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Based on the needs of the pilot program in a New Haven Chinese language school, this curriculum was built as a semester-long class comprising eleven class sessions, including one introductory session attended by interested parents and one end-of-semester “celebration” session, where families are invited to come see the students give final presentations. Each class session is designed to take approximately 45 minutes to teach, but can be easily adapted to be shorter or longer depending on your individual educational needs.
The curriculum is designed for high school students, who generally already have a grounding in important parts of U.S. history like the Civil Rights Movement and World War II. However, we have successfully taught the curriculum to middle school students as well. Click the graphic to the left to download now. You can also download individual lesson units below. |
Building the Transcontinental Railroad
This one-lesson unit focuses on the role and treatment of Chinese coolie labor in one of the defining accomplishments of U.S. industrial history. Students will analyze primary sources from the time period and explore questions of labor, exploitation, and white supremacy. Key Concepts: gendered migration, push/pull immigration factors, slavery, racial discrimination, labor exploitation, disposable labor Timing: Approx. 45 minutes AP U.S. History-aligned lesson plan available here. 
World War II: Good Asian/Bad Asian
This two-lesson unit studies the complex racial dynamics of the WWII and post-WWII periods, wherein the paths of Japanese and Chinese Americans diverged sharply. Students will wrestle with difficult questions of identity, politics, and coalition building. Key Concepts: foreign policy, social construction of race, xenophobia, Japanese internment, Civil Rights Movement, cross-racial coalition-building, community organizing, quotas, Immigration & Nationality Act Timing: Adjustable, 90-120 minutes 
Oral History Project
This oral history assignment serves as the capstone project of the Chinese American History curriculum as students are asked to take ownership of their own immigration histories. Students begin conversations with family members about immigration stories and personal narratives that oftentimes have been buried until now. The assignment focuses on a particular "primary source," an object that represents the family's immigration journey in some way. Students interview their parent or other family member and write an essay summarizing the family member's oral history, using the object as a jumping-off point. The download includes the instructor's guide and hand-outs. Timing: 3-4 weeks |
Chinese Exclusion & Community Resistance This two-lesson unit navigates the difficult waters of Chinese Exclusion while centering the efforts of community activists to resist racism. Students will practice primary-source analysis and learn defining court cases that struck back against white supremacy and xenophobia. Key Concepts: Chinese exclusion, xenophobia, racial discrimination, white supremacy, Constitution, community resistance & organizing Timing: Approx. 90 minutes 
Yellow Power, Vincent Chin, and Asian American Identity
This two-lesson unit chronicles the development of the Asian American identity as a way of building power and dismantling white supremacy. Using the murder of Vincent Chin as a case study, students will learn about cross-racial coalitions and movement-building. Key Concepts: yellow power, ethnic studies, Asian American identity, cross-racial coalition-building, Vincent Chin, hate crimes, community organizing Timing: Approx. 90 minutes |
