Discuss how digital stories on immigration builds community and empathy inside and outside of the classroom and how to help students draw personal connections to an important issue.

Follow our twitter @ThnkImmigration and use the hashtag #engchat for this event.

How can writing digital stories create empathy and understanding on immigration past and present?

Watch the video below for an example of a digital story based on a poem written by a fifth grade student about her grandfather’s immigration from China to the U.S.

Using digital storytelling to capture immigration stories is a powerful way for teachers to create opportunities for “empathetic moments” among students and shape classroom environments. Telling stories of family immigration history – no matter how distant or recent – allows for common threads and variations of the immigration experience to be seen, heard, and reflected upon. Digital storytelling offers the advantage of authentic engagement to reach all learning styles as well as to teach technological skills while exploring connections and understandings to an important issue.

Check out this Common-Core aligned immigration lesson plan, where teachers are guided step-by-step through a process for launching a digital storytelling project on immigration in their own classrooms. Recommended writing prompts, easy to use digital platforms, as well as resources and collaborative planning tools are shared and explained.

We are two former teachers in a non profit, non-partisan organization that strives to promote a better understanding of immigrants and immigration by providing educational resources that inspire thoughtful dialogue, creative teaching and critical thinking. Dedicated to the American values of fairness, social justice and respect for all people, the Council is committed to making immigration an “everybody issue.” The Council also highlights the positive contributions immigrants have made and continue to make to American society through its programmatic work. See our website for lessons plans, resources, and teacher grants and read our blog at teachimmigration.blogspot.com. Email us to join our educator list for more free resources!

Email: teacher@immcouncil.org
Website: www.communityeducationcenter.org
Location: 1331 G Street Northwest, Washington, DC, United States
Phone: 202-507-7518
Twitter: @ThnkImmigration