Introduction
Many of our country's newest immigrants come from a country called Guatemala. And many of those people are descendents of a great ancient culture called the Mayans. The Mayan culture existed for centuries in many countries in Central and South America. In this lesson you will answer questions about Guatemalans, who their ancestors were, and why their descendents are coming to this country.
Task
Your task is to use this Web Quest to research Guatemala and its people. Guatemalans are a colorful people with an amazing heritage. There are many aspects you will study, from the country's location and topography, to its art and ideology and the daily lives and hopes of Guatamalans who live in the cities and in countryside. Begin the Web Quest by clicking on the Process tab. Next, locate the section that designates your grade level and follow the tasks as assigned.
Process
Grade Schooler Tasks
Your first task to complete will be to research both the Guatemalans of today and the Mayans of yesteryear. Use the links provided to gather as much information as you can so that you develop an understanding of both. You can do that by researching a sampling of these many topics. Choose two or three from below.
| Art | Food | Architecture |
| Calendars/Sun Dials | Textiles/Clothing | Mathematics |
| Climate | Music | Culture |
Once you've completed your research you will need to write a couple paragraphs about your chosen topics including some pictures (copied or freehand) as well, and to also answer the following questions.
Where is Quatemala and what is its topography?
What math concept are Mayans famous for inventing?
What are some crops grown in Guatemala?
What is the offical currency of Guatemala?
What is interesting about the clothes they wear today?
What kind of buildings did the Mayans build a lot of?
How big is Guatemala compared to a U.S. state?
What is life like for a typical Guatemalan girl?
What does their flag look like?
What does their art look like? Copy or draw in the style of.
What is a favorite Mayan drink?
Use the following links to get your answers:
http://www.central-america-map.com/topo-map.htm
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/countries/guatemala/#guatemala-volcano.jpg
http://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-guatemala/
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/countries/guatemala/#guatemala-volcano.jpg
blog.compassion.com/living-in-guatemala-a-day-in-the-life-of-melissa
http://www.mayankids.com/mmkplaces/mktikal.htm
http://www.nga.gov/kids/mayakids.pdf
Questions for Middle School Students:
For this assignment, you will turn in two pages. One page is a map of Guatemala that you have printed out and labeled. The second page is a piece of your own notebook paper on which you have written the answers to the following questions.
Geography
1. Print out this map. Answer the questions below by labelling your printed map. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/northamerica/guatemala/outlinemap/
a. What four countries border Guatemala?
b. What two bodies of water?
c. What is the capital city of Guatemala and how did it become the capital? Label this on your map and use a star to mark its location and write your response in a blank space.
d. What continent is this country in?
Use these websites to find the answers:
a-b. http://www.factmonster.com/atlas/country/guatemala.html
http://www.ducksters.com/geography/country.php?country=Guatemala
c. http://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/Guatemala.html
http://www.travelforkids.com/Funtodo/Guatemala/guatemalacity.htm
d. http://www.entfernungsrechner.net/en/country/gt
2. What are the three types of climate that can be found in Guatemala?
http://www.ducksters.com/geography/country.php?country=Guatemala
3. Guatemala has approximately 30 volcanoes. How many are still active?
Which one is the most active and when did is last erupt?
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/countries/guatemala/#guatemala-volcano.jpg
http://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-guatemala/
Economy
4. What types of products and/or goods does Guatemala make or produce and ship to other countries (exports)?
http://www.ducksters.com/geography/country.php?country=Guatemala
5. Name one concern about Guatemala’s natural resources.
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/guatemala
People, Culture, and Traditions
6. Gather data for the following categories for Guatemala and the United States. Think about how the statistics of Guatemala compare to the US? Choose one category and write a sentence comparing or contrasting the data.
| Category | Guatemala Data | United States Data |
| Population | ||
| Life Expectancy | ||
|
Percent of Population Below Poverty LIne |
||
| Net Migration Rate | ||
| School Life Expectancy | ||
| Internet Users (Look under "Communications") |
Use the following links to find the answers:
For Guatemala: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gt.html
For United States: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html
7. Click on the first link to understand the definition of “Drinking Water Source” data.
Now, look at the Drinking Water Source information for Guatemala. Draw a conclusion based on your findings. (It might be helpful to use the Drinking Water Source data for the United States as a reference.)
