Topic: Culture
Essential Question: How can immigrants preserve their culture while also adapting to life in a new country?
Audience: Ninth grade English Language Arts/Social Studies
Text Set by Katey Dager
Essential Question: How can immigrants preserve their culture while also adapting to life in a new country?
Audience: Ninth grade English Language Arts/Social Studies
Text Set by Katey Dager
Anchor Text:
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
Yang, G. L., & Pien, L. (2010). American born Chinese. New York: Square Fish.
Jin Wang is the only Chinese-American kid at his school. All he wants is to fit in, but he’s teased for everything from his name to his looks to the food he eats. When a new boy moves from Taiwan, Jin Wang is embarrassed by the new boy’s poor English skills and lack of awareness of American culture.
The monkey king is a powerful deity, adored by the monkey subjects in his mountain kingdom, but he’s mocked by the other gods because of what he is and where he comes from. He goes on a quest to become something more than a monkey in the hope that they will finally recognize him.
Danny is an all-American boy, star basketball player and friend to everyone at his high school. But his cousin Chin-Kee is the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype, and he’s coming to visit.
These three stories come together in the end with a twist—and an important message about being true to yourself.
This book is suitable for independent reading (Lexile GN530L). Because it is a graphic novel, it is a low Lexile for the grade level, but the layers and complexity of the story exceed that of the words used. There will be a lot to discuss here, especially when considering it in relation to the supplemental texts.
The monkey king is a powerful deity, adored by the monkey subjects in his mountain kingdom, but he’s mocked by the other gods because of what he is and where he comes from. He goes on a quest to become something more than a monkey in the hope that they will finally recognize him.
Danny is an all-American boy, star basketball player and friend to everyone at his high school. But his cousin Chin-Kee is the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype, and he’s coming to visit.
These three stories come together in the end with a twist—and an important message about being true to yourself.
This book is suitable for independent reading (Lexile GN530L). Because it is a graphic novel, it is a low Lexile for the grade level, but the layers and complexity of the story exceed that of the words used. There will be a lot to discuss here, especially when considering it in relation to the supplemental texts.
Related Texts:
The Good Braider by Terry Farish
Farish, T. (2014). The Good braider. New York: Skyscape.
This novel in verse tells the story of Viola, a Sudanese girl whose family must flee war and famine. She goes from Sudan to Cairo, and from Cairo to Portland, Maine, where she tries to become an American girl despite her mother’s insistence on tradition.
The Lexile level of HL630L indicates that despite high-level subject matter, the word choice and sentence structure is low for the grade level. However, the poetry this book is written in may be more difficult for some students than standard prose, adding to the complexity. Some of the subject matter may be troubling for students, so in-class discussions will be useful to aid understanding as well as process difficult emotions.
Farish, T. (2014). The Good braider. New York: Skyscape.
This novel in verse tells the story of Viola, a Sudanese girl whose family must flee war and famine. She goes from Sudan to Cairo, and from Cairo to Portland, Maine, where she tries to become an American girl despite her mother’s insistence on tradition.
The Lexile level of HL630L indicates that despite high-level subject matter, the word choice and sentence structure is low for the grade level. However, the poetry this book is written in may be more difficult for some students than standard prose, adding to the complexity. Some of the subject matter may be troubling for students, so in-class discussions will be useful to aid understanding as well as process difficult emotions.
“Should Immigration Require Assimilation?” by Tom Gjelten
Gjelten, T. (2015, October 03). Should Immigration Require Assimilation? Retrieved September 30, 2017. The Atlantic.
The article opens with the story of Marta, an immigrant from El Salvador who is becoming a citizen. She has been taking naturalization classes, but is she assimilating? The author notes that the term “assimilation” has been opposed by some, because it implies the superiority of a homogenous culture. Those who don’t assimilate tend to be treated poorly. Rather than assimilation of immigrants we should attempt to build bridges between people of different cultural backgrounds.
Gjelten, T. (2015, October 03). Should Immigration Require Assimilation? Retrieved September 30, 2017. The Atlantic.
The article opens with the story of Marta, an immigrant from El Salvador who is becoming a citizen. She has been taking naturalization classes, but is she assimilating? The author notes that the term “assimilation” has been opposed by some, because it implies the superiority of a homogenous culture. Those who don’t assimilate tend to be treated poorly. Rather than assimilation of immigrants we should attempt to build bridges between people of different cultural backgrounds.
“Fresh Off the Boat” Episode 1.13 “So Chineez”
Khan, N., & Huang, E. (Writers), & Koch, C. (Director). (2015, April 21). So Chineez [Television series episode]. In Fresh off the boat. American Broadcasting Company.
“Fresh Off the Boat” is a sitcom about the Taiwanese-American Huang family, who move from Washington, D.C.’s Chinatown to Orlando, Florida in 1995.
