As part of our focus on immigration, we have worked extensively on utilizing Document Based Questions (DBQ) in the classroom.  DBQs are simple: students receive select primary sources, analyze the documents, create a thesis after having synthesized the documents, which then answers an essential question.

After ample time doing DBQs in which I created/found/prepared for the students, the tables have been turned.  All students now are in the process of creating their own DBQ based on immigration trends/events from the 1980s – present.  Each student needs to create an essential question, research and analyze 6 primary source documents, and then create a thesis which pulls together the documents to answer the essential question.

Below are two article explaining what a DBQ is and its purpose in today’s educational system.

What is a DBQ

Washington Post Article

Our students have been studying for some time immigration to the United States (with Adon Avner in relation to Jewish immigration to the United States).  We are now looking at immigration to the United States as a whole, as well as our perceptions of immigration over time.  Our first main activity, so as to get a better understanding of the perception of immigration, is a cartoon analysis of immigration over time in the United States.  The link to the activity can be found here.