My Family in America
Below-Level Reader
The American Dream
Unit 5 Week 2
FACT AND OPINION TEXT STRUCTURE
LESSON VOCABULARY admire, custom, famous, mention, overnight, popular, public, twist
SUMMARY This reader discusses reasons why immigrants leave their native countries to come to America. It tells how the history of immigration is woven into the history of this country. Immigrants come to the United States looking for better jobs and income, to find better living conditions and better education.
INTRODUCE THE BOOK
BUILD BACKGROUND Ask students to tell where their own families emigrated from, even if it was many years ago. Do they know why their relatives came to the United States? Do they know how they came over?
PREVIEW/USE TEXT FEATURES Invite students to look at all the illustrations and captions in the book. Ask students how the illustrations give clues as to what is going to happen in the text.
Have English learners talk about their own immigrant experiences. Why did their families decide to come to the United States?
TEACH/REVIEW VOCABULARY Review the vocabulary words. Then play Vocabulary Master with students. Give students three different definitions for each vocabulary word, including one that is fantastical or silly, and have them select the correct definition and then use the word in a sentence.
TARGET SKILL AND STRATEGY
FACT AND OPINION Remind students that a
statement of fact can be proven to be true. A
statement of opinion is someone's view and can be valid or not valid. Have students write their own statements of fact and statements of opinion about any topic they choose.
TEXT STRUCTURE Remind students that authors use different
text structures to help readers understand information about the topic. How does this author organize the information?
(cause and effect)
READ THE BOOK
Use the following questions to support comprehension.
PAGE 3 What do all Americans have in common? (They are immigrants or related to immigrants.)
PAGE 5 Where did the ancestors of Native Americans come from? (Asia)
PAGE 10 What freedoms do people come here to find? (religious and political)
TALK ABOUT THE BOOK
READER RESPONSE
1. Possible response: Fact: "Today, about one million people immigrate
to the United States every year." Opinion: "Many people believe
that immigration has made the United States the strong nation
that it is today." |
2. 1) What immigration means
2) Why people immigrate
3) Who some well-known immigrants are |
| 3. twist: to wind together, as in a braid |
| 4. Possible responses: the U.S. flag and the bald eagle |
RESPONSE OPTIONS
WRITING Have students imagine they are immigrants who have just arrived in this country. Have them write letters to friends in their home countries about what it feels like to be in the United States. Have them tell why they decided to come.
CONTENT CONNECTIONS
SOCIAL STUDIES Have students
research immigration in this country.
At different times immigrants have come from
different countries. Find out from which
countries most immigrants are coming today.
From which countries did most immigrants come
100 years ago?
L.R. TOC
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