Understanding Diverse Perspectives: A Study of Immigration Through Literature

Nanette Leegwater
Grand Valley State University

You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...
Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it. Harper Lee
Immigration, refugee resettlement, local and global politics, cultural
conflict and change, identity and intergenerational issues, biculturalism,
creativity, sports, and community building are the themes that emerge in
this multi-genre unit inspired by Warren St. James book, Outcasts United. St.
James' book highlights a ragtag soccer team of refugee boys and the
extraordinary, young woman who coaches them. The unit objective is to
become aware of issues related to immigration, to consider the effects of
immigration on individuals and communities, and to develop an
understanding about the difficulties people face when reestablishing
themselves in a new culture. We will walk around in the literatures of
immigrants to consider things from their points of view.

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I. Common Core State Standards:

Key Ideas and Details: RL9-10.1, RL9-10.2
Craft and Structure: RL.9-10.5, RL.9-10.6
II. Behavioral Objective
A. The objective of this unit is to enhance students understanding of diverse perspectives
through personal narratives. We will experience these narratives through texts, personal
interviews, guest speakers, film and video. I hope there will be students among us willing
to share their stories, or parts of their stories, with the rest of the class.
B. At the end of this unit students will be able to:
a. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical
inferences
b. Cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions
drawn from the text
c. Determine a them or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the
course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific
details
d. Provide and objective summary of the text
e. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the
course of the text
f. Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of
literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world
literature
C. Students will be assessed throughout the unit using several forms of formative
assessment, such as ongoing teacher monitoring of small group conversations, entrance
and exit slips, 1-2 sentence summaries, and vocabulary quizzes. The end-of-unit
summative assessment will be the completion of a multi-genre project. For the multigenre project, students will choose 5 pieces of their written work from this unit, polish
each piece, and present it for display. The culmination of our work will be an exhibition
and celebration to which our friends, families, colleagues, and volunteers will be invited.
IV. Objective/Purpose
I will pose these questions to my students, and in doing so, their answers will inform them of the
importance of their learning. What does Harper Lee mean by, "You never really know a person
until you consider things from his point of view...Until you climb inside of his skin and walk
around in it?" What can high school students learn by reading and analyzing short works of
fiction for deeper textual meaning? How can they demonstrate and share their learning with their
teacher, classmates, families, and greater school community?
V. Materials
A copy of Warren St. John's Outcasts United for each student
A world map
Several colors of map tacks with flags and colorful string
A box of drinking straws
Lined note cards

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A copy of each of these texts:

Immigrant Kids by Russell Freedman

A Map of the World by Jennifer De Leon

Call Me by My True Names by Thich Nhat Hanh

Araby by James Joyce

The Use of Force by William Carlos William

An Untitled Poem by Wondimu Mekonnen

A Good Story by Sherman Alexie

Access to these links and videos:

To Be a Refugee (UNHCR): 8:07 minutes

International Association for the Study of Forced Migration (IASFM):

www.forcedmigration.org/whatisfm.htm

The 1951 Refugee Convention: www.unhcr.org

International Rescue Committees list of books and films about refugees and US refugee
resettlement: www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/orr/refugee_films_and_books.pdf

Fugees Family web page: http://www.fugeesfamily.org/press.html

Warren St. James New York Times article:

http://www.fugeesfamily.org/documents/Fugees_Family_nytimes.pdf

NPR Interactive map with photos of the youngest players and audio of them sharing their
stories: www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyID=2261970

Outcasts-Lesson-Plan-college: www.usu.edu/connections/pdf/Outcasts-Lesson-Plancollege.pdf

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References
De Leon, J. (2012, September 17). A Map of the World. In Brevity. Retrieved October 29, 2014,
from http://brevitymag.com/nonfiction/a-map-of-the-world/
Freedman, R. (1980). Immigrant Kids. New York, NY: Dutton.
Shunnarah, C., & Lee-Fong-Farris, G. (2013, April 1). Outcasts United by Warren St. John.
In Random House, Inc. Academic Resources.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. To Be a Refugee. (2013, March 10).
In YouTube.

Points of Discussion
1. To consider the decision to leave home from a migrants perspective.
2. To learn more about the reasons why people to migrate.
3. To consider the affects of migration on people and communities.
4. Deciding to leave home is a difficult decision.
5. People who decide to migrate have to consider many different factors based on their
situation.
6. Migration can have positive as well as negative affects on people individually and on
their communities.
7. To consider what situations people may face when they newly arrive in a country.
8. To consider how difficulties for people who have newly arrived can be overcome.
Extensions
Big idea: What would make you leave your home and go to a different country? How would
you respond?

