Day 1: Why Immigrate?

Grade 11th

Subject U.S. History

Unit Chinese Exclusion Mini-Unit

Lesson Why immigrate?

Standard Describe the changing landscape, including

the growth of cities linked by industry
and trade, and the development of cities
divided according to race, ethnicity, and
Class. (?)

Objective SWBAT analyze a primary source document

for important information.

Warm-Up:
- Obama Speech: "Unless you're Native American, you came from someplace else."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiXuEk_CyWs
- Students write a one paragraph response.
- Students share warm-up and have a class discussion about the video
Lecture
- Teacher reiterates what students have learned about the rise of industrialization and that rural
migrants and immigrants came to the cities
- Directs students to next activity, a close reading of a primary source document

Student Activity:
- Students read Chapter from The Story of California From the Earliest Days to the Present by
Henry K Norton http://www.sfmuseum.net/hist6/chinhate.html
- Each student receives a copy. The teacher reads the text aloud, modeling their thinking, and
frequently pausing to ask these questions which students will answer on a graphic organizer:
- According to this text:
What the Text Said My
Reaction/Question/Comment

What were the

reasons that the
Chinese immigrated
to America?

Why were the

Chinese immigrants
welcomed?
 Why were the
Chinese immigrants
discriminated
against/not wanted?

Teacher Leads
- Discussion about who wrote the chapter and his biases/racism

Closing Activity
- 3-2-1. Students write on an index card three things they learned, two questions that they have, and
one interesting thought.

Day 2: The Exclusion Act

Grade 11th

Subject U.S. History

Unit Chinese Exclusion Mini-Unit

Lesson Exclusion Act

Standard Describe the changing landscape, including

the growth of cities linked by industry
and trade, and the development of cities
divided according to race, ethnicity, and
Class. (?)

Objective SWBAT have a class discussion about the

Chinese Exclusion Act.

Warm-Up:
- Have you ever faced discrimination, or witnessed someone being discriminated against? Describe
what happened, what you did, and how you felt.

Student Activity: Exclusion Act Jigsaw

- Teacher provides minimal background knowledge: Chinese Exclusion Act.
- Each student receives a copy of the Exclusion Act in the form of a graphic organizer.
https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=false&doc=47&page=transcript
- Jigsaw: Divide students into specific sections. (15 total sections). Divide students into groups of
5, each group reads and responds to three sections. Once all students are finished, they share with
the rest of the class. Students fill in graphic organizer for the sections they were not a part of.
 Section What the Text Says What I Think it Means

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of

Representatives of the United States of America in
Congress assembled, That from and after the expiration
of ninety days next after the passage of this act, and
until the expiration of ten years next after the passage of
this act, the coming of Chinese laborers to the United
States be, and the same is hereby, suspended; and during
such suspension it shall not be lawful for any Chinese
laborer to come, or having so come after the expiration
of said ninety days to remain within the United States.

2 SEC. 2. That the master of any vessel who shall

knowingly bring within the United States on such
vessel, and land or permit to be landed, any Chinese
laborer, from any foreign port or place, shall be deemed
guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof shall
be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred
dollars for each and every such Chinese laborer so
brought, and maybe also imprisoned for a term not
exceeding one year.

3 SEC. 3. That the two foregoing sections shall not apply

to Chinese laborers who were in the United States on the
seventeenth day of November, eighteen hundred and
eighty, or who shall have come into the same before the
expiration of ninety days next after the passage of this
act, and who shall produce to such master before going
on board such vessel, and shall produce to the collector
of the port in the United States at which such vessel
shall arrive, the evidence hereinafter in this act required
of his being one of the laborers in this section
mentioned; nor shall the two foregoing sections apply to
the case of any master whose vessel, being bound to a
port not within the United States, shall come within the
jurisdiction of the United States by reason of being in
distress or in stress of weather, or touching at any port
of the United States on its voyage to any foreign port or
place: Provided, That all Chinese laborers brought on
such vessel shall depart with the vessel on leaving port.
Student Activity; Gallery Walk
- The teacher will post 4 political cartoons about the Chinese Exclusion act in different corners of
the room.
- Students will visit each cartoon and write on a provided poster their thoughts about the image.
Possible guiding questions:
- What do you notice in the image?
- Who is represented positively?
- Who is represented negatively?
- How does this image relate to the Chinese Exclusion Act?
Closing Activity
- Teacher will read student comments about the Exclusion Act and political cartoons and write
common phrases/ideas that students mentioned on the board.
- Class discussion led by students. What were their reactions?

