Introduction
The novel Enrique's Journey follows one Honduran family in their struggle to immigrate, both legally and illegally, into the United States. Enrique is only a teenager when he begins his first, of many, dangerous attempts to cross over 2,170 miles of rough terrain to cross the U.S. border. Enrique, only a young teenager, joins thousands of young children crossing deserts, risking theft and gang rape, train rides that can rip the unsuspecting limb-from-limb, dirty cops, and so much more, to simply join his mother in the United States.
To help illustrate the many, many dangers thousands of Central and Southern American children endure in their struggle to find their U.S. bound parents, in this web-quest students will create a board game illustrating some of the many dangers of the journey to the United States. In each board game students will use the information, provided from their own research, to create a well thought out and age appropriate board game for children about the dangers of illegal immigration.
Task
By the end of the lesson students will have created an age appropriate board game for middle or elementary school children which demonstrates their knowledge social elements and of some of the less graphic dangers of the journey Central and Southern American immigrants take to immigrate to the United States.
Process
1. Research. In order to gain proper knowledge students can utilize the internet, their novel Enrique's Journey, or any other accurate source to learn and take notes on the dangers of crossing into the United States. Students may use some of the following sources;
--https://www.dhs.gov/blog/2015/08/25/know-facts-about-dangers-illegal-migration
2. Notes. Students will complete at least a single page of Cornell Notes on the variety of dangers of crossing into the United States.
3. Decide what resource to create your board. Students have the option of using an online board game creator (http://www.toolsforeducators.com/boardgames/), of finding their own (approved by teacher) site to create a board game on, or students have the option to physically construct their own original game board and printing out a blank board game template.
4. Create your board game. After having had their board game template approved by an instructor, students will proceed to create their board game. REMINDER. This board game is geared to educate middle to elementary school level children. Each tile must be appropriate for this intended age group. Be creative- let your board game demonstrate your knowledge about the subject, the time you have spent on your project, and your originality.
Evaluation
| Category | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content | Content is accurate and information presented covers the topic in detail. Subject knowledge of the dangers of immigration is excellent. | Content is slightly less than accurate and includes good information on the dangers of immigration but there are 1-2 factual errors. | Content includes good information on the dangers of immigration but there are 3-4 factual errors. | Content includes minimal information on the dangers of immigration and there are severe factual errors. |
| Creativity | Student makes excellent use of fonts, colors, game pieces, or other creative liberties and displays excellent initiative. | Student makes good use of fonts, colors, game pieces, or other creative liberties and has taken some creative liberties | Student makes good use of fonts, colors, game pieces, or other creative liberties and has taken minimal creative liberties | Project displays little to no use of creative fonts, colors, game pieces, or other creative liberties and displays little no initiative |
|
Pictures, Age Appropriate, and Background |
Images are appropriate for a younger audience and in color. Layout of images is pleasing to the eye. | Images are appropriate for younger audiences and in color. Layout is cluttered. | Some images are inappropriate for a younger audience and some are in color. | Images are not appropriate for a younger age group in color and less than 3 are in color. |
| Mechanics | No misspellings or grammatical errors | Three or fewer misspellings and/or mechanical errors | Four misspellings and/or grammatical errors | More than four errors in spelling or grammar |
| Cornell Notes | Notes demonstrate time spent researching and that the student has made an attempt to learn about the subject. Notes are attached to the final project. | Notes demonstrate medium time spent researching and that the student has made a moderate attempt to learn about the subject. Notes are attached to the final project. | Notes demonstrate minimal time spent researching and that the student has made little attempt to learn about the subject. Notes are not attached to the final project. | Notes demonstrate little to no time spent researching and that the student has no made an attempt to learn about the subject. Notes are not attached |
Conclusion
Grab some new playing pieces, and whip out some new playing cards and you are ready to destroy your friends with your gaming skill and knowledge of the dangers of illegal immigration! With colorful new picture and intriguing new "Danger Ahead!" tiles, you will be the hit of every elementary or middle school classroom!
As you finish this assignment and continue your reading of Enrique's Journey keep in mind the horrifying living circumstances that force thousands of illegal immigrants to undertake this perilous journey into the United States.