📖

Building New Lives

Immigration and the American Dream

Day 68of 180
Week 14of 36
30Minutes
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🖨️ Download Worksheet (PDF)
🎯 What You'll Learn

Learning Objectives

1

Understand the challenges immigrants faced in early America

2

Analyze primary source documents from immigrant experiences

3

Develop empathy for people adapting to a new culture

📖 Scripture Connection

Leviticus 19:34

“The stranger who lives as a foreigner with you shall be to you as the native-born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt: I am Yahweh your God.”

— Leviticus 19:34 (WEB)

God calls His people to treat immigrants with love and respect

📦 Materials Needed

  • Sample immigrant letters
  • Large world map
  • Colored pencils
  • Notebook paper
  • Magnifying glass
📚 Step-by-Step

Lesson Plan

1Opening (5 min)

Begin by displaying a world map and asking students to imagine leaving everything behind to start a new life in a completely different country

💭 Review Question: What would be the hardest thing about moving to a new country?
2Teaching (10 min)

Explore the challenges immigrants faced in late 1800s and early 1900s, including language barriers, discrimination, and economic struggles

📌 Key Talking Points:
  • Many immigrants worked multiple jobs to survive
  • Families often lived in crowded tenement buildings
  • Children frequently had to work to help support their families
  • Learning English was extremely challenging
💬 Discussion Questions:
  • How might you feel if you couldn't understand the language around you?
  • What would be most difficult about starting over in a new country?
  • How can we show kindness to people who are new to our community?
3Activity: Immigrant Story Exploration (10 min)
hands-on

Students will examine replica immigrant letters and create an empathy map showing the experiences and feelings of an immigrant

📝 Instructions:
  1. Divide into small groups
  2. Carefully read provided immigrant letters
  3. Create an empathy map with sections for 'Thinking', 'Feeling', 'Saying', and 'Doing'
  4. Share findings with the class
🔄 Variations:

Simpler: Work as a full class to create one shared empathy map

Challenge: Research and include specific historical context for their immigrant story

4Closing (5 min)

Reflect on how God calls us to love and welcome strangers

📝 Review Questions:
  • What did you learn about immigrant experiences?
  • How can we show God's love to people from different cultures?
  • What surprised you most about immigrant challenges?
🙏 Prayer:

Dear God, help us to love and welcome others just as You have welcomed us into Your family. Give us compassion for people from all backgrounds.

Coming up: Tomorrow we'll explore how immigrants have contributed to American society

💎 Memory Verse

Leviticus 19:34

“The stranger who lives as a foreigner with you shall be to you as the native-born among you, and you shall love him as yourself”

— Leviticus 19:34 (WEB)

🎯 Activity: Pass the Word: Students toss a ball and must repeat part of the verse when catching

👨‍👩‍👧 For Parents

Teaching Notes

📚 Background:

This lesson explores immigrant experiences with sensitivity and Christian compassion

💡 Teaching Tips:
  • Discuss your own family's immigration story if applicable
  • Emphasize respect and empathy
  • Help children understand historical context
🤔 Common Struggles:

Children might struggle to imagine leaving everything familiar behind

👀 Signs of Understanding:

Increased empathy and understanding of different cultural experiences

🚀 Want More?

Extension Activities

  • Interview a family member about their or their ancestors' immigration story
  • Create a timeline of family migration
  • Research a specific immigrant group and their contributions

Ready for Tomorrow?

Great job completing today's lesson!

Continue to Day 69 →Back to History & Social Studies