Day 3: Angel Island/SF Earthquake

Grade 11th

Subject U.S. History

Unit Chinese Exclusion Mini-Unit

Lesson Angel Island/SF Earthquake

Standard Describe the changing landscape, including

the growth of cities linked by industry
and trade, and the development of cities
divided according to race, ethnicity, and
 Class. (?)

Objective SWBAT discuss the idea of walls, borders,

and entry points.

Warm-Up:
- Ask students to draw or represent what they have learned so far in a creative way.

Angel Island
- Ask students if they have heard of/know about Ellis Island.
- Introduce them to the idea of Ellis Island.
- Students will watch a brief documentary about Angel Island
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SylnvGhkJTM
- The teacher may ask students to take notes on a piece of paper. Things they heard, things they
wondered.

The SF Earthquake
- Focus Question: What is a paper son?
- Teacher will lead students through a close read of an article about the SF earthquake and paper
sons. http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/24/local/la-me-paper-son24-2010jan24

Connections
- Project the political cartoon from day 2 and Angel Island.
- Discuss the idea of walls/borders/entry points.
- Homework: Come prepared to talk about modern walls/borders. How are we keeping people in or
out?

Day 4: Modern Exclusion

Grade 11th

Subject U.S. History

Unit Chinese Exclusion Mini-Unit

Lesson Modern Exclusion

Standard Describe the changing landscape, including

the growth of cities linked by industry
and trade, and the development of cities
divided according to race, ethnicity, and
Class. (?)

Objective SWBAT describe modern examples of

 exclusion.

Warm-Up:
- Are people still excluded from the United States? Or, are people excluded from participating in
certain things in the United States?

Student Activity: Review Kahoot

- Students will participate in a brief review activity
- The teacher will include terms such as: Exclusion, industrial revolution, Angel Island, paper sons,
etc.
- Students will not receive grades, but teacher will be able to check for knowledge

Student Activity: Travel Ban Venn Diagram

- Read NY Times Article about Trumps Travel Ban:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/04/us/politics/trump-travel-ban-supreme-court.html
- Students will create a venn diagram in their table groups (tables of 4) on a poster, comparing how
Trumps travel ban is similar to/different from Chinese Exclusion act.

Summative Assessment
- Students will form groups of 2-4 and research a group that was excluded either in the past or in
the present. Offer possible groups to discuss:
- Native Americans, Women, African Americans, Muslims, Jews, Irish, individuals with
disabilities, LGBT+ individuals, or another group of student choice
- Students may use any method of presentation that they like, including: film, skit,
infographic, powerpoint, prezi, poster, brochure, etc.
- STUDENTS MUST INCLUDE:
- Reasons this group immigrated/wanted to be involved or equal
- Reasons they were wanted/welcomed
- Reasons they were discriminated against/excluded/obstacles they faced

Day 5: Research Presentations

Grade 11th

Subject U.S. History

Unit Chinese Exclusion Mini-Unit

Lesson Who has been excluded?

Standard Describe the changing landscape, including

the growth of cities linked by industry
and trade, and the development of cities
divided according to race, ethnicity, and
 Class. (?)

Objective SWBAT describe several different groups that

have been excluded from full rights as an
American citizen.

Warm-Up:
- Reflect on the unit. What have you learned? What do you still want to know?

Prep Time:
- Students will have the beginning of the period to prep/complete their research project.

Presentation:
- Students who present must submit their materials, whether digital or written. If students perform,
their script must be submitted.
- Students who are not presenting must take notes on the other presentations.