Latino Immigrants and Communities in Philadelphia

This unit provides different methods to help students understand the culture and people of the Latino community in Philadelphia. Latinos have been coming to Philadelphia since the colonial period and have been arriving in large numbers since World War II. The unit includes information and research about the Latino groups in Philadelphia, especially the large Puerto Rican population. The lessons focus on understanding differences in culture, analyzing cultural stereotypes, learning more about the immigration process and its effects on Latino immigrants today, and analyzing the influence of groups and organizations in building community. The lessons include many interdisciplinary skills such as research, critical thinking and group work, and can easily be applied in English, Social Studies and World Language classrooms.