Activity 2: “Text Deconstruction and Examining Media in the United States and Senegal”
OUTCOMES:
- The students will address the question: What is the American Dream? by examining images from the United States, Senegal, and France
- The students will address the question: How is immigration portrayed in the media?
- The students will complete a close reading of media texts related to immigration
TERMS: Power, privilege, marginalized, Developing (South) Countries, Developed (North) Countries
ARTIFACTS: Magazines, CDs, photograph of Migration art and boats, postcards
MATERIALS:
- YouTube video about migration from Senegal to Spain: “Senegal’s Life or Death Migration Gamble: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2iL6tmO0WI
- YouTube video- First Person: Omar Bar, Senegalese Immigrant: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwuDqb_fiRg&feature=relmfu
- Copy of poem “Running to America” by Luis Rodriguez
- Different media from the United States (magazines, CDs, TV commercials)
- Text deconstruction/reconstruction handouts for video and artifact viewing
- Optional book: American Dreams, Lost and Found by Studs Terkel
PROCEDURES:
Days 1-2
- Students will view postcards from the artifact box and discuss the differences and similarities between what they see in the postcards and what they experience on a day-to-day basis.
- Students will discuss the following question: Based on our learning from the last few days, why do people risk so much to leave their homes?
- Students will view the video: “Senegal’s Life or Death Migration Gamble: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2iL6tmO0WI
- Students will view pictures of boats from Senegal and the image of artwork from artifact box
- Students will discuss the meaning of the artwork and how it relates to the video and picture of boats
- Students will view the video: First Person: Omar Bar, Senegalese Immigrant: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwuDqb_fiRg&feature=relmfu
- Students will complete text deconstruction/reconstruction handout and discuss
Days 3-4: Media in the United States
- Students will address the following question in journals or in groups: What is the American Dream? How do media images influence opinions and view of Developed (North) Countries?
- Read the poem “Running to America by Luis Rodriguez
- Complete text deconstruction/reconstruction handout or lead discussion using deconstruction/reconstruction questions; discuss symbolism in poem
- In groups or individually, students will examine media from the United States and Senegal. Teacher can bring in media or students can bring in their own media.
- Teacher will pose the questions: What does this say about being in the United States? What would your impressions of the United States and the “American Dream” be after viewing these medias?
- Optional:
- Students will read chapters from American Dreams, Lost and Found and use the text deconstruction/reconstruction questions
- Students will look at blogs and newspaper articles from around the United States to examine how immigrants are treated and portrayed in different medias
- Examples: http://michiganmessenger.com/45948/agema-to-introduce-illegal-immigration-bills, http://blackallianceblog.blogspot.com/, http://detnews.com/article/20110321/POLITICS02/103210345/Michigan-weighs-crackdown-on-illegal-immigrants