Virginia SOL CE.6.e

Social Studies7th GradeCitizenship and Civic Life

The Standard

examining the process and importance of immigration policies at different points in U.S. history

Virginia Standards of Learning for History and Social Science · The student will apply history and social science skills to define citizenship by

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students compare major U.S. immigration policies from different time periods. They explain why each policy was adopted and how it affected who could enter, settle, or become citizens.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students place major policies in chronological order and connect each one to its historical context. They use evidence to explain how policy changes affected immigrant groups and the nation.
Common Misconceptions: Students may confuse immigration with naturalization or assume the rules have stayed mostly the same. They may also think every policy applied equally to all nationalities and groups.
How to Assess It: Give students short descriptions of the Chinese Exclusion Act and the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. Ask them to identify one difference and explain one effect.

Lesson moves

Have groups arrange policy, date, cause, and effect cards into a large floor timeline.
Write a paragraph answering: How can immigration policy reflect the goals or fears of a particular time period?
Play a matching game that pairs immigration policies with their dates, historical causes, and effects on specific groups.
Examine a current visa application chart and compare its entry categories with those allowed under an earlier immigration policy.

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