Palmer Seeley, Kara Caccuitto, and Donna Eason, 10th Grade English, Upper School ELA
For this project in 10th Grade English, students were to create a project based on their summer reading by Cristina Henriquez– The Book of Unknown Americans. Students created online entries based upon the book.
The prompt given for this project:
“Now that you have familiarized yourself with the Unknown Americans Project started by Cristina Henriquez, you are going to create an entry modeled on the ones you have already seen. You may choose to share your own personal story, a story that is in your family (recent or not so recent), or you may interview someone outside of your family for their immigration story.
In your entry, you should strive to tell a story that people don’t usually hear. Here are a few basic questions to help get you started: – Where did your subject come from? – What is your subject’s life like now? -What challenges or new experiences did your subject encounter? -What is unique or specific to your subject’s experience?
While the story must be truthful, be vivid in your storytelling. You are NOT just recording facts. You will need to include a photo of the person, or if you are writing about your own family, you may include a family photo that has your person in it.”
Students researched their subjects and helped to co-create the web resource for their projects. Unknown Americans Website was created using Campus Press.
Images from the Unknown American Project:
Student Exemplars:
Teo Feliu
An excerpt, “My great grandparents were known for their great love, love of their children and love of America. They raised their children to speak Slovakian, but would only allow them to speak it at home. Out of the home, they were to speak their country’s language, English.
Julia Szakara died on September 22, 1970. William Szakara died April 23, 1971. On my great grandfather’s death certificate, his death is listed as a broken heart. ”
