This lesson uses primary sources, letters from the Jewish Daily Forward's early 20th-century advice column called the Bintel Brief, to explore immigration to the US in the past and make connections to today. The letters record the ordinary stories and dilemmas of newcomers making their way in a new land. While many of the details are grounded in the context of Jewish immigration in early 20th century New York, the letters raise universal questions about integration, assimilation, and acculturation, themes as timely now as they were when they were written.
Immigration and Identity: Connecting Past and Present with the Bintel Brief
Subject
Social Studies — Historical Thinking, Research Skills, US History
Grade Level
Grades 6-12
Resource Type
Activity
Standards Alignment
Common Core State Standards
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Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
