Language Arts 2 Unit 1 Inquiry Project

Over the course of this unit, you have learned that different people have different experiences and
perspectives regarding what it means to be an American. Every person living in or immigrating to
America has a different American experience which is impacted by various+ factors.

Focus Questions: How can the American experience differ for individuals? What factors can contribute
to a positive or negative American experience?

Directions:
1. Interview one person and learn about their American experience. This person must be different
from you in some major way. Examples: race, generation, citizenship, immigration status etc.
You will create and ask your own questions and submit a record of all the answers
provided to you during the interview on a separate sheet of paper.
2. Choose a thinking map (either tree map, brace map, or double bubble map) and create a poster
that illustrates all of information you discovered from your interview. You must include the
following criteria:
General information about your chosen person (name, relationship to you, race etc.)
Struggles your chosen person faced/faces based on immigrant status, socioeconomic
status, or race
Privileges your chosen person has or lacks
Reflection paragraph (See requirement #3)
3. Choose one prompt to write as your reflection
Option 1: Describe some of the similarities and differences between you and your chosen
person in terms of privileges or struggles? How might understanding your persons
various privileges or struggles change or confirm how you feel about your American
experience?
Option 2: What challenges does/did your chosen person face based on immigrant status,
socioeconomic status, or racial status? As a result of these challenges, explain whether
your chosen persons American experience is positive or negative.
4. Present your poster and your reflection in your pod groups on Thursday October 13th. Students
will receive extra credit for presenting in front of the entire class.

Due Dates:
Friday 10/7: Interview Questions (end of period)
Monday 10/10: Interview Completed with answers (beginning of period)
Friday 10/13: Completed Poster and Reflection paragraph (beginning of period)

Your poster and your reflection paragraphs DO NOT HAVE TO BE TYPED.