Back to Writings

Immigrant Poems For Two Voices

School: Sierra Expeditionary Learning School

City/State: Truckee, CA

Grade(s): 8

Format(s): Poetry

Subject(s): English Language Arts, Social Studies

Type(s): Poetry

Writing Assignment Description

After exploring the immigration experience through cultural fieldwork, primary source documents, documentary and historical fiction films, and current news stories, students wrote a research-based, two-voice poem spoken by immigrants from different periods that expressed their ideas about how these people were impacted by the immigration process, challenges of assimilation, and the United States Constitution.

Poems included details and quotes from the films watched, the interviews and cultural research conducted in San Francisco, and the news articles on current immigration issues they read. The poem's voices were written to compare immigrants' experiences from different time periods.

How This Writing Can Be Useful

  • Examples of skillful writing for emotional impact
  • Interesting juxtaposition of two refugee voices
  • Illustrates the use of a bibliography for a poem

Relevant Resources

Back to Writings