A Curriculum Toolkit for Teaching and Sharing the Stories of Asian American Houstonians
M ARCH 2021
The Gee Family
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The Gee Family A Curriculum Toolkit for Teaching and Sharing the Stories of Asian American Houstonians
About this Curriculum Asia Society Texas Center and the Houston Asian American Archive of the Chao Center at Rice University collaborated to develop a curriculum toolkit featuring the stories of Houston’s Asian American community. The goals of this curriculum are to bring local and personal context to the topic of immigration, to celebrate the rich diversity of Houston and Texas, and to inspire students to share their own stories and stories of their communities. This curriculum toolkit is designed utilizing Asia Society Center for Global Education’s four domains of Global Competency. These four domains serve as a structure for this curriculum, which develops student skills and knowledge by challenging students to investigate the world, recognize other perspectives, communicate ideas, and take action. This toolkit presents the interviews and stories of the Gee family, one of the largest networks of Chinese Americans in Houston. Led by a small group of generous and resourceful elders who put down roots in the Bayou city, the Gees rose from humble beginnings, endured the Jim Crow restrictions on non-whites, and attained great social, financial, and political heights.
Using this Curriculum This toolkit provides materials for teaching about history and immigration through the stories of Asian American Houstonians. Different pieces of the curriculum can be used and adapted to different units, grade levels, and content areas. All content is aligned to the Texas Educational Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for middle school and high school social studies courses, as referenced in pages 11–13. Student learning outcomes are listed in each section.
Essential Questions Explored in the Curriculum The following essential questions represent the key themes and inquires students will explore during the Connect to Houston unit. Questions include: •
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How are current issues of immigration in the United States connected to the past, particularly in Houston? What can the stories of the Gee Family tell us about patterns of Chinese immigration to the United States? How do stories inspire us to make connections to ourselves and our community?
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How can I share the stories of my family or community?
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The Gee Family A Curriculum Toolkit for Teaching and Sharing the Stories of Asian American Houstonians
About Asia Society Texas Center With 13 locations throughout the world, Asia Society is the leading educational organization promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among the peoples, leaders, and institutions of Asia and the West. Asia Society Texas Center executes the global mission with a local focus, enriching and engaging the vast diversity of Houston through innovative, relevant programs in arts and culture, business and policy, education, and community outreach. ASTC’s Education and Outreach programs have introduced children, adults, and families to the diversity found in Asian cultures across the globe, while also providing platforms for our vibrant Asian Americans communities to celebrate their culture through a number of initiatives, including our TEKS-aligned School Tour Program, ExploreAsia Culture Camps, Family Days, and the Young Leaders Institute. As educators, we play a critical role in encouraging and teaching students to find points of understanding and connection among diverse cultures. Through our Connect to Houston series, Asia Society Texas Center aims to help educators build a foundation for global learning and foster cultural empathy by sparking learner curiosity, building cultural empathy, and sharing perspectives.
About the Houston Asian American Archive The Houston Asian American Archive collects, documents, and preserves the lived experiences of the Asian diaspora in Houston, aiming to develop a broader understanding of history through their lens, which continues to evolve towards the studies of Asia in a transnational perspective. Our mission is to explore the varied experiences of Asians and Asian Americans in the Houston community, and to understand both the challenges they have faced and the contributions they have made. We aim to capture all generations from all walks of life in order to create an inclusive portrayal of the Houston Asian and Asian American community. We intend this project to provide a documentary history linking these life stories to larger national, regional, and global narratives.
About the Chao Center for Asian Studies at Rice University The Chao Center for Asian Studies is the premier research hub for faculty, students and post-doctoral scholars working in Asian studies at Rice. Our focus is on transnational, trans-historic, diasporic, and global movements of peoples and cultures of greater Asia. The mission of the Chao Center includes outreach to Asian and Asian American populations in Houston and beyond, promoting scholarly community building and broader understanding. The Center is the home of the Transnational Asia Research Initiative, supporting the work of a team of post-doctoral scholars, and publishes a twice-yearly online journal, Transnational Asia. The Chao Center also supports programs such as the Houston Asian American Archive and hosts the Frank Liu Distinguished Visitor Series. The Center works very closely with the Department of Transnational Asian Studies in the School of Humanities. The Chao Center was founded with a generous gift from the T. T. and W. F. Chao Family Foundation in 2008 and has been awarded grants from the Henry Luce Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Academy of Korean Studies.
