Pre-famine Irish History

Background and Rationale:

This lesson is the second in a unit which examines coerced Irish migration to Iowa for a grade 10-12 advanced placement, American Studies class. Having learned the causes of migration and plotted migration streams to America on a map, students learn the history of Irish migration from 1000 BCE, emphasizing conditions which precipitated the Great Famine.

Why study Irish migration history? The Irish as a people migrated from their home in the Steppes of Southwest Asia, across Europe to Breton, and then Ireland . Migration is part of being Irish.

Objectives and Procedures:

(50 minute class period)

Given the following activities, the students will:

	Learn the history of Irish migration
	Plot Irish circular migration streams on their map
	Assess prior knowledge/topic interest

Teaching strategies:

	Vocabulary building (vocabulary terms are defined during the lecture)
	Guided note taking
	Guided reading
	Applying migration concepts to a map
	knowledge/perception inventory –used to assess general pre-instruction level of knowledge about the topic –open-ended questions used to indicate topic interest and perceptions of immigrants –a post-instruction inventory will be conducted to assess potential changes in attitudes about immigrants and immigration policy

Sequence of Events:

Minutes 1 through 5:
Administrative functions (attendance)

Minutes 5 through 10:
Topic introduction/hand out materials

Minutes 10 through 15:
Guided Reading #1: Introduction

Minutes 15 through 20:
Lecture: Early Irish migration history (including guided note-taking)

Minutes 20 through 25:
Lecture: Anglo/Norman invasion and the Pale (including guided note-taking)

Minutes 25 through 30:
Lecture: Irish circular migration (including guided note-taking)

Minutes 30 through 35:
Map exercise (guided, in-class activity) using the maps from the previous lesson

Minutes 35 to 40:
Knowledge/perception Inventory

Minutes 40 through 45:
Answers to and guided discussion of inventory

Minutes 45 through 50:
Conclusion/discussion of Individual Project

Evaluation:

Assessment strategy: background knowledge/perception inventory

How will I know this is working?

            a) Students have questions about the previous lesson
            b) Questions and response
            c) Completion of knowledge/perception inventory

Associated projects: map depiction of circular migration streams; background knowledge inventory

Additional Readings :