Cultural Connections:
From Senegal and West Africa to your Classroom

Globalization: Immigration as a Manifestation

Unit 2: Activities

Activity 2: “Text Deconstruction and Examining Media in the United States and Senegal”

OUTCOMES:

  1. The students will address the question: What is the American Dream? by examining images from the United States, Senegal, and France
  2. The students will address the question: How is immigration portrayed in the media?
  3. The students will complete a close reading of media texts related to immigration

TERMS: Power, privilege, marginalized, Developing (South) Countries, Developed (North) Countries

ARTIFACTS: Magazines, CDs, photograph of Migration art and boats, postcards

MATERIALS:

  1. YouTube video about migration from Senegal to Spain: “Senegal’s Life or Death Migration Gamble: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2iL6tmO0WI
  2. YouTube video- First Person: Omar Bar, Senegalese Immigrant: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwuDqb_fiRg&feature=relmfu
  3. Copy of poem “Running to America” by Luis Rodriguez
  4. Different media from the United States (magazines, CDs, TV commercials)
  5. Text deconstruction/reconstruction handouts for video and artifact viewing
  6. Optional book: American Dreams, Lost and Found by Studs Terkel

PROCEDURES:
Days 1-2

  1. Students will view postcards from the artifact box and discuss the differences and similarities between what they see in the postcards and what they experience on a day-to-day basis.
  2. Students will discuss the following question: Based on our learning from the last few days, why do people risk so much to leave their homes?
  3. Students will view the video: “Senegal’s Life or Death Migration Gamble: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2iL6tmO0WI
  4. Students will view pictures of boats from Senegal and the image of artwork from artifact box
  5. Students will discuss the meaning of the artwork and how it relates to the video and picture of boats
  6. Students will view the video: First Person: Omar Bar, Senegalese Immigrant: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwuDqb_fiRg&feature=relmfu
  7. Students will complete text deconstruction/reconstruction handout and discuss

Days 3-4: Media in the United States

  1. Students will address the following question in journals or in groups: What is the American Dream? How do media images influence opinions and view of Developed (North) Countries?
  2. Read the poem “Running to America by Luis Rodriguez
  3. Complete text deconstruction/reconstruction handout or lead discussion using deconstruction/reconstruction questions; discuss symbolism in poem
  4. In groups or individually, students will examine media from the United States and Senegal. Teacher can bring in media or students can bring in their own media.
  5. Teacher will pose the questions: What does this say about being in the United States? What would your impressions of the United States and the “American Dream” be after viewing these medias?
  6. Optional:
    1. Students will read chapters from American Dreams, Lost and Found and use the text deconstruction/reconstruction questions
    2. Students will look at blogs and newspaper articles from around the United States to examine how immigrants are treated and portrayed in different medias
      1. Examples: http://michiganmessenger.com/45948/agema-to-introduce-illegal-immigration-bills, http://blackallianceblog.blogspot.com/, http://detnews.com/article/20110321/POLITICS02/103210345/Michigan-weighs-crackdown-on-illegal-immigrants

Unit 2 - Globalization: Immigration as a Manifestation