Before starting the lesson: 

• Make copies of the Handout pages 1–5 (https://ucdavis.box.com/s/ryfza6u1t96f28ghz0zbhtk3wi2v7khe) for each student Use handout pages to guide this lesson.
• Make copies of “A New Chapter - Hmong in Politics” (42, 43, 46, 48, 50, 51) by Txhawb Magazine (https://ucdavis.box.com/s/qqfyiqj59ktxaw554gq57guzqbahbtto). 

CULTURAL ENERGIZER:

• Pose the following questions to students to think about: What does empowerment look like to you? What are some actions that help you feel empowered? How do you engage in empowering others?
  • Allow students to share with an elbow partner. 
• Review the lesson objective and lesson background to students.

STEP 1: Interaction with first source

• Worksheet #1: Step 1 (Refer to Handout page 1 https://ucdavis.box.com/s/ryfza6u1t96f28ghz0zbhtk3wi2v7khe) 
  • Locate the Pew Research Center charts on “Hmong Population in U.S.” & “Top U.S. metropolitan areas by Hmong population” https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/fact-sheet/asian-americans-hmong-in-the-u-s/.
  • Refer to the worksheet for further details and chart questions.
• As a class, students will examine and discuss the two charts provided and answer the questions pertaining to each chart.  
  • Discussion should ideally be guided to the idea that political representation/civic engagement evolves to meet constituent’s needs.

STEP 2: Interaction with second source

• Teacher projects the video of Mai Yang Vang titled California's Hmong find their voice in politics (4:21 minutes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUeD-xhNtk4.
• Worksheet #2: Step 2 (Refer to Handout page 2 https://ucdavis.box.com/s/ryfza6u1t96f28ghz0zbhtk3wi2v7khe) 
  • Go over the worksheet to see if anyone has any questions.
• Teacher will play the Youtube video
• As a whole class, in small groups, or pairs have students go over their answers from the worksheet.

 STEP 3: Shared Learning - Jigsaw Activity

• Divide class into groups of five - each group of five is a magazine home group (five pages in this article).
  • Hand out copies of the article “A New Chapter - Hmong in Politics” https://ucdavis.box.com/s/qqfyiqj59ktxaw554gq57guzqbahbtto to each group. (When labeling page numbers, the advertisements in between text articles were removed, refer only to pages 43, 46, 48, 50, 51. Make sure the pages of text are clearly labeled: page 1, page 2, page 3, page 4, and page 5.)
  • Pages #1 & Pages #5 are the shortest readings, so teachers may want to assign those pages to students who struggle with reading dense text. They should also be encouraged to share their reactions to the material presented with one another through dialogue. 
• Have students count off #1– #5 within their home group. 
  • This number will be the students’ page expert group
• Then tell students to group up by their page expert group, so one table of page #1 EXPERTS and so on.
  • Students will need to bring their article page and the Worksheet #3: Step 3 Jigsaw Activity sheet. (Refer to Handout page 3 https://ucdavis.box.com/s/ryfza6u1t96f28ghz0zbhtk3wi2v7khe) 
  • In these page expert groups, students will do a:
    • First read: Skim to find unknown words that will be defined in the community of their expert group. (Online dictionaries may be utilized if necessary.)
    • Then have students do a second read: Take turns reading the page out loud, one student per paragraph. Question: What is the main idea of the source?
    • Students should then work collaboratively to answer the questions on the left side of the Jigsaw Activity sheet just from the one page of information that they read.
• After the left-handed questions on the Jigsaw Activity Sheet have been completed, students will return to their original groups and share what they have learned.  
  • As students discuss their pages, they should be prepared to fill out the information on the right hand of the activity sheet.
• Have students complete the rest of the worksheet (independently or with peers).

STEP 4:

• Teacher asks students:
  • When you think of a politician, what/who do you picture?
  • How do we expect a politician to dress? 
• Now show the picture of Blong Xiong from the article Blong Xiong Makes California History  (https://ucdavis.box.com/s/plhzw6ej3oy8sf21veraftzebt1vpjsa), in both his western suit (on the first page 78) and then a traditional Hmong coat (on second page 79). 
  • Can a politician successfully integrate his/her cultural identities? 
  • Can an American politician successfully integrate traditional and modern elements? 
• Project the photos of the three American politicians: 
  • Blong Xiong https://ucdavis.box.com/s/plhzw6ej3oy8sf21veraftzebt1vpjsa 
  • Deb Haaland https://ucdavis.box.com/s/oygeunhqnq3c0wpe23hb3w0usf42f9uv 
  • Ilan Omar https://ucdavis.box.com/s/ej7d4dq3wf197truqbcl41vse9j9iqfm 
• Direct students to Worksheet #4: Step 4 Cultural Diversity in American Politics (Refer to Handout page 4  https://ucdavis.box.com/s/ryfza6u1t96f28ghz0zbhtk3wi2v7khe), where they will find three images of politicians wearing clothing that reflects their culture (one Hmong, one native American, and one Muslim).
• Tell students to read the Step 4 questions and respond as directed, prompting some written thoughts then some sharing of ideas in both small groups and in the whole classroom.

STEP 5: 

• Teacher to share the two options for assessment reflections below.
• Teacher says: You will choose one of the reflection questions to finish the lesson. Responses can be handwritten or typed. Alternatively, the quotes can be verbally discussed amongst small groups. 
  • Assessment Reflection #1: Mai Yang Vang states in the video that the US is “not a melting pot but a salad”. How do you feel about this statement? What connections can be made between this quote and your lived experiences? Write one paragraph on the topic or create a visual response.
  • Assessment Reflection #2: How can someone in the public office serve their community? How important is it to you - or to our country - that public offices encompass people with diverse backgrounds and/or people with first hand experience of immigration? Write one paragraph on the topic or create a visual response.
• If time allows, have student volunteers share their reflection.