For Guatemala: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gt.html
For United States: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html
8. What language is spoken in Guatemala?
http://www.mwengo.org/fun-interesting-facts-guatemala-central-america/
http://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-guatemala/
What is a word or phrase you could use to communicate with someone from Guatemala?
Visit this website to learn some phrases:
http://123teachme.com/kids/spanish_flash_cards/category/children_hello
9. Explore the different foods of Guatemala. Choose two foods that might like to eat:
http://www.donquijote.org/culture/guatemala/
10. Watch this video of children performing a traditional Guatemalan Dance. Describe their traditio dress or the music that you hear.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-T2gdn7fb8
FOR FUN:
Watch this slide show of Guatemala just for fun:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGWXcVH0NKo
High School Student WebQuest
Your task is to research illegal immigration into the United States between 2010 and 2015 of young people from the Central American country of Guatemala.
You are to research and then create a power point presentation using short direct sentences that answer the questions below. Seek to have at least ten slides with facts and verifiable data. Feel free to add slides with graphics, photographs, as well as quotes, on additional slides. Your last slide (other than sources) should be a reflection on how the governments of the United States and Guatemala could address the conditions in Guatemala which motivate these young people to travel under difficult circumstances to a new country without family or security.
Lastly, make sure you credit your sources in a “Sources Cited” slide.
The overriding issue that you need to address in your power point is to explain why young people, unaccompanied by adults, leave Guatemala and go to the United States without United States’ permission.
Questions/Issues are:
Is it to find a better life -to avoid a life of gangs and drugs?
Is it to pursue economic opportunity? (make money)
Is it to pursue an education?
Is it to reunite with family members who are already in the United States, legally or illegally?
Other questions you need to respond to are:
How are these young people traveling? Bus, train, hitchhiking? (Is it safe?)
What role do paid smugglers have? Who pays the smugglers? What do they do?
What happens to youths who are taken into custody by the US Border Patrol?
What happens to youths who are not caught by the US Border Patrol? Where do they go? Who takes care of them?
You will also need to explore and identify what resources are available to youths once they are in the United States with respect to:
Family reunification?
Foster/permanent living arrangements?
Education? Are they able to attend public school immediately? If not, when are they?
How are health care needs addressed? Do they need vaccines?
What about pregnancies and babies born within the United States?
Are babies born in the US eligible for U.S. citizenship even if the young person came here illegally?
What if a young person is deported (sent back) to Guatemala? What are their family and living conditions in Guatemala going to be then?
Finally, prepare a slide with your ideas about young people from Guatemala traveling to the US illegally ? Should we assist them or prevent them coming illegally and under dangerous circumstances.
Research Sources
Start with the following website:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/country-lost-kids/
List of other websites to assist you in your research:
http://www.voanews.com/content/drought-causes-food-crisis-nearly-one-million-guatemala/2919009.html Food Crisis
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/06/child-migrants-surge-unaccompanied-central-america
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/07/15/us/questions-about-the-border-kids.html?_r=1
http://paperseed.org/north-america/guatemala/
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/guatemala_statistics.html
http://www.indexmundi.com/guatemala/
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/apr/4/state-dept-program-would-fly-in-immigrant-children/ Qualifying child in Guatemala can qualify for safe immigration.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/apr/4/state-dept-program-would-fly-in-immigrant-children/ Child will be granted special refugee status and flown to the U.S. to receive “resettlement assistance” and will be eligible for taxpayer benefits.
http://www.refugees.org/our-work/child-migrants/immigrant-childrens-lawyers.html Representation for immigrant children, coordinate advocacy efforts, and share information from across the country.