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The Gee Family A Curriculum Toolkit for Teaching and Sharing the Stories of Asian American Houstonians
Part I: Investigate the World Student Outcomes Students will be able to: • • • • • • •
Identify the reasons Chinese immigrants came to the United States in the 1840s Describe anti-Chinese sentiments, including laws, acts, and social factors, leading up to Congress passing the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882 Describe how WWI and WWII impacted laws on Chinese immigration Identify the reasons Chinese immigrants came to Texas and Houston in the 1850s Describe the differences between Chinese immigrants in the 1840s and post-WWII immigrants List examples of cultural values within the Chinese immigrant communities Explain a local, regional, or global issue and pose a question that matters to the local, regional, or global community
Lesson 1: Chinese Immigration to the United States 1. Activate Prior Learning: a. Place students in pairs or small groups, then give them the Chinese Immigration mind web graphic organizer. Ask them to add in anything they already know, or questions they may have for further discussion. 2. Build Background Knowledge: a. Have students watch a clip from the PBS documentary The Chinese Exclusion Act: Chapter 1. As they watch the video, have students add new information to the mind web graphic organizer. 3. Human Timeline: a. Using this timeline from the Bancroft Library at Berkeley, assign students different events to research. Have them write a 2–3-sentence summary of the event in their own words, including the date. i. For an extension, have them find or draw an image. b. Ask students to stand up and move around the room, putting the events in order. c. Have each student present their event. Guide the conversation to look for thematic similarities. 4. Closure and Assessment: a. Have students return to the mind web graphic organizer, adding in knowledge they have learned. As an exit ticket, have students write 4–5 sentences to describe the Chinese Exclusion Act and its impact on Chinese immigration.
Lesson 2: Chinese Immigration in Texas and Houston
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The Gee Family A Curriculum Toolkit for Teaching and Sharing the Stories of Asian American Houstonians
1. Recall and Activate Prior Learning: a. Ask students to complete a quick write: Describe the Chinese Exclusion act and its impact on Chinese immigrants. 2. Build Background Knowledge: a. Have students read the Texas State Historical Association article on Chinese immigration and complete the graphic organizer with key vocabulary. 3. Iceberg Diagram: a. Introduce the Iceberg diagram, or have students draw it on paper or notebooks. b. Use the topic “Chinese Immigration in Texas and Houston” as the tip of the iceberg. c. Questions they should answer inside the tip: i. What are key events and laws? By whom? ii. Who was affected? iii. How did things change over time? d. Question they should answer beneath the surface: “What factors influenced this event”? These factors might include events from the past or aspects of society like fear, discriminatory ideas, or policies. 4. Closure and Assessment: a. Have students present their icebergs to the class. Look for common themes, key vocabulary from step 2, and connections to the larger pieces of legislation.
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The Gee Family A Curriculum Toolkit for Teaching and Sharing the Stories of Asian American Houstonians
Part 2: Recognize Perspectives Student Outcomes Students will be able to: • • • • • •
Reflect on their own identities and family culture Connect their family history to the history of the Gee family Make connections between the Gee family stories and the history of Chinese immigration Clearly explain their own perspective on a situation, event, global issue, or phenomenon and identifies one context that influences that perspective Make a connection between a perspective and specific conditions Account of a particular group’s options, choices, or lived experiences makes an accurate connection to contextual factors
Lesson 1: Introduction to the Gee Family 1. Self-Reflection: a. Students create their family tree. Pair them to share with other students with the following questions: i. What are the strongest connections in the tree? ii. What values are important to the family? b. Note: This may be a sensitive topic for some students. Frame the activity by stating families can look very different, and there are many variations of family trees. Give students permission to draw their family trees in any format that works for them. 2. Build Knowledge: a. Explain that family histories and stories are part of understanding history in context. Have students read pages 12–24 of The Gees of Houston: Networking for Strength and Survival from the Gee Family History and complete the handout. 3. Discussion: a. Lead the class in a discussion, using a T-chart method to list the challenges and success of the Gee family. Emphasize key vocabulary and events. Refer back to the iceberg chart and discuss potential discriminatory mindsets, legislation, etc. 4. Closure and Assessment: a. Have students complete a quick write: What are three key things you’ve learned about the Gee family?
