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= = = Linda Maltais Teacher Lesson Page (Student Side) =

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Linda's Teacher Side lesson page

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Grade Level: Grade 5


 * Standard**: 5.27 Explain how American citizens were expected to participate in,monitor, and bring about changes in their government over time, and give examples of how they continue to do so today.


 * Unit Essential Question:** What were immigrants' claims on citizenship?

How would this apply to my family?
 * Lesson Guiding Question**: What did immigrants seek to gain by immigrating to the United States? What did the U.S. gain by allowing immigration and naturalization/citizenship? What ideas did immigrants to America have about citizenship and about the role of government in their lives? How did immigrants influence and participate in American civic life?


 * Title: Considering Citizenship **

We have been studying how to become a United States citizen, how to become one today and how that has changed over time. We have discussed the different ethnic groups that immigrated to the U.S. In reality there are very few among us who are Native Americans; the majority of us immigrated from another country. As a class we have discovered that immigrants came to this country seeking many things, not just citizenship. We were surprised to find that some were denied citizenship.
 * Introduction:**

Our next lessons will focus on why our ancestors came to the United States and what they brought with them. To do this we will collect information about a local family, The Keverians. By learning about a local family we will learn what documents to collect, where to find them, and how to read them. As we learn about The Keverians, as a class, you will also be investigating your own ancestors. You will need to understand and explain why they chose to come to the U.S.; what "pushed" them out of their country or what "pulled" them to the U.S. Did your ancestors become a citizen (naturalized)? Is there any evidence as to why they wanted to become a citizen? What did your ancestors do that contributed to the betterment of the United States?


 * Task:** You are a biographer and want to write a book about your ancestors who have immigrated to the United States. To help you visualize their story, you will need to pack a "trunk" with items that show or explain what your ancestors brought with them to the United States. The items might include food, clothing, language and heirlooms. Using what you have already "packed in your trunk" you will begin to write this book, but you will need to find out more about your ancestors. To find out more, you will need to use census records, ship manifests, photographs, family histories, as well as conduct personal interviews to document the life of your ancestor and why they came to the U.S. Included in the account will be the "push" or "pull" that led them to this local area. How coming to America helped your ancestors (family) and what contributions did they make by coming here? Did they become naturalized citizens? What did their children contribute; are they still contributing? As a biographer and editor you will compile this information into a non-fiction book that tells the story of your immigrant ancestor and how they have participated in, monitored and brought about changes in this government and if they still do.



Lesson Process:
5 days /30 minute periods


 * Day 1:**

You were asked to pack a "trunk". Hopefully you were able to find a number of significant pieces of your family's history. It is now time to unpack and look at the items inside. What artifacts did you pack in your "trunk"? Some examples might be:
 * personal records (birth certificates, marriage records, diplomas, letters)
 * Family Bible or other important text
 * photographs
 * newspaper clippings

What facts can be found through these primary sources?

You will divide into groups of no more than five students. You will each have a turn showing what is in your "trunk." As each of you share information about an ancestor, one member of the group writes the facts for another. These lists will be kept for later use. Your " packed trunk" will be kept safely for future use.


 * Day 2**

Who was your first ancestor to come to the United States? Was there a reason why they chose to come here?

Discuss your answers to these questions with a partner, and then place a note to yourself inside your trunk.

As you think about your ancestors, we will also learn about a local (Everett, MA) family: the Keverians. The father, Nazar Keverian, left his hometown of Aintab in 1913. He was Armenian. At that time, Armenians were part of a larger area known as the Ottoman Empire, the capitol of which was in what is now the country of Turkey. Where is Aintab? What pulled Nazar Keverian to America? What pushed him away from his homeland? Look at the sources below and see if you can figure out the "pull factors" and the "push factors" that encouraged Nazar Keverian to immigrate to the U.S.?

History of Armenia, 1904-1914 (scroll down the page and read information for the years 1904-1914)

Map of the Armenian Peoples:



How did your ancestors get here? (boat, plane,etc) At what "port" did your ancestor arrive ? Do you have a document to confirm this? What year? What other family members came?

Place this information inside your trunk.

Take a look at the picture of the ship that brought Nazar Keverian to the U.S.: the



Then look at the ship's manifest (below). A manifest is a list of passengers on the ship for that trip. In your group find the facts that show at what port Mr. Keverian arrived, the date he arrived and any other pieces of information you think is interesting or important.



