Geographic Alliance of Iowa

The Hispanic Migration into Iowa

-- Joan Lehman --

Grade Level 6

Geography Standards: Human Systems

Population distribution
Human migration patterns

Time: One or two class periods

Purpose: Student will be made aware and realize the positive and negative impact of Hispanic migration to Hispanics and to Iowa.

Objectives: Students will list, compare, and contrast the positives and negatives of Hispanics to Iowa. Students will interpret data from census.

Materials: Iowa maps, colored pencils, pro and con sheet, and teacher sheets on immigration diaries and Hispanic farmer, voting strips (red-go, yellow-abstain, and green-go)

Procedures: Have two students read the excerpts from the 1900 diaries. Point out that these people did not agree about immigration. Next read "The Problem to Solve", then appoint one student the father who is trying to survive, read about him, next divide students into groups, tell them to "act" as the family, and brainstorm the positives and negatives of moving, then the family votes by holding up the paper strips. (A quick glance gives you the results, usually.) Lastly, look at the census information about Hispanic migration into Iowa and plot it on the Iowa maps. Summarize what was discussed in journals or orally.

Resources: Exploring Canada and Latin America, Heath Social Studies, 1991, Iowa census books, and Internet.

Evaluation: Discussion and chart of pros and cons Map of Iowas Hispanic migration

Extensions: Look at the test for immigrants wanting citizenship
Research or debates on NAFTA
Essential Spanish words or phrases needed / Match-up game with English and Spanish.
Research Cesar Chavez or other Hispanics
Use Josephina books to contrast cultures
Possibility of visiting with a census taker
Research poverty levels in the area from county

EXCERPTS FROM THE 1900 DIARIES

"What did I myself look forward to when I left my home, my mother, and my little sisters? My way was hard, harder than many of those emigrants because I was all alone, no help from anyone could I expect, and I was not very big, never worked before. I had just graduated from high school when I decided to run away. What made me take the hardships of the long way? Not the looking forward made me go, but the looking backward made me search for a new life and struggle a hard battle. . .America means.. . .a promised land that came out true, a land that gives all they need for their work, a land which gives them human rights, a land that gives morality through her churches and education through her free schools and libraries."

"My dear sister, in America it is not better than in our country: whoever does well, he does, and whoever does poorly, suffers misery everywhere. I do not suffer misery, thanks to God, but I do not have much pleasure either. Many people in our country think that in America everybody has much pleasure. No, it is just as in our country, and the churches are like ours, and in general everything is alike

Excerpt made by immigrants in 1900 from Exploring Canada and Latin America, Heath Social Studies, 1991.

THE PROBLEM TO SOLVE

In the twenty-first century you are a farmer who lives 200 miles (320 kilometers) northwest of Mexico City. Your home is made of adobe and you have no electricity or running water. Your six children sleep in a single room. You farm 3.5 acres (1.4 hectares)* of land. Last year your corn harvest was not good enough to cover your expenses. As a result, you borrowed money from the bank for expenses and for seed for the coming year. You need an unusually good harvest. The rains have not come and the seeds have not sprouted. You are thinking of going to the United States. In Mexico you make $7 a day if you are lucky and in the United States you could make that much an hour.

You and your family are going to brainstorm the positives and negatives of this decision. After the brainstorming you and your family will vote on the decision. Of course, you will decide what you want to do, even if your decision does not coincide with the family.

*hectare......a unit of surface or land measure equal to 100 acres, or 10,000 square meters (2.47 1 acres). Abbr. ha

Students will produce this sort of list.

Examples of Pros and Cons for migration to Iowa for Hispanics

Map of Counties in Iowa

Additional Resources:

Iowa Census - Hispanics (in PDF format)