Lesson 2: History and Identity 1. Self-Reflection:
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The Gee Family A Curriculum Toolkit for Teaching and Sharing the Stories of Asian American Houstonians
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Students create a Starburst Identity chart. The arrows pointing out from the center are how they identify, while the labels that others place on them are the arrows pointing out from the center. In pairs, students can discussion: i. What identities are important to me? ii. What identities are important to my family? iii. What assumptions might people make about my identity? 2. Build Knowledge: a. Put students into pairs or small groups. Each pair is assigned to a Gee family member. Each pair or group listens to three subtopics of the interviews or reads the transcripts of their assigned Gee family members: i. Linda Wu: https://haaa.rice.edu/linda-wu-interview ii. George Gee: http://haaa.rice.edu/george-gee-interview iii. Gordon Gee: https://haaa.rice.edu/gordon-gee-interview iv. Jane Gee: https://haaa.rice.edu/jane-gee-interview v. Raymond Gee: https://haaa.rice.edu/raymond-gee-interview vi. Henry Gee: https://haaa.rice.edu/henry-gee-interview vii. Harry Gee Jr.: https://haaa.rice.edu/harry-gee-interview viii. Beck Gee: https://haaa.rice.edu/beck-gee-interview ix. Mary Anne Gee Young: https://haaa.rice.edu/mary-ann-gee-young-interview x. Shelton Gee: https://haaa.rice.edu/shelton-gee-and-judy-gee-chong-interview xi. Judy Chong: https://haaa.rice.edu/shelton-gee-and-judy-gee-chong-interview b. As they’re listening or reading, they complete an identity chart for their family member. They can look similar to the Starburst Identity chart. i. First ask students to write the name of the character, figure, group, or nation in the center of a piece of paper. ii. Then students can look through text(s) for evidence that helps them answer the question “Who is this person/group?” iii. Encourage students to include quotations from the interview(s) on their identity charts, as well as their own interpretations of the character or figure. 3. Connect Identity to Community: a. Students add to their family member identity chart, going back through their notes on Chinese immigration and choosing key historical events and connecting them to the identity of the family member they are assigned to. 4. Closure and Assessment: a. Students write a paragraph summarizing the important points of their assigned family member’s history and how it connects to significant historical events.
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The Gee Family A Curriculum Toolkit for Teaching and Sharing the Stories of Asian American Houstonians
Part 3: Communicate Ideas Student Outcomes Students will be able to: • • •
Reflect on the decisions of the Gee family as historical figures Build interview skills and active learning skills Connect personal stories to larger themes and historical events
Lesson 1: Café Conversations 1. Self-Reflection: a. Quick write: What is a difficult decision a family member has made, one that has impacted your family? 2. Build Knowledge: a. Ask students to think and conduct a list of key events in the life of their Gee family member. What is a difficult decision they had to make? What difficult moments did they have to face? Have them use their character chart to create a character map. They can refer back to the interviews if they need more information. 3. Café Conversation: a. One half of the pair stays at the café table to represent their assigned family member. The other student moves to another table. The conversations begin at each table: i. Describe an important moment in your life. ii. What are the key parts of your identity? iii. How is your experience different from the next generation? b. Answers should be recorded as interview notes. 4. Closure and Assessment: a. Write down three things you learned about other Gee family members today.
Lesson 2: Socratic Seminar 1. Self-Reflection: a. Quick Write: How has your study of the Gee family impacted your knowledge and views on immigration? 2. In-Depth Discussion: a. Facilitate a Socratic Seminar. All students sit in a circle, or alternatively you can use a fishbowl strategy to have an inner and outer circle. Select a student leader to prompt the group with questions about the study of the Gee family. Questions include: i. What did you find most interesting in our study of the Gee family? ii. What were some common themes across the stories?
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The Gee Family A Curriculum Toolkit for Teaching and Sharing the Stories of Asian American Houstonians
iii. Why is it important to document these stories? iv. What connections do we see to immigrant stories of today? 3. Closure and Assessment: a. Ask students to reflect on the following questions: i. What did you find most interesting about today’s seminar? ii. Did anything make you change your mind or think more deeply? What, how, and why/why not? iii. What did you contribute to today’s seminar? Be specific. iv. What might you do differently at our next seminar? Be specific.
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The Gee Family A Curriculum Toolkit for Teaching and Sharing the Stories of Asian American Houstonians
Part 4: Take Action Oral History Project Focusing on the theme of immigration and family, students conduct interviews, either with family members, friends, or community members, recording experiences focused on specific themes explored uring the study of the Gee family. They present the information as an article, pamphlet, poster, or other medium of their choice.
