Mexico

IV: HERE AND NOW

Part 2: Borders

Overview:
Like immigration, human rights, and other complex issues, the border between the U.S. and Mexico is a dynamic and multifaceted subject for study. The lessons and resources linked below will help teachers lead students toward a more complete understanding of the issues surrounding this border and borders in general.

Procedure:

1. Begin addressing the idea of borders by asking questions and encouraging students to brainstorm on the topic. These borders include, but are not limited to:
   • psychological borders
   • political borders
   • economic borders
   • social borders
   • linguistic borders
   • architectural borders
   • cultural borders
2. Once the concept of borders has been introduced, students of all ages can take a creative approach to the idea of borders by drawing maps of the borders--physical, psychological, interpersonal, and so forth--in their lives. Encourage them to think beyond the two-dimensional maps they are used to seeing. In addition to drawing, students may find collage or other techniques useful. Distribute paper, crayons, markers, magazines (if students are creating collages), and direct students to artistically represent at least one of the borders that they perceive in their lives. Especially energetic students might create personal atlases, in which different pages map the borders of different areas of their lives. It is probably not necessary to show students maps or atlases, as they are most likely already familiar with them. On the other hand, looking at such examples might refamiliarize them with the conventions of map-making, such as grids, labeling, color use, and so on. If the classroom already has maps displayed, these can be used. To avoid stifling their more creative suggestions, avoid showing the maps until after the initial discussion.
3. Each student can explain his or her map(s) to the class or in a small group, or write a brief explanation.
4. Depending on time constraints, it might be possible for students to work in small groups to create maps of the borders (of all sorts) that exist in the school, the classroom, or the community. Each group could focus on a different type of border, and might even interview other students to assure a wide range of perspectives (and to avoid representing the viewpoint of just one clique). This project could even become an exhibit, depending on the quality of the final product. (See the Museum Exhibit lesson in the Community Connections section for ideas.)

Extensions:
Throughout the world--and even between U.S. states, counties, and cities--borders are key political and social flashpoints. Older students might engage in research into the crucial economic, political, social or cultural issues involving borders.

Debates and/or persuasive writing assignments on border issues might also provoke students to think deeply about these issues.

Students can learn about using maps, and in particular about scale, by using string to measure the length of borders on a map, then calculating the borders' lengths in miles or kilometers.

Using the border journal idea in "Borders: A Multi-Dimensional Approach" would be a great way to help students prepare to generate maps or other representations of their borders. This journal might record borders the individual student crossed or could not cross, as well as examples of others crossing—with or without permission—that student's own borders.

Discuss the various types of borders encountered by literary characters or historical figures previously encountered in the class.

Resources:
(Links will open in new windows.)

From Teaching Tolerance comes MIX IT UP Lesson Plan: Border Crossings which provides a "survey to begin or enhance dialogue on group boundaries at your school." The Mix It Up campaign is "an exploration of the social boundaries in our schools," and the lesson is intended "to help you begin a dialogue on group boundaries at school, or to enhance ongoing dialogue on related issues."

The Border Studies Curriculum includes 20 complete lesson plans. "The New Mexico State University Center for Latin American and Border Studies, with a grant from the federal Title VI program, has developed an integrated curriculum unit focusing on the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. The twenty lessons, which are downloadable from this Web site, are aimed primarily at a high school audience, for use as an adjunct in the study of U.S. history, border state history, or world history. However, the lessons can also be adapted for a middle school audience."

CLARO, The Center for Latin American Resources and Outreach, is the K-12 educational branch of the Latin American and Iberian Institute of the University of New Mexico. The site features a huge database of teacher resources, which can be bought or borrowed.

The Border: A PBS Show

The New Americans is a PBS series from 2004. The site has lesson plans and other teacher resources.

"The Borderlands Encyclopedia: A Digital Educational Resource on Contemporary United States-Mexico Border Issues," from the University of Texas at El Paso, is a vast array of links and resources.

LA GUIA, Internet Resources for Latin America, has links to sources for current events and news, Latin American web directories, news sources, organizations, and more. Several of the links which follow were found on this site.

The Americas Program of the Interhemispheric Resource Center provides coverage of border issues, a directory of organizations focused on immigration and other border issues. The site also provides access to the monthly Borderlines, which provides news on issues in the US-Mexico border region.

Frontera Norte Sur is a monthly news source (updated much more frequently) covering the US-Mexico border. It provides current statistics and other immigration information.

Another source of border-related links and resources is
The Southern Border, Resources
Also, The Southern Border, Related Sites provides links to media coverage of Latin America, among other things.

Finally, see the links provided by Andanzas al web Latino.