Energy of a Nation: Immigrants in America, 3rd. Ed.

Mission of Organization

"The mission of The Advocates for Human Rights is to implement international human rights standards to promote civil society and reinforce the rule of law. By involving volunteers in research, education, and advocacy, we build broad constituencies in the United States and select global communities."

Curriculum Description

This curriculum features thirteen different sections on immigration issues and extends the conversation from fundamental basics to more nuanced perspectives. Sections of the curriculum include: Who Are Immigrants, Human Rights Defined, Rights of Immigrants, Push & Pull Factors, U.S. Immigration Policy, Refugees / Asylum Seekers, Undocumented Immigrants, Mock Immigration Court, A Global Perspective on Immigration, Nativism & Myths about Immigrants, Deliberative Dialogue, Civic Engagement & U.S. Immigration Policy and Creating a Welcoming School & Community.

Curriculum Materials Reviewed
  • Lesson 1: Who are Immigrants
  • Lesson 8: Mock Immigration Court
  • Lesson 13: Creating a Welcoming School and Community
Source of Funding

N/A

Learning Resources
  • PowerPoints
  • Oral Histories
  • Primary Sources
Target Population/Grade Levels
Cost Per Classroom
Free
Training
N/A
Domain Presence
Critical Consciousness

Presence Evaluation: Some Presence

Evaluation Notes: The Energy of a Nation curriculum includes discussions of push/pull factors for immigrants and discusses undocumented immigrants, as well as nativism. It talks about immigrant feelings of welcoming in a school environment. One lesson is about the legal system and obstacles immigrants face within it. It analyzes history of anti-immigration practice and sentiment and commits to action against it.

Social Action

Presence Evaluation: Some Presence

Evaluation Notes: Lesson 13: Creating a Welcoming School and Community features a section on Becoming a Human Rights Activist. It explicitly gives steps to be a human rights advocate. Many of the lessons, but not all, include calls for direct action.

Reciprocal Community Relationship

Presence Evaluation: Some Presence

Evaluation Notes: Creating a Welcoming School and Community explores community relationships by understanding how their school and community is situated locally and globally. The curriculum engages with both local and global communities.

Systems Wide Approach

Presence Evaluation: Some Presence

Evaluation Notes: The curriculum seeks to make changes at a school and community level to make them more welcoming to immigrants. This is especially present in the Welcoming School Environment lesson and its effort to be welcoming of immigrants.

Explicit Teaching of Social Justice Principles

Presence Evaluation: Some Presence

Evaluation Notes: The curriculum lists definitions, analyzes them, and has students reflect and take action on them. Explicit definitions of human rights from Universal Declaration on Human Rights and from students are present.

Self-Reflection

Presence Evaluation: Some Presence

Evaluation Notes: The self-reflection is featured mostly in relation to how students can design more welcoming communities. Many of the lesson plans involve student reflection.

Evidence Based

Presence Evaluation: Not Present

Evaluation Notes: To date, there has been no empirical study of this curriculum to evaluate its effectiveness.

Inclusion and Equity

Presence Evaluation: Full Presence

Evaluation Notes: The curriculum focuses on how to create a more inclusive and equity-oriented environment for immigrants. immigration only. It talks about Native Americans’ forced migration and immigrant feelings of welcoming in a school environment.

High Expectations

Presence Evaluation: N/A

Evaluation Notes: We are unable to evaluate this domain since it is best measured through observation.

Social Identities

Presence Evaluation: Full Presence

Evaluation Notes: This includes a lesson reflecting on a family’s own immigration history and ancestry.