Lesson Plan 1: Introducing the Unit: Considering Another's Perspective

Benchmark/Standard:
Common Core State Standards:
Key Ideas and Details: RL9-10.1, RL9-10.2
Craft and Structure: RL.9-10.5, RL.9-10.6
Behavior/ Objective:
To articulate both specific challenges to community and collaborative work posed by
cultural and linguistic difference and strategies for overcoming these challenges.
Anticipatory set:
Ask students to answer this prompt in their Bellringers: Write down everything you know
about poetry?
1. Prepare copies of Wondimu Mekonnen.
2. Pass out a copy of the poem to each student Wondimu Mekonnen.
My Script: Greetings. I loved that it rained all weekend because it gave me an excuse to lay low
and read one of my favorite books, holding it up to show the class, Sherman Alexies, War
Dances. Alexie is a beloved author of mine, and this book is a collection of some of his short
stories and poetry. In fact, my son introduced me to Alexies work when he was in high school.
His teacher suggested he read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. He did and
enjoyed it so much that he suggested I read it. And, as you know, Im always ready to try a new
book, so I did, and Ive enjoyed his work ever since. Maybe well get a chance to read The
Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian together, but soon some of you might choose to
read his short story titled A Good Story.
What did all of you read over the weekend? Would anyone like to share? My hope is that
students will eventually share things that they have read just like they share new youtube videos
and the terrible refereeing during the hockey game.
Lets look at an untitled poem by Wondimu Mekonnen. I will read it through while you follow
along. Underline, highlight, star, or in some way indicate things in the text that makes you
question, wonder, or simply notice. You dont have to know why you like the words nor do you
need to scurry back to the beginning to find the answer to a question about something I have just
read. In fact, if you feel tempted to do so, just put your pencil down and listen. We will be
discussing and re-reading the poem many more times; so I promise you. You dont have to have
it all figured out the first time through.

I will read the poem.

Ill say quickly before much discussion happens, Heres what were going to do. For 5 minutes
we will go around the room and use I notice statements. But this time we arent going to
necessarily notice just the text. Lets instead focus on how the text is crafted by answering these
questions: Who is narrating the poem? Who are the characters? Do the characters talk to each
other? Are they kind, likable, scary? Where does the story take place? These are the types of
things were looking for, which form the story, but arent completely evidenced in the text.
OK, so Ill start and then well just go for 5 minutes or so popcorn style. Jump in whenever you
feel moved. Also, this is going to be a collection of voices. As a group, we are going to gather
information to use throughout the unit. We will all OWN & SHARE this information. No one
will have exclusive rights to anything that is said. If someone says something that you planned to
say, then say it a second time. This will simply emphasize the fact that more than one person is
thinking it. It will make the statement more true.
I notice that the story is happening in the narrators head. Only the readers have access to
his thoughts.
We will continue the I notice popcorn for 5 minutes. If it begins to slow, I will speak up
with another I notice
After 5 minutes...
Excellent. I think we gathered lots of good stuff. Lets make a list of things that we know to be
true about poems, this one in particular.
I will write on the board the list that we come up with. I will use this list to create a wall chart
that we can add to as we read other short pieces in this unit. Our final list should include
elements of Character, Setting, Plot, Conflict, and Theme; although, these ideas wont be fully
developed yet, we will have something to build on.
Pass out a 2-3 different colored pencils to each student.
Ask student the following questions:
What does the author think about who he is?
How does he feel he is seen by others?
How does he feel that being an asylum seeker affects his identity?
What thoughts and feelings does the author express?
Have you ever felt that way? When did you feel this way?
How does this poem help you to understand what it might feel like to be a migrant?

