Past projects

Across Two Oceans: Comparing the Motivations and Experiences of Immigrants to New Zealand and the United States

Prepared by Ritesh Shah as part of the Fulbright-Hays Seminars to New Zealand 2003.

Grade: 7-8

Executive summary

New Zealand, like the United States is a country made up of immigrants who have come from all over the world. Both are relatively new nations, still struggling to form a national identity and ethos. As the child of an immigrant myself, I am fascinated by the circumstances under which immigrants move and settle to new countries, and the stories that come from these journeys. As I traveled through New Zealand this past summer, I came into contact with several different immigrant groups that have made New Zealand their home. Each group, and individual within that group, has a story to tell, and it is each person's story that is the central focus of this unit. You will notice primary sources (especially first-hand narratives that capture the feeling of being an immigrant) are used extensively throughout the unit. Walking through the "Passports" exhibit at Te Papa made it clear how truly multicultural New Zealand is, and will continue to be in the coming years. It is with this in mind that the unit is developed.

This unit is meant as a way to have students come to greater understanding of the common experience of an immigrant, regardless of where they are from and where they are going. With that said, as a teacher, it would important to understand that immigration to the US and New Zealand has followed similar pathways over the past 160 years. In this unit, particular attention is paid to immigrant groups that have had similar experiences immigrating, primarily the Irish, Chinese, and Pacific Islanders (NZ) or Latinos (US). The key objectives behind this unit are for students to understand why people would chose to leave their homes, the difficult journey they undertake, and the challenges of assimilating into a new culture. It is also important that students come away with an awareness of how the attitudes of those who reside in a country can affect government policies and racial relations towards immigrants in a multicultural state.

This is a draft unit, however, and should be taken as a work in progress rather than a model to follow word for word. As everyone who has ever been a teacher knows, flexibility and adaptability are key ingredients to making any unit a success. Take what you can use from this, and make changes where needed.

Table of contents

• Summary of Project
• Grade Level/Key Questions/Background Notes
• Standards/Objectives
• Materials Needed
• Instructional Strategy and Follow Up Activities
• Assessment
• Additional Resources and References
• Appendix A
• Appendix B
• Appendix C

Across Two Oceans: Comparing the Motivations and Experiences of Immigrants to New Zealand and the United States

shahr.pdf (240kB)