http://www.refugees.org/our-work/child-migrants/refer-a-child.html
http://www.refugees.org/assets/documents/hq-/forms-of-legal-relief.pdf If the child is deported, then there are two very important negative consequences
http://www2.ed.gov/policy/rights/guid/unaccompanied-children.html Education
http://www.uscrirefugees.org/2010Website/5_Resources/5_1_For_Refugees_Immigrants/5_1_1_Health/5_1_1_1_Healthy_Living_Toolkit/5_1_1_1_26_Spanish/Spanish_PatientsRights.pdf Health care rights
http://www.washington.edu/carlson/host-a-carlson-civic-fellow/carlson-civic-fellowship-eligibility/citizenship-program-fellow-with-seattles-international-rescue-committee/ The IRC makes sure newly arrived refugees receive
- a furnished home
- help with rent
- health care
- nutritious, affordable food
- English language classes
- help building job, computer & financial literacy skills
- education for their children
- social services and community support
- legal services toward residency & citizenship
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/programs/ucs/about Unaccompanied children services
Evaluation
Grading Rubric for Grade School Guatemalan Immigration WebQuest Assignment
|
Rubric Components |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
Student'sScore |
|
|
Paragraphs |
Paragraphs are neat and well organized with excellent use of facts and images from research. |
Paragraphs are neat show some orgnaziation and good use of facts and images from research. |
Paragraphs are messy, show only vague organization and slight use of facts and images from research. |
Paragraphs are illegible, disorganized with little to no use of reseach. |
||
|
Answers to Questions |
All are complete and 90% answered correctly. Responses are thoughtful. |
All are complete and 80% are answered correctly. Responses are thoughtful. |
60% are complete or at least 50% answered correctly. Not much thought to responses. |
Few are answered or less than 50% are answered correctly. Little or no thought to responses. |
||
|
Student Effort |
Student was on task and focused during project. Student demonstrated enthusiasm doing quality work. |
Student was on task and focused during project. No reminders were needed to stay on task. |
Student needed some reminders to stay on task during project and distracted other students. |
Student was off task during project time and distracted other students. Student was disrespectful to an adult. |
Grading Rubric for Middle School Quatemalan Immigration WebQuest Assignment
|
Rubric Components |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
Student'sScore |
|
|
Map Labels- Accuracy and Neatness |
All items are labeled and located correctly. All labels are neat and readable. |
Most of the items are located and labeled correctly. Most labels are neat and readable. |
Less than half of the items are located and labeled correctly. Less than half of the labels are neat and readable. |
One or none of the items are located and labeled correctly. Labels are not neat. Labels overlap. |
||
|
Answers to Questions |
All are complete and 90% answered correctly. Responses are thoughtful. Accurately interpreted evidence, statistics, data, etc. to make conclusions. |
All Are complete and 80% are answered correctly. Accurately interpreted most of the evidence, statistics, data, etc. to make conclusions. |
60% are complete or at least 50% answered correctly. Misinterpreted most of the evidence, statistics, data, etc. when making conclusions. |
Few are answered or less than 50% are answered correctly. Misinterpreted all of the evidence, statistics, data, etc. or offered biased opinions when making conlcusions. |
||
|
Information Gathering
|
Information accurately gathered from appropriate sources. |
Information gathered from the appropriate sources. |
Information is poorly gathered from the appropriate sources. |
Information is not gathered from the appropriate sources. |
||
|
Student Effort |
Student was on task and focused during project. Student demonstrated enthusiasm for making a quality project. |
Student was on task and focused during project. No reminders were needed to stay on task. |
Student needed some reminders to stay on task during project and distracted other students. |
Student was off task during project time and distracted other students. Student was disrespectful to an adult. |
Grading Rubric for PowerPoint on Guatemalan Youth Immigration
|
CATEGORY |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
Points |
|
Effectiveness |
Project includes all material needed to gain a comfortable understanding of the topic. |
Project includes most material needed to gain a comfortable understanding of the material but is lacking one or two key elements. |
Project is missing more than two key elements. |
Project is lacking several key elements and has inaccuracies. |
|
|
Sequencing of Information |
Information is organized in a clear, logical way. It is easy to anticipate the type of material that might be on the next slide. |
Most information is organized in a clear, logical way. One slide or item of information seems out of place. |
Some information is logically sequenced. An occasional slide or item of information seems out of place. |
There is no clear plan for the organization of information. |
|
|
Originality |
Presentation shows considerable originality and inventiveness. The content and ideas are presented in a unique and interesting way. |
Presentation shows some originality and inventiveness. The content and ideas are presented in an interesting way. |
Presentation shows an attempt at originality and inventiveness on 1-2 slides. |
Presentation is a rehash of other people's ideas and/or graphics and shows very little attempt at original thought. |
