Unit Activity Lesson Plans

Introduction
Students have learned the basic characteristics and purposes of expository writing. In this lesson, they will read an example of expository writing from an outside source.

Lesson Description
Students will read an example of expository writing in the story of a "paper son" from the Ellis Island Web site.

Instructional Objectives

1. Students will be required to demonstrate their reading comprehension skills by answering questions about the reading.
2. Students will demonstrate their understanding of the basic features of expository writing and how to apply that understanding.

1. The article says: "U.S. law states that children of American citizens are automatically granted citizenship themselves, no matter where they were born. Taking advantage of that opening, some immigrants claimed to be legitimate offspring of U.S. citizens when in fact they were not. These individuals, mostly male, were called 'paper sons.' "
2. We might conclude, from this statement in the article—"In 1882, Congress passed a law prohibiting Chinese laborers from immigrating to the United States. The Chinese Exclusion Act was the only immigration law ever based on race alone"—that Chinese immigrants were not treated well in America.
3. This article is expository because it explains the experience of Chinese immigrants.
4. The main source of your answer should be your family. Sources such as www.ellisisland.org may help, depending on how your ancestors immigrated to the United States. The National Archives was a source for this article and may also be useful.

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