Our German Roots in the USA

A WebQuest for 8^th-12th Grade

Introduction

As students of German we need to value the contribution German settlers gave to the United States. It is interesting to trace their steps and discover the impact their culture had in forming the new culture of the American "Salad Bowl." Many of us have roots we can trace back to the old country but few of us understand what compelled our ancestors to leave their home land and settle in a strange place, far away. Many were seeking religious freedom while others were seeking freedom from political persecution. Others, again, tried to escape from economic hardship and hoped for success in America.

Goal of the WebQuest:

Discover and research German/American settlements
Establish their geographic distribution
Find information about the political and/or economic purpose of the settlements
Study the economic, political and cultural impact of the German communities
Trace their existence from the establishment to the presence
Use the internet to collect information
Work with teammates and gather information
Develop respect for the German/American culture

The Task

You will discover and research German communities in the United States by:

Looking up information on the internet
Reading articles from magazines selected by the teacher
Visiting the school library and the public library to gather information on the German/American culture
Contacting the historical society in your home town to find additional resources
Locating and interviewing people of Germanic descent who could be of help

The Process

You, as a class will be divided into geographical groups
Your group will choose and present information about one particular German community
Your geographic group will investigate German settlements in a particular geographic area
Your group will be divided into areas of expertise such as history, religion, clothing, important people or companies, etc.
In your group you will create your own display poster
In your geographic group you will present your posters and information to the rest of the class
After the presentation, each of you will quiz your fellow students on the content of your presentation
The quiz can either be administered in the form of a T/F quiz, or some type of game type quiz, such as jeopardy

Resources

Websites:

http://www.nkycvb.com

www.mainstrasse.org

www.tulsaoktoberfest.org

http://www.frankenmuth.org

http://www.leavenworth.org

Magazines:

Das Fenster, Novermber 1999

German Life, June/July 1999

German Life, August/September 2000

Historical Society, Zoar, Ohio (330) 874-2646

Other sources each of you will find by yourself in the library, other historical societies or through interviews with people

Evaluation

The teacher will use a rubric to grade each geographic group individually and as a whole on:

Clarity
Pertinence of information
Following of guidelines
Appearance of visuals
Effectiveness of overall presentation
Effectiveness of follow up quiz

Conclusion

You have just gathered valuable information which has helped us determine what impact the German immigrant culture had on the American culture.

Reflect on the following questions in writing:

How did your research help you understand the influence German immigrants had on American culture?
What information did you find that was totally novel to you and surprised you the most?
How did German immigrants and communities positively effect life in the United States?
What would the United States have missed without the German immigrants and communities?
How important is this newly found information for you as a German student?

Teacher’s Notes:

Lesson Title: German Immigrants in the United States

Curricular Areas: History, Geography, Social Studies, Art, Music, Religion, Language Arts, German

Grade Level: 8-12 Grade

Length of Lesson: 2 weeks