability of places and regions, physical settings (including natural resources) and safeguard cultural heritage.

Globalization and Transportation Networks
David Desrosiers, Thomas Hunter Middle School, World Geography, Grade 8
As denizens of a consumer driven economy, we receive a vast number of our goods from other parts of the globe; for example the iPhone is designed in the United States and assembled in China with parts from nine different countries. Food, cars, clothing, oil products and all the necessities in our lives originate from all over the world. This lesson focuses on economic interconnection and how transportation networks allow the rapid movement of goods from one place to another. Students will start learning how a sophisticated transportation network facilitates the trafficking of human beings.

Map of World’s Largest Container Ports 2008-10

Response Journal

Immigration: Experiencing Ellis Island
Brian Ford, Edgemont Jr./Sr. High School, Social Studies, Grade 8
This lesson provides students with background of the immigration process at Ellis Island. Students will understand the immigrants’ experience through viewing the virtual tour of Ellis Island. Guided questions will be provided to assist student learning and assure active learning.   

Our World Around Us: Expanding Our Boundaries
Jennifer Gregory, Montville High School, Life Skills, Grades 9-12
Groups of life skills and special education students will map out and research available resources in and around their community, starting with within 1 mile, expanding to within 5 miles and finally out to 10 miles.  They will use the topics of medical, entertainment: free and low cost, educational opportunities, transportation: private and public, food: stores and restaurants, fast and sit down, income opportunities, health: medical and dental, and lastly support agencies for social, educational and living assistance. 

Collaboration Rubric Living Skills

Life Skills Rubric

An Introduction to the Francophone World
Marion Haymann, King Low Heywood Thomas, French, Grade 11
Students will hear about the history of the French language and read about French speaking countries in the world.  They will label a world map with the countries (using their French names) and share in a short presentation to the class about where the countries are located and why French is spoken there from a historical point of view.         

How Big Is Your World?
Donna P. Leake & Nancy Niemi, University of New Haven, Science and Social Studies Strategies Course, Graduate Level Education Program
This multi-part lesson will be used over two, three hour class periods to promote a deeper appreciation within graduate level elementary teaching candidates of the importance of:

  • gathering important information about  their students that has the potential to impact learning; and

    • recognizing the diversity issues that they will encounter in their classroom, as well as in teaching materials, etc.;

    in order to provide informed and personally challenging learning experiences for each student in their classrooms. In addition, during this lesson students will be presented with various tasks, resources, and project ideas that will help them develop inquiry based lesson plans that will deepen elementary students’ awareness and understanding of global perspectives in historical and contemporary situations.

    Challenging the Single Story
    Cristin Maguire and James Wuttke, Edgemont Junior/Senior High School, Global History I, Grade 9
    This set of lessons is meant to address the issues of stereotypes from an open and honest position.  Stereotypes and the idea of a single story are interrelated and must be explored so that students can develop a well-rounded view of the cultures we will discuss throughout the year

    A Tale of Two Migrations
    Pat Mitchell-Keita-Doe, Tilden Middle School, Social Studies / Environmental Science /Geography, Grade 7-8
    This unit addresses issues of people being forced to migrate as a result of changing climatic conditions and diminished resources due to civil war and conflict. The first lesson will examine what happens to coastal communities displaced by rising sea levels. Where do they go? What are the effects of the incursion of seawater into fresh water sources. How are their ecosystem, industry and ultimately, food chain affected? What are the effects of the migration on the receiving populations? What are the effects on their available resources? What international aid do they receive?

    The second lesson addresses what happens when populations are displaced from their country (or within their own borders) due to civil conflict and rebel activity. Again, what are the effects on the resources and industry on which they depend?  What international aid is afforded them? How do all of these groups perceived each other and how might these perceptions affect migration and resettlement?

    “La Francophonie”
    Christi Moraga, West Woods Upper Elementary School, World Languages – French, Grade 6
    “La Francophonie” encompasses the French speaking world – the geography and culture of the countries where French is spoken. This unit briefly introduces sixth grade French students to the concept of French colonialism stretching out to five continents and over 40 countries. The students will use maps to locate the countries and classify them by continent. The unit will involve technology to do research on a French site and will culminate in a mock Immigration Fair where each student represents a francophone country as if he/she were an immigrant to Paris from the “brain drain.” Students will ask and answer interview questions in French related to major symbols of each country, including colors of the flag, location of country in the world, capital, sport and  representative photos of the nation.

    Power Point Presentation
    Maps by Continents in French
    Rubric for Immigration Fair Poster
    Homework
    Speaking Rubric - Fifth and Sixth Grade French
    Student Instructions

    Introducing the Five Themes of Geography
    Sarah M. Stolfi, Washington Middle School, Social Studies, Grade 7
    This unit is meant to serve an introduction to the study of World Geography.  The lessons found in this unit are designed to teach students how to think and examine the world as though they are a Geographer.   This unit introduces students to the Five Geographic Themes, which serve as a method of for the examination Earth.  The themes are introduced to students in a separate format initially, but will be utilized throughout the school year as we examine each region/area of study.

    Tradition in Transition
    Ian Tiedemann, Greenwich High School, China Today, Grades 11-12
    The unit introduces traditional Confucian values of Chinese society, and then examines how modernity, urbanization and globalization challenge traditional values. I have included guided questions and independent studies related to Lixin Fan’s Last Train Home, a 2009 documentary about the complex cultural and economic struggles of migrant workers.

    “NO MAN IS AN ISLAND”
    Henriette van Woerkom Grul, New Haven Adult Education, Origin and Kinship, Adult Education ESOL
    This lesson plan explores the geographical background of the students in an adult education ESOL class. Culture, customs and homeland are discussed and compared. Personal family photos are brought to class and shared to augment the discussion and bring the idea of “global citizenship” full circle.

    Mother Nature’s Fury Respects No Boundaries
    Paul Zaleski, New Haven Adult Education, The Causal Link of the Weather and Environment on Human Migration Patterns, Adult Education ESOL
    This lesson for adult English language learners explores the causal link of the weather and environment on human migration patterns.   We will examine weather-related causes of migration based on actual examples, with a particular focus on the 2011drought in Somalia, the 2010 hurricane in Haiti, and the 2005 tsunami in Indonesia.  This lesson plan also considers the role of these events on the availability of potable water, and the ongoing efforts to address those challenges.  As a prerequisite to exploring this topic, the students will learn the basic vocabulary for various weather conditions/patterns around the world since they are second-language learners. 

    Weather Forecast for Lesson Plan
    Map for Lesson Plan