Immigrant Populations of San Diego

Using Asmaa’s Oral History
4-Hour Lesson Segment
Human Geography or Introduction to Ethnic Studies (9th Grade)
Constructed by Clara Sigala

Individual Freedoms/Rights (Religion, Expression, etc), Community, Immigration, Refugees, Immigrants, Asylum Seekers, Sanctuary City

Note: Please read through the “curriculum-thinking/rationales” behind this lesson before reading the hour-by-hour explanations.

Download Lesson Plan

About the Lesson & Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to know the various groups of people that live in San Diego, including immigrants and refugees by reading maps, US Census Data and oral histories of local immigrants.

  • Students will learn about the importance of community in supporting newcomers to this country to practice the ideas of individual freedoms and liberties.

  • Students will explore their own biases and the biases of others in relation to the diverse ethnic communities in their neighborhoods and reflect on the challenges immigrants face in San Diego.

    1. How does living in a sanctuary city affect how American students view each other?

    2. Why do refugees and immigrants come to the U.S.?

    3. What obstacles do they face when they arrive? What opportunities exist for refugees and immigrants in the U.S?

    4. How does community improve the quality of life for immigrants?

  • Geography: Location

    1. Have students identify where they are on a map. Have them name the city, county, state and country they live in. What cities, states, and countries are around the place that they live in. Have them identify and describe the neighborhoods around their own neighborhood and describe the types of people that live in their neighborhood.

    2. Have students choose 3-4 areas around San Diego County, including El Cajon. Have them research the demographics of each of these areas onto a graphic organizer. They can use the data from the US Census and map data.

    3. Give students a San Diego county map and a World Map. Students will then be able to trace where many of the immigrants that arrive to San Diego are from on the World Map. Students can make a key on their map identifying where each group of immigrants are from.

  • Demographics: Population

    1. Have students look for the demographic information of three different areas in San Diego, including El Cajon. Have students look at those people who are foreign born and identify what countries they are from.

    2. Introduce the vocabulary of immigrant, refugee, and asylum seeker. Also discuss the concept of Sanctuary City and how San Diego is a place where many refugees and asylum seekers are relocated and welcomed.

    3. For this lesson, students will investigate the immigrant/refugee population of El Cajon, where one of the oral histories is from.

    4. Case study: El Cajon
      Resource 1
      Resource 2
      Resource 3

  • Migration: Push/Pull Factors

    1. Have students choose a country to research and determine what the push and pull factors are for people who leave their country and arrive in the United States, specifically San Diego. Students can be assigned a country or work in groups to investigate the various push factors from the different countries that immigrants/refugees are from.

    2. Once students complete the push and pull factors on the graphic organizer, students will also research what some of the challenges and obstacles are for immigrants/refugees who arrive to San Diego may be.

    3. Students will use one oral history to identify the challenges that immigrants face here in San Diego. (Maria Alvarado)

  • Community: Majdal Center/ Middle Eastern support

    1. Students will locate the Majdal Center in El Cajon on Google Maps or Google Earth. They will place a star on their San Diego map to indicate where the Madal Center is.

    2. Students will investigate what the Magdal Center is, what resources it provides, and why it is an important resource for the Middle Eastern Community in San Diego.

    3. Students will read Asmaa Kheir’s Oral History and answer questions about her involvement and support of the Majdal Center.

    4. Students will reflect on their study and investigation of immigrants and refugees in order to become informed about the diversity of peoples in their neighborhood/city/state/country and approach these newcomers with neighborly dispositions.

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