How Did I Get Here?:Family Migration Stories Museum Project

How Did I Get Here?:Family Migration Stories Museum Project

You will research your family’s migration storyand choose a creative way to tell your family migration story with the class. Although you may include some historical background about your family, this project is really focusing on how you got to where you live now. You are looking at the migration patterns of one or more sides of your family. Remember, migration does not have to be from another country… it can be within a state or even within a city. On presentation day, we will create a museum gallery display of all the projects in our classroom so make sure that your project can “stand alone” as you will not be presenting it.

This counts as a MAJOR project grade and IS DUE ON Monday 2/13

Here are some basic guidelines:

Research Requirements:

You must interview at least one family member (in person or over the phone). First, collect the basic information about the person(s) you interview (name, relationship to you, etc), then you will write five of your own OPEN ENDED (no “yes/no”) questions to ask the person you are interviewingabout migration. Your questions should be relevant to the person you are interviewing and should focus on migration… how did your family get here, why did the person move, what issues did they face etc? Type up the final transcript of the interview and make sure it is visible on your project.
Use the websites below to do research. There is something on the websites for everyone to use… adoptive families, African Americans, etc. Every family has a story about how they “got here”. Remember, migration doesn’t have to be international.
Include annotatedmap/maps that show “the story”. We have given you both a world and a U.S. map, but you may print or create your own… you do not have to use the ones provided.

Presentation Requirements:

Must be creative, visually pleasing, neat and organized. This is a museum display!
Each student will have their story “displayed” on a desk in the room. We will do a museum walk as a class, so you will not be with your presentation… it needs to tell your story “on its own” without you explaining it.
Suggestions include a photo journal, a trifold board, scrapbook, photo displays, copies of documents, etc. (please do not bring in actual important documents)
You can do a media presentation such as PowerPoint or Prezi, but you will need to bring your own laptop or tablet (no cell phones) for showing your story(we are not doing presentations on the classroom board, you must provide.) As people get to your booth in the museum, they should be able to hit play or easily navigate through your presentation.
Remember to include your annotated maps so that we can visually see how your family has migrated over time. Use arrows and VOCABULARY… types of migration, push/pull factors, etc.(IF YOU DO NOT HAVE VOCABULARY ON THIS PROJECT YOU WILL LOSE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF POINTS!) You may want to use one color for your mother’s side of the family and onecolor for your father’s side.Label cities, states, and countries!!!
You may need to supplement your interview with a paragraph to “finish your story” that gets you to where you live now. The person you interview might not live where you do so we need to hear and see how your migration story continued. IT is up to you how that is portrayed, as long as the “story” ends where YOU are now.

Suggested Websites(although most of your information will come from talking to family members!):

U.S. Census Website

a fun site with TV episodes from this show—might give you some ideas for your presentation

Refer to the current Yearbook for Immigration Statistics report at you might be able to find info here about more current immigration status

(Center for Immigration Studies.)