Extensions
Creating a profile (30 minutes)
1. Place students into groups and tell them that they will create a profile of one of the
players from the Fugees team.
2. Ask students to create the following:
Draw an outline of your chosen person on a large piece of paper.
Illustrate who the person is.
On the inside of the profile, write or draw what the person might be feeling or thinking
about their situation.
On the outside write or draw about the situation the person faces in the outside world, in
their home country and in their new country. For example think about the things that made the
person leave their country and their current legal situation.
Encourage students to illustrate both positive and negative things.
Student can refer to the text and their notes.
3. Finally ask students to stick their profiles on the wall around the class and share these
with other students.
Suggested Readings
Add suggested reading for developing this teaching unit as well as further texts for students to
explore.
Links
International Association for the Study of Forced Migration (IASFM):
www.forcedmigration.org/whatisfm.htm
The 1951 Refugee Convention: www.unhcr.org
International Rescue Committees list of books and films about refugees and US refugee
resettlement: www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/orr/refugee_films_and_books.pdf
Fugees Family web page: http://www.fugeesfamily.org/press.html
Warren St. James New York Times article:
http://www.fugeesfamily.org/documents/Fugees_Family_nytimes.pdf
NPR Interactive map with photos of the youngest players and audio of them sharing their stories:
www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyID=2261970
Outcasts-Lesson-Plan-college: www.usu.edu/connections/pdf/Outcasts-Lesson-Plan-college.pdf
Lesson Plan: Day 1
Objective
The objective of this unit is to enhance students understanding of diverse perspectives through
individual stories. Some of these stories will be read, others shared through personal interviews
and guest speakers, and some stories will be viewed using film and video. My hope is that we
will have students among us willing to share their stories, or parts of their stories, with the rest of
the class. The objective of this unit is to enhance students understanding of diverse perspectives.
A variety of genres will undergird this unit: narrative, poetry, short story, interviews, video, and
guest speakers.
Materials
Each student will need a copy of Outcasts United.
They will need a large lined notecard for a bookmark.
I will have ready a colorful bulletin board with a large world map.
Several colors of map tacks with flags and colorful string for marking the map.

 A few special map tacks to map key points --Atlanta, GA and West Michigan for this
lesson.
Procedures
1. Introduce Outcasts United --see introduction paragraph attached. (5-7 minutes)
Explain who the author is, how he became familiar with the soccer team, and how we
will be focusing our reading on gathering lots of stories from people who have immigrated to
the United States.
2. Pass books out to students and record student numbers. (5 minutes)
3. Explain how students can appropriately mark the book using light, erasable pencil marks
or sticky notes to mark important passages.
4. Give each student a large notecard and explain that they are responsible to record the
names of characters as they are introduced in the story. Include the page number on which
they first appear, and include a brief description of each person. Explain that they will want
to keep this in their book while reading because it will be a helpful reference as we get
further into the book and meet many new characters. (3 minutes)
5. Show students the world map on the bulletin board and explain how it will be used. (3-5
minutes)
Include where to find the tacks and string and how to use them to show migration of the
people we will meet in Outcasts United.
6. Give each student a small notecard and ask them to answer these questions:
Where were you born?
If you were born somewhere other than the United States, what age were you when you
came to live here?
If you were born somewhere other than West Michigan, what age were you when you
came to live here? Give thought to this --possibly making it more in depth and putting it
somewhere else.
Give students time to put their pins on the map including where they were born and
following their path to West Michigan. Note: we will not be able to map migration within the
West Michigan area, but can try to map within Michigan if there is room. (10 minutes)
7. I will read the introduction to Outcasts United aloud. (15 minutes)
While Im reading, students can follow along in their books and mark the pages or make
notes on their notecards. Or they may sit back and listen.
8. I will ask a student to write down the names of the characters from chapter 1 on the
board. Other students will be writing this on their cards if they havent already. (3 minutes)
The book is dedicated to Alex, Bienvenue, Ive, and Alyah. Keep this in mind as we
continue to read. I wonder if we will get to know who they are and why they are special in the
authors life.
Luma Mufleh, the thirty-one-year-old founder and volunteer coach of the Fugees.
The author, Warren St. John
Christian Jackson, player on the Fugees who scored 5 goals in the game described in the
introduction.
Attak, a Sudanese forward
Zubaid, a player from Afghanistan. He had never missed practice or an afternoon tutoring
session.
9. An idea: Starting at the middle of page 7 is a description of a great play made by Zubaid

and a few teammates. If there are soccer players in my class --boys or girls --ask them to
dramatize this scene. Im not a soccer player so I dont understand whats happening her:
He put out his leg, and the ball locked between the tops of the two players feet with a loud
thwump. The ball stopped, and the North Atlanta player fell forward onto the turf: a perfect
tackle (8).
10.
I will ask a student to find and mark Atlanta, GA on the map with one of the
special map tacks.
We will also need to mark Sudan and Afghanistan.
11.
If we get through all of this, its been a busy day. I will remind students that
reading ahead is always OK, but to be respectful of those who havent had the opportunity to
do so. We will read the 1st chapter together in class tomorrow and begin Literature Circles.
12.
Students exit pass is the completed small notecard with their birthplace including
information about how they came to live in West Michigan. See #6