Do you have similar information about your ancestors' travels? If so, put it in your "trunk."


 * Day 3:**

What did your ancestors gain by coming to the US?
 * What occupations did they have before they came /what occupation did they have once in the US?/Were they expected to send money to their family in their homeland?
 * Did they belong to any church or organization?
 * Did they participate in government before immigrating? Holding an office or voting ?

What has the US gained by having your ancestors here?
 * Were there any family traditions? These could be a dance, games, recipes, language.
 * Did they bring any heirlooms?
 * What kind of education have they had?

Did your ancestor choose to become a citizen? Year? What Court? Will you choose to become a citizen?

Put notes or pictures about your answers to these questions into your trunk.

Here are records for the Keverians. Naturalization is the process for an immigrant to become a U.S. citizen.





Nazar Keverian learned shoe making and repair from his father in Aintab, Turkey. When he came to the U.S. one of his first jobs was working at shoe making. Look at his WWI Draft Card. What is his job? Where does Nazar live and how old is he at this time? Now look at his WWII draft card. What has changed?



Now look at census records for the Keverians. (Here's some help in knowing what to look for: How to read census records ) What do the census records tell us about the Keverians?



Do you have naturalization records, registration information, or census records for your ancestors? These are public records. How could you find copies of these records and add them to your "trunk" of family information?


 * Day 4:**

You have searched for information about your ancestors. You have a full "trunk" of information. Is there anything else you can add?

One thing you could add is images, photos of people, places, or events that connect to your ancestors' story.

Here are some images that relate to the story of the Keverians.

Maps of Everett of their neighborhood in 1906:



Here's a recent picture of their neighborhood:



George Keverian, a son of the Keverian family, became a famous politician in Everett and Massachusetts. Here is more information about George Keverian. The Keverian School in Everett, MA is named for George Keverian. How did his family's decision to become United States citizens help him participate in the government?



Now you will complete a timeline in preparation for your book. On it list the important dates and events. Then add the "documents" you have collected and put in your trunk, to the matching places on the timeline. This is your story of your ancestors so it will be different from the timeline of anyone else in the class. Have fun, be creative, and use copies of your documents, not originals.


 * Day 5:**

Today you will write a non-fiction account of the your ancestor. This will include the questions and answers we have asked and answered over the past four days, as well as the documents that support the facts you have collected. You will put these together in your our family immigration story book. Then you will have the opportunity to read aloud from your family's history book to others in the class.

Conclusion:
Now we have learned more about one immigrant family's story, our own family's story, and those of other families. What are the reasons that bring people to the United States to live? Why do they become citizens? How do they contribute to their neighborhood, town, and the country? What does the community gain from these family decisions to live and work there?

Everyone that lives contributes. The question really is: how and what will you contribute to your family, school, community and nation? By studying your families' contributions you have a deeper understanding of what their life was like, an appreciation for your family and community now and hope for what your community will be.

Assessment:
tell their story. || 4 or more relevant artifacts || 3 to 4 relevant artifacts || 2 to 3 somewhat relevant artifacts || no artifacts ||  || investigation || independently find facts to support research || once taught can find facts to support research || tries to make connections, but is not independent || makes no effort to find facts ||  || which displays and answers who, what, where, when, why and how their ancestor immigrated to the US || Compiles an engaging account of ancestors and was able to answer the 5 W's and 1 H, and adds creative touches like anecdotes. || Answers 4-5 questions in a chronological manner. Some interesting information for the some documents, photos and maps that support facts || Answers 2-3 questions. Leaves reader with other questions. Use of documents, photos and maps is minimal.Some facts are supported || No effort is expended to putting a book together. ||  ||
 * // STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO… // || // STRONG // || // GOOD // || // ADEQUATE // || // INADEQUATE // || // WEIGHTING // ||
 * Collect significant personal items to help
 * Interpret documents and gain factual knowledge through this
 * Construct a book that tells a non-fiction story of an ancestor;

Resources:

Many, many thanks to Jack Keverian! Oral history interview on February 4, 2011.

Passenger records for Keverian Family NARA -- Information on Geneology and Family History Searching

Photos of Armenian Genocide, 1917-1919

Armenian National Institute

Ancestry.com

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