Assignments for Educators

We have created assignment ideas that any and all educators are free to use to help students connect and learn about family separation due to immigration. All assignments have general instructions so that they can be tweaked to fit the approach chosen by each educator.

Have students interview someone that they know who has experienced family separation caused by immigration and write about what they learned. An alternative to writing a paper is having students create a short podcast episode. This can be someone within their own families. This assignment helps students understand the impact of family separation in a different way.

Have students come up with a colored symbol that reflects their opinions or emotions related to family separation. Afterwards each student can explain their images and colors of choice.

Have students conduct a research paper or project based on the history family separation and immigration have. This research assignment should explain the similarities and differences between generations in the past and today.

Have students read an article or listen to a podcast regarding immigration and family separation. Ask them to then write about what they learned and come up with questions they would have asked the person being interviewed if they had the chance to do so. Is there possibly anything about the interviewees story that the student could relate to?

Have students create a short list regarding myths and stigmas that they know about immigration and family separation. Afterwards have the students write a paper or create a video that either helps refute or promote those stigmas. The students should also include facts and statistics that support their claim.