The final episode of the first season, “So Chineez,” focuses on matriarch Jessica Huang’s concerns about the family losing touch with their Chinese culture. Her worries are triggered by a friend’s casual comment that they sometimes forget she and her husband Louis are Chinese. In response, she begins dressing in traditional Chinese clothes, cooks Chinese food for every meal, speaks Chinese at home, and insists that eldest son Eddie switch to China for his country report at school. Eventually, when coming home from a secret visit to the country club, Louis catches Jessica watching Melrose Place. She admits that she likes the show and other American things, and worries that this means she is losing her identity, but Louis reassures her. Eddie is allowed to switch back to Jamaica for his country report, but when his friends call China boring, he spends so much time defending it that he forgets to do his Jamaica report. Jessica is proud. In the end, the family realizes that even if they take in aspects of American culture, they will never leave their heritage behind.
Khan, N., & Huang, E. (Writers), & Koch, C. (Director). (2015, April 21). So Chineez [Television series episode]. In Fresh off the boat. American Broadcasting Company.
“Fresh Off the Boat” is a sitcom about the Taiwanese-American Huang family, who move from Washington, D.C.’s Chinatown to Orlando, Florida in 1995.
The final episode of the first season, “So Chineez,” focuses on matriarch Jessica Huang’s concerns about the family losing touch with their Chinese culture. Her worries are triggered by a friend’s casual comment that they sometimes forget she and her husband Louis are Chinese. In response, she begins dressing in traditional Chinese clothes, cooks Chinese food for every meal, speaks Chinese at home, and insists that eldest son Eddie switch to China for his country report at school. Eventually, when coming home from a secret visit to the country club, Louis catches Jessica watching Melrose Place. She admits that she likes the show and other American things, and worries that this means she is losing her identity, but Louis reassures her. Eddie is allowed to switch back to Jamaica for his country report, but when his friends call China boring, he spends so much time defending it that he forgets to do his Jamaica report. Jessica is proud. In the end, the family realizes that even if they take in aspects of American culture, they will never leave their heritage behind.
“Growing Up American: The Challenge Confronting Immigrant Children and Children of Immigrants” by Min Zhou
Zhou, M. (1997). Growing up American: the challenge confronting immigrant children and children of immigrants. Annual Review of Sociology, 23, 63(33). doi: 10.1146/annurev.soc.23.1.63
This article compiles information from studies about the immigrant experiences of children. Whether they are the children of immigrants or immigrants themselves, their experiences are unique from those of adult immigrants. These children lack meaningful connections to their “old” world but still have trouble completely assimilating into American society. The article examines the research on the new second generation, the context of their reception, and their adaptation, and comes to some conclusions about growing up as an American immigrant.
Zhou, M. (1997). Growing up American: the challenge confronting immigrant children and children of immigrants. Annual Review of Sociology, 23, 63(33). doi: 10.1146/annurev.soc.23.1.63
This article compiles information from studies about the immigrant experiences of children. Whether they are the children of immigrants or immigrants themselves, their experiences are unique from those of adult immigrants. These children lack meaningful connections to their “old” world but still have trouble completely assimilating into American society. The article examines the research on the new second generation, the context of their reception, and their adaptation, and comes to some conclusions about growing up as an American immigrant.
How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez
Alvarez, J. (2013). How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents. New York: Algonquin Books.
Carla, Sandra, Sofía, and Yolanda García are sisters in the Dominican Republic. Their family is wealthy, and they live a sheltered existence as children. Everything changes when their father gets in trouble with the dictator’s secret police and the family is forced to flee, with the help of the CIA, to New York City. They have trouble adjusting, both to their new middle class existence and to the differences in culture. The sisters have difficulty fitting in at school and frequently rebel against their authoritarian father. The book shows as they grow up, adjusting and regressing, having good times and bad, always learning about themselves in the process.
Alvarez, J. (2013). How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents. New York: Algonquin Books.
Carla, Sandra, Sofía, and Yolanda García are sisters in the Dominican Republic. Their family is wealthy, and they live a sheltered existence as children. Everything changes when their father gets in trouble with the dictator’s secret police and the family is forced to flee, with the help of the CIA, to New York City. They have trouble adjusting, both to their new middle class existence and to the differences in culture. The sisters have difficulty fitting in at school and frequently rebel against their authoritarian father. The book shows as they grow up, adjusting and regressing, having good times and bad, always learning about themselves in the process.
Victoria Mutual. (2013, June 18). "Immigrant child" poem by Ms. Nadine Williams. Retrieved September 30, 2017, from https://youtu.be/24DQUkfRFzA
Nadine Williams performs this piece from her book Pen on Fyah. A member of the Jamaican diaspora in Canada, she speaks of the traditions she retains from Jamaica, the food and the rituals. She discusses the differences between Jamaica and Canada, points out the things that make her Jamaican, the things that make her Canadian, and how the people who sent her to Canada allowed her to be both. She emphasizes that she will be a guide to this generation and the generation after, allowing her heritage to live on.
Nadine Williams performs this piece from her book Pen on Fyah. A member of the Jamaican diaspora in Canada, she speaks of the traditions she retains from Jamaica, the food and the rituals. She discusses the differences between Jamaica and Canada, points out the things that make her Jamaican, the things that make her Canadian, and how the people who sent her to Canada allowed her to be both. She emphasizes that she will be a guide to this generation and the generation after, allowing her heritage to live on.