A Multicultural Literature Activity Plan

Library or Classroom Activity Plan

Book: The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi

Cultural Group: The Immigrant Experience

Materials : Paper and pencils (or even crayons or coloring pencils)

For: Middle Grades

Time: 45 – 60 minutes

Instructions:

I.

The instructor will read “The Name Jar” to the children

After  reading the book, have a discussion with the class about how hard it is to communicate with another group when you don’t know the language.

Have the children work in pairs.

One child is allowed to speak English while the other cannot speak English at all, then switch roles.

Have a discussion about  how the non-speaker used various ways to communicate.

II.

Next have students write a letter to someone who does not know anything about the U.S. 

Instruct them to describe the U.S. in the letter. What does the U.S. look like and what do they like about their country?

This activity plan doesn’t require a lot of planning or a lot of material.  However, this activity is a way to talk with children about how it feels to be an immigrant child and how intimidating, frustrating, and out of place one can feel. 

This activity plan helps instill empathy towards immigrant children especially after reading “The Name Jar”.  The length of time for this activity can be adjusted to be longer or shorter.

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