|
|
Spelling and Grammar |
Presentation has no misspellings or grammatical errors. |
Presentation has 1-2 misspellings, but no grammatical errors. |
Presentation has 1-2 grammatical errors but no misspellings. |
Presentation has more than 2 grammatical and/or spelling errors. |
|
|
Use of Graphics |
All graphics are attractive (size and colors) and support the theme/content of the presentation. |
A few graphics are not attractive but all support the theme/content of the presentation. |
All graphics are attractive but a few do not seem to support the theme/content of the presentation. |
Several graphics are unattractive AND detract from the content of the presentation. |
|
|
Organization |
PowerPoint contains a minimum of 10 slides. All parts of the task are completed fully and support the theme/content of the presentation. |
PowerPoint contains a minimum of 10 slides. All parts of the task are completed partially and support the theme/content of the presentation. |
PowerPoint contains fewer than 10 slides, or some slides designed do not support the theme/content of the presentation. |
PowerPoint contains fewer than 10 slides and is missing several parts of the task. Slides designed do not support the theme/content of the presentation. |
|
|
Sources |
All sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented in the desired format. |
All sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented, but one is not in the desired format. |
All sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented, but two or more are not in the desired format. |
Some sources are not accurately documented. |
|
Conclusion
Conclusion for Grade Schoolers
I hope you have learned a bit about this colorful and ancient country and its people south of the border from us. One of the things will we do together, once you have finished your projects, is discuss why so many Guatemalans are leaving this wonderful culture and coming to this country to live as immigrants.
Conclusion for Middle School Guatemala WebQuest
After having the opportunity to explore many websites about Guatemala, I hope you feel like you have a greater understanding of the country and its culture. Many Guatemalan children are immigrating to the United States each year- and many may be attending your school now, or in the future. The research you have conducted will make you better able to understand what type of life these children have come from. You should have concluded, by comparing data of Guatemala to data of the U.S., that Guatemala is a very poor and underdeveloped country. This WebQuest linked you to data and facts which has allowed you to draw conclusions, and even form opinions on the immigration situation. Overall, the goal of this WebQuest was to help you feel more connected to students from Guatemala and have a basic understanding of their background.
High School Webquest on Guatemalan Youth Immigration
Hopefully, you have learned through your research that many young people from Guatemala, a country rich with culture and history, are facing tremendous pressures. This may be because of gang and drug-related conditions and/or desperate agricultural and economic circumstances. Over the last few years, in particular, a dream took on new life for many Guatemalan youths:if a child or youth or adult could just get to the United States, they would be able to stay long enough to change their futures - often reuniting with family members already in the US. Through your research you should have concluded that this adventure is perilous and uncertain but that there are resources available to help provide basic human services, such as education and health care, to those who are able to stay in the US, even for a brief time.
Credits
CREDITS
123teachme.com
acf.hhs.gov
books.google.com
central-america-map.com/topo-map.htm
compassion.com
country-facts.findthedata.com
cia.gov
donquijote.org
ducksters.com
easyscienceforkids.com
ed.gov
entfernungsrechner.net
everyculture.com
factmonster.com
google.com
i.huffpost.com/gen/1898362/images/n-LA-BESTIA-MEXICO-large570.jpg
index mundi
kids.nationalgeographic.com
mayankids.com
mother jones
mwengo.org
nga.gov/kids/mayakids.pdf
nytimes.com
pbs.org
refugees.org
scholastic.com
travelforkids.com
unicef.org
uscis.gov
uscrirefugees.org
voanews.com
youtube.com
washington.edu
washingtontimes.com
Teacher Page
Instructions to Teachers:
Elementary School Teachers:
The questions in this section are all targeted toward a young audience. The answers to the questions can be found through the provided website links. This Web Quest is best done in partners or small groups. The length of the Web Quest assignment is approximately two class periods.
Middle School Teachers:
This Web Quest is designed to address students in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. The questions are age-level appropriate, as well as the web links. Each question contains a link to a website where they can find the answers. This allows the students to get to the resources quickly and begin reading the information and drawing conclusions. The Web Quest can be done individually or in partners. The estimated time requirement is one class period.
High School Teachers:
The sutdents who access this portion of the Web Quest will be asked to conduct research, answer questions, and provide insight on the immigration of Guatemalans to the United States. A list of web resources are provided. In addition, the students will compile their findings in a Power Point presentation, or something similar. This assignment is intended to be an individual assignment requiring approximately two class periods.