Cynthia Delilice’s Under The Same Sky focuses on issues of immigration and migrant workers.
The story is told through the eyes of a teenager who struggles to make sense of his world. Content related to history, geography, economics, civics, citizenship and government are all braided into the story.
I begin by reviewing some of the story’s essential vocabulary, like immigrant, migrant worker, agriculture, economics, oppression and human rights. Students write definitions for each of the words and share them. Some students associate migrant worker with birds that migrate. This fits in with our science content. It also leads to the question, What do migrant workers do and why?
After reading the book, I highlight some quotes, like “Just because the law says children can do farm work when they are 14 doesn’t mean they should. ...” Then students learn that child labor laws in the United States allow 14-year-olds to work on farms while other jobs have an age limit of 16. Finally, the students explore the question, Why are there different child labor laws?
The students work in groups. Each group is assigned one of three positions: 1) There should be different laws for different types of teen labor; 2) Fourteen-year-olds should be able to apply for all jobs; and 3) You must be 16 to have any type of paying job. After 10 minutes, each group selects one student to summarize its discussion. Students usually develop a deeper understanding of the interdependence between farmer and migrant worker.
As the story continues, students are faced with another important issue. The book discusses how “some of the neighbors showed up at the town meeting to say that they did not want more housing for the Mexicans.” The neighbors feel that the presence of Mexicans will lower property values. This leads to a discussion about stereotypes and prejudice. I wrap up the lesson by exploring the pros and cons of migrant workers using a T-chart graphic organizer to help dispel stereotypes. Half of the class responds from the perspective of the farmer while the other half of the class responds from the perspective of the migrant worker.
Theresa Paradowski
Ellicott Elementary School
Orchard Park, N.Y.
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