“The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: The German Experience in America”

Marcie Beggs/ Teacher

Roxboro Middle School,  Cleveland Heights, Ohio

              Grade: 8

                Subject: US History

                Time: 2 – 3 days (43 minutes periods)

Materials

· Political cartoon “The German Emigrant” (appendix GBU-1)

· Expose  “Packed Densely, Like Herrings”: by Gottlieb Mittelberger/ 1750 (appendix GBU-2)

· Article  “Work and labor in this new and wild land are very hard”: A German Migrant in Philadelphia/ 1750

 (appendix GBU-3)

· German poster warning about white slavery  ( GBU-4)

· List of German individuals and their accomplishments  (GBU 5, 6 & 7)

· “The Christmas Tree” by  Jakob Muellar (appendix GBU 8)

· “Social and Business Atmosphere” by Jakob Muellar (appendix GBU 9)

· Wall map, which shows terrain and elevation of United States.

· Background information for the teacher (appendix GBU 10)

· Have about three items which clearly identify a cultural groups origins (invention) here in America (ex. Navajo pottery,  lacrosse stick,  lightning rod)

· Student desks are arranged in tables of 4.

Key Vocabulary words:

Cultural exchanges, Manifest Destiny, perspectives, precedents, immigration population distribution, assimilate disenfranchisement, civic life, and historical figures.

Essential Questions:

       a.      When is it right for one human (political or ethnic system) to take advantage of another?

                       b.      How do new opportunities, freedoms and land expansion affect the creative human spirit,

                              (i.e. inventions etc)?

                       c.      How can we honor the impact the many different cultures made in this country?

Procedure:

a.        Introduction

· Bell work: As students enter the class, have them refer to the board and write in their journals.  On the overhead have a copy of German poster warning about white slavery (GBU-4).  Have the students write a response to this query “Write a stream of consciousness or questions you have about this poster from 1800’s.”

· After the bell rings, share for 5 minutes their questions. Write some on the board. (5 minutes)

b.        Body

· Remind students several months ago how they read the diaries of two women who traveled to Ohio and their immigration/ migration experiences.  Show some of the documents from the lesson “Coming to America/ Coming to Ohio” (5 minutes)

· Today we will be looking at the treatment recent immigrants received from other cultural/ ethnic groups. Also we will look at the immigrants’ response to this.

· Explain each table will receive a different primary document...  Each table is to identify the immigrant groups, their perceptions about other group’s treatment of them, list the difference you read about, and how the immigrants responded. One written response paper per table per document.               (20 Minutes)

1.     Pass out copies of Political cartoon “The German Emigrant” (appendix GBU-1)

2.     Expose  “Packed Densely, Like Herrings”: by Gottlieb Mittelberger/ 1750

        (appendix GBU-2)

3.     Article  “Work and labor in this new and wild land are very hard”:

        A German Migrant in Philadelphia/ 1750             (appendix GBU-3)

4.     “The Christmas Tree” by  Jakob Muellar (appendix GBU -8)

5.       “Social and Business Atmosphere” by Jakob Muellar (appendix GBU- 9)

· Have each group report out their discoveries. On the board create columns with headings for what they are reading. .  Discuss their impression and reactions to this information.  As they share, write their responses in the columns on the board  (10 minutes)

· Each group is to put their responses in the basket.

Day 2

· Review yesterday’s responses still on the board.  Each student picks the one that bothers him/her the most or finds the most interesting and shares this with their table.  (3 minutes)

· Display Navajo pottery, lacrosse stick, lightning rod.  Have the group discuss who invented them, what’s the purpose or impact in our culture, and how are they honored today? Share           (5 minutes)

· Pass out the list of German individuals and their accomplishments (GBU 5, 6 & 7).  Each person in the group is to list all persons and their invention or contribution to American Culture in their own class notebooks. (25 minutes)

· Have some individuals share the one they liked the best.  Hold a class discussion over these ideas: How did they overcome odds of disenfranchisement (define), and assimilate (define) into the American culture and still hold on to their own culture?  Or did they?        (5 minutes)

c.        Closure

a.                    On a piece of paper have students write a way they would like to be remembered. And a way these immigrants should be remembered.

Assessment:

                    a. Informal assessment: Teacher observation of student participation, and work done in notebook.

      b. Formal assessment of the students will be to design posters (1) urging people to remain in Germany – give reasons or (2) advertising the opportunities of the New World and how some added to the American Culture.

Reflection: