Discuss the influence of Hispanic Americans

Overview: What is the definition of the term "Hispanic"? Use this article and lesson plan to have students identify organizations that support Hispanic Americans, and to determine legislative successes of the Hispanic rights movement. Challenge students to formulate opinions on how organizations play a role in passing legislation to benefit Hispanic Americans.

Curriculum connections: Sociology, Government

Objectives
Students will be able to:

• Identify organizations that support Hispanic Americans.
• Describe the main legislative successes of the Hispanic rights movement.

Standards
National Council for the Social Studies
I Culture, grades nine -12
High school students should understand and use complex cultural concepts such as adaptation, assimilation, acculturation, diffusion, and dissonance drawn from anthropology, sociology, and other disciplines to explain how culture and cultural systems function.

V Individuals, groups and institutions, grades nine - 12
High school students must understand the paradigms and traditions that undergird social and political institutions. They should be provided opportunities to examine, use, and add to the body of knowledge related to the behavioral sciences and social theory as it relates to the ways people and groups organize themselves around common needs, beliefs, and interests.

Materials
CNNfyi.com article, " What does the term 'Hispanic' mean?"
Internet access

Suggested time
Article and questions only: 30 minutes
Full lesson plan: Two to three classroom periods

Procedure
1.Have students read the CNNfyi.com article and ask the following:

• Why is the term "Hispanic" difficult to define? What countries do Hispanic Americans come from? Why do you think different groups of Hispanics use different names to describe themselves? How has the U.S. Census changed since 1980 with regards to Hispanics? Do you think the changes were necessary? Why or why not?
• Who is Cecilia Munoz? According to Munoz, why are Hispanics becoming the largest minority in the U.S.? What does the use of the term "minority" imply to you? Based on the information in the story, do you think Hispanic Americans should be referred to as a minority group? Discuss.

2. Refer students to the first Web site below to determine the percentage of the American population that claimed Hispanic origin in 1980 and in 1990. Have students determine whether the Hispanic population is rising or declining in proportion to the population.
3. Cecilia Munoz states, "The American dream is very vivid to us, and for those of us who are immigrants or their descendants, we are engaged in making that a reality." How would you define the term, "American dream"? Why do you think she states that the American dream is more vivid to immigrants? Explain.
4. Have students identify laws that were passed in an effort to guarantee equal rights for Hispanic Americans. These laws include the 1968 Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the Voting Rights act of 1975. Then ask: What changes were implemented as a result of these laws? Have these laws improved the lives of Hispanic Americans? Give examples to support your opinions.
5. Ask students: What is bilingual education? Point out to students that some people have argued that English-only policies reflect a bias against minority groups, especially Hispanic Americans. Analyze this argument with respect to bilingual education. Have students write position papers on whether or not they support bilingual education. Have students share their papers with the class and discuss.
6. Inform students that Hispanic Americans have a number of organizations that work for their interests. They include: the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund and The League of United Latin American Citizens. Have students conduct research to create a list of these organizations. Then, divide students into small groups and instruct each group to investigate ones of f the organizations listed. Have groups present their findings to the class. Then ask: Why are these organizations important to Hispanic Americans?

Assessment
Have students write essays identifying how organizations discussed in class play a role in passing legislation to benefit Hispanic Americans.

Challenge
Students can examine the history of immigration in the United States. Divide the class into small groups, and have each group select one period in U.S. history to examine. Have each group research immigration data pertaining to its era, including the origins of those who immigrated to the United States. Have each group express its information in visual form, such as a chart or graph. After groups present their data, discuss the changes that have occurred in immigration patterns and responses to these patterns by native born citizens.

Extension
Instruct students to write essays that explore the following question: How have Hispanic immigrants changed American culture? Have students share their essays and discuss how Hispanic immigrants have been influential in their own community. What are some of the societal benefits and drawbacks associated with immigration?