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Option A: Interview a family member (or close adult/friend) about their American story. Write down 3–4 key details and connect them to a historical theme discussed in class.

Option B (if interview not possible): Research one immigrant/migration story in U.S. history (local history, Ellis Island, Great Migration, refugee story, etc.). Summarize the story in 1 paragraph and explain how it connects to your own life or community.

Option C (creative extension): Write a poem, short story, or create a visual representation (drawing, collage, digital art) of your or your family’s American story.

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Learning Objectives

1. Students will be able to identify and discuss central themes of American history (identity, belonging, migration, opportunity, inequality, and resilience) with 85% accuracy.

2. Students will be able to analyze short personal narratives or excerpts and connect them to broader historical themes, citing evidence with 85% accuracy.

3. Students will be able to create a personal “American Story Statement” that links their own or their family’s experiences to one larger historical theme, with 85% accuracy.

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Reflections: Condoleezza Rice on “Opening Up” | American Creed | PBS LearningMedia

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Condoleezza Rice shares how she fought resentment and racism while growing up in the Jim Crow South. She believes that we can shape the American Creed by accepting all groups of people as “We the People.”

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This 8th grade social studies lesson asks students to reflect on their own personal or family histories as part of the broader American story. Students begin with a reflection on what they know (or wonder) about their family’s American story, then connect their experiences to key themes of American history such as immigration, identity, opportunity, inequality, and resilience. Next, they analyze short excerpts of personal narratives (e.g., immigrant stories, oral histories, Indigenous perspectives, African American migration accounts) to identify how individual stories link to larger historical themes. The lesson concludes with students an exit ticket showing what they have learned from the lesson.

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Themes of American history through personal lens: identity & belonging, migration & displacement, opportunity & inequality, resilience & survival, diversity & shared values.

Primary & secondary sources: excerpts from oral histories, immigrant diaries, or other American family stories.

Personal connections: students reflect on their family or individual experiences and situate them in historical context.

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State & Next Generation Standards

Standard 8.9: Civics, Citizenship, and Government (Middle/High School Level)
Students analyze the roles and responsibilities of citizens and examine how civic engagement strengthens communities and democracy.

Application: Students connect their family’s or their own story to larger American historical themes, recognizing diverse contributions to American identity.

Next Generation Literacy Standards

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (RI.8.7 / RI.9-10.7): Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums, noting similarities and differences.

Writing (WHST.8.2 / WHST.9-10.2): Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas clearly.

Application: Students compare family/personal experiences to historical narratives and create a written “American Story Statement.”

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1. Small Group Source Analysis (15 min):

Students watch 2–3 short excerpts from PBS.

In groups, they identify:

The main story being told

The larger historical theme (identity, belonging, migration, opportunity, inequality, resilience)

Evidence from the text or video that supports this theme

Groups record findings on an organizer.

2. Class Share-Out (5 min):

Each group briefly shares one story and the theme(s) they identified.

Teacher charts overlapping themes to highlight connections.

Discursive Practices: Group discussion, evidence-based reasoning, whole-class synthesis.

Purpose: Develops analytical skills and shows how individual stories connect to larger historical narratives.

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Reflections: Junot Diaz on "Alternative Education" | American Creed | PBS LearningMedia

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Junot Diaz believes that the American Creed is educating youth about the legacy of discrimination and the importance of social rights. He shares that we can shape the American Creed by revolutionizing the educational system so that it promotes civil and social rights.

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Reflections: Joe Maddon on "Italian vs. Polish" | American Creed | PBS LearningMedia

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Joe Maddon shares how he grew up amid the different perspectives of immigrant families from around the world, and how sports brought different communities together.

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Reflections: Deidre Prevett on “Thanksgiving” | American Creed | PBS LearningMedia

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Deidre Prevett shares her experiences going to schools that did not acknowledge Native American history and culture and her belief that no culture should be left out of the narrative of history taught in schools.

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Reflections: Chris Middleton on “Home” | American Creed | PBS LearningMedia

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Chris Middleton shares how hard his grandfather worked to help his children graduate high school and his grandson graduate college, even though he had to drop-out of high school during the Great Depression.

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David Kennedy on “The Great Depression” | American Creed | PBS LearningMedia

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David Kennedy shares how his father experienced the hardships of unemployment during the Great Depression.

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ELL students: Provide sentence starters (e.g., “My family came to America because…,” “One challenge we faced was…,” “Our story connects to the theme of ___ because…”). Pair with bilingual peers when possible.

Students with limited knowledge of family history: Allow them to write their own story (a moment that shaped them in America, even something recent like school, community, or traditions).

HOH Students/Students with Audio Processing Issues: Ensuring videos have closed captions and providing transcripts of videos

Students with IEP/504 accommodations: Provide graphic organizers with simplified categories, offer extended time for writing, and allow audio or oral responses in place of written work.

Advanced learners: Encourage deeper research into family migration histories, census data, or oral interviews at home.

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Instead of analyzing text excerpts, students can analyze images, maps, or photographs that represent migration and family histories.

Students who prefer oral expression can record an audio or video version of their “American Story Statement.”

For collaborative learners, create a class mural/timeline where students place their stories along a historical timeline.

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Introductory Activity (Warm-Up Reflection, 5 minutes)

Journal Prompt: “What do you know about your or your family’s American story? If you aren’t sure, what do you imagine it might include?”

Think-Pair-Share: students share with a partner.

Purpose: Activates prior knowledge, builds personal connection to the essential question, and sets the stage for historical exploration.

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Students complete an exit ticket answering:
1. One thing I learned about American identity today
2. One perspective I hadn't considered before
3. How my understanding of what it means to be American has changed

Purpose: Demonstrate student learning, assessment