Lesson Plan 2: Group Work: Developing a Team Despite Differences

Benchmark/Standard:
Common Core State Standards:
Key Ideas and Details: RL9-10.1, RL9-10.2
Craft and Structure: RL.9-10.5, RL.9-10.6
Behavior/ Objective:
To articulate both specific challenges to community and collaborative work posed by
cultural and linguistic difference and strategies for overcoming these challenges.
Anticipatory set:
Ask students to answer this prompt in their Bellringers: Tell me of a time you felt
misunderstood. How did that make you feel?
Objective/Purpose:
In Part III, St. John describes the trying labor conditions for many refugees and the
difficult work schedule for Generose Ntwari. Like many of the parents depicted here, Generose
sacrifices much for her children. Reflect today on the notion of sacrifice: has anyone in your
family sacrificed something to help you get here? What personal sacrifices have you had to
make, or would you be willing to make, for family members?
Input
Task analysis
Divide the class into groups of four to six students
This exercise is a variation on familiar project on team building: each group
must build the, free-standing structure they can. However, a few rules will
make this more difficult and will prompt the students to think about the
unique challenges faced by Coach Luma and the Fugees.
Once the groups have been designated, provide them with instructions:

For this task, imagine that you are a multiethnic work crew, with very little instructions
and even less in common. Your task is to build the tallest free-standing structure you can, using
only these straws. However, the members of your team come from different corners of the globe,
and each of you has only a limited knowledge of the local language. The common vocabulary is
limited to the following words:
UP..dok
DOWNtyfd
LEFTfround
RIGHTaront
HIGH...frong
LOW........siddle
FRONT...freht
BACKbynk
AROUND..atoutd
TOP tos
BOTTOM......incer
During the course of the project, you may communicate only through these words and hand
gestures. No other language, written or spoken, may be used. You have twenty minutesbegin.
Thinking Levels:
Application: Apply their experience with this exercise to a group discussion
about how difficult it might have been for the Fugees to understand one another
Synthesis: Generate ideas from this experience and in group discussion which
can be used to devise a plan for writing
Analysis: Analyze the reactions of fellow students in order to better comprehend
the difficulties the Fugees faced
Learning Styles and Accommodations:
Verbal linguistics: Students are asked to share their experiences in small and large
group discussions
Body Kinesthetic: Students are able to move around when forming groups and
while building their towers
Interpersonal: Students are given time to work in groups
Intrapersonal: Students perform the bellringer and culminating writing
assignment on their own
Materials:
A large box of drinking straws for each group
Copies of the common vocabulary for each group

Modeling:

Teacher will read the directions aloud and ask a student to assist in beginning to
put together a tower
Teacher will read the common language aloud while pointing to the words either
written or projected on the whiteboard

Checking for understanding:

Can you identify the group that you are in?
Do you know where your group is meeting?
When the teacher walks around, does it appear students understand the directions?
If there is confusion, teacher will stop the lesson and review instructions
Guided practice: Not applicable
Independent practice: Not applicable
Closure:
Following the assignment, ask students to either write about or to discuss specific
challenges that the linguistic differences and affiliations posed to their collaborative work. They
should draw specific connections between the assignment and the Fugees story. Finally, they
should, individually or collectively, provide a narrative of how they either failed to overcome the
challenge or succeeded despite the obstacle of language and rivalry.
References:
http://www.usu.edu/connections/pdf/Outcasts-Lesson-Plan-college.pdf
Outcasts-Lesson-Plan-College: this is a pdf with lesson plan ideas for college professors teaching
Outcasts United to incoming freshman. I believe this lesson is appropriate for middle school
students as well.

References
De Leon, J. (2012, September 17). A Map of the World. In Brevity. Retrieved October 29, 2014,
from http://brevitymag.com/nonfiction/a-map-of-the-world/
Freedman, R. (1980). Immigrant Kids. New York, NY: Dutton.
Shunnarah, C., & Lee-Fong-Farris, G. (2013, April 1). Outcasts United by Warren St. John.
In Random House, Inc. Academic Resources. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
St. John, W. (2012). Outcasts United: The Story of a Refugee Soccer Team That Changed a
Town. N.p.: Delacorte Press.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. To Be a Refugee. (2013, March 10).
In YouTube.