Student Outcomes Students will be able to: 1. Structure and conduct oral history interviews 2. Create a plan for conducting the interviews and publishing the project 3. Connect their interviews to historical events and themes related to themselves and the Gee family study 4. Participate in collaborative opportunities for action or civic engagement to address a situation, event, global issue, or phenomenon 5. Select appropriate digital media to share insights, findings, concepts, and proposals, or to interact and collaborate with others, with some application of tools within the selected media to make content accessible
Lesson 1: Reflection 1. Self-Reflection: a. Why was it important to document the history of the Gee family? Who documents history in your family? Conduct a class discussion focusing on common themes and ideas. 2. Build Knowledge: a. Students independently brainstorm a list of people they would like to interview, focusing on similar themes explored within the Gee family study. 3. Practice: a. Students work in pairs or small groups to draft a list of potential interviews and interview questions, refining their questions until they have 5–10 questions for the interviews. 4. Closure and Assessment: a. Ask students to submit the names of two people they would like to interview and a draft of questions.
Lesson 2: Organizing and Planning 1. Self-Reflection:
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The Gee Family A Curriculum Toolkit for Teaching and Sharing the Stories of Asian American Houstonians
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Ask students to select a person for their interview, writing a summary of why they think their story focuses on common themes discussed in class. 2. Make a Plan: a. Complete the Student Planning Guide to make sure all facets of project-planning are covered. b. Obtain consent of interviewee in writing before you do the interview, in case the materials are used for class discussions and maybe disseminated online. 3. Practice: a. Have students interview each other using the draft questions from the prior lesson. At least 2–3 of the questions should connect to classroom themes during the Gee family study. Interviewers should practice active listening, note-taking, and other interview best practices. 4. Closure and Assessment: a. Choose the final medium for your interview: a blog post, Instagram story, video, podcast, etc.
Lesson 3: Celebration! 1. Students present their projects. Encourage students to take turns reading them and giving feedback. 2. Share students’ oral history projects with the larger school community by hanging them on a bulletin board or putting them on display in a public space.
Additional Resources for Oral History Projects: Resource for Global Virtual Learning Projects from the Asia Society Center for Global Education: https://asiasociety.org/sites/default/files/2020-05/Oral%20History%20Project.pdf Oral History Questions: http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson805/questions.pdf Oral History Project Rubric: https://www.learningforjustice.org/sites/default/files/2017-07/35DS_Oral%20History%20Project%20Rubric.pdf https://www.cteonline.org/cabinet/file/cf344846-8de6-4c9c-832f-88c934f6367c/Oral-History-InterviewRubric.pdf
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The Gee Family A Curriculum Toolkit for Teaching and Sharing the Stories of Asian American Houstonians
Learning Objectives (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)): World Cultures: •
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SS.6.19B Analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusions. SS.6.1A trace characteristics of various contemporary societies in regions that resulted from historical events or factors such as colonization, immigration, and trade. SS.6.17A Explain the relationship among religious ideas, philosophical ideas, and culture SS.6.15B Identify and describe factors that influence cultural change such as improvements in communication, transportation, and economic development. SS.6.17D Identify the impact of cultural diffusion on individuals and world societies. SS.6.6A Describe ways in which the factors of production (natural resources, labor, capital, and entrepreneurs) influence the economies of various contemporary societies SS.6.13A Identify and describe common traits that define cultures and culture regions SS.6.13C Analyze the experiences and contributions of diverse groups to multicultural societies. SS.6.15D Identify the impact of cultural diffusion on individuals and world societies SS.6.16B Describe ways in which contemporary issues influence creative expression. SS.6.19D Identify different points of view about an issue or current topic.
Texas History: •
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SS.7.7.E analyze the political, economic, and social impact of World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, and significant issues in the latter half of the 20th and early 21st centuries such as political and economic controversies, immigration, and migration on the history of Texas. SS.7.18.A explain how the diversity of Texas is reflected in a variety of cultural activities and celebrations; SS.7.18.B describe how people from various racial, ethnic, and religious groups attempt to maintain their cultural heritage while adapting to the larger Texas culture; SS.7.20.A differentiate between, locate, and use valid primary and secondary sources such as media and news services, biographies, interviews, and artifacts to acquire information about Texas;
U.S. History, Grade 8 • • • •
SS.8.23.A identify racial, ethnic, and religious groups that settled in the United States and explain their reasons for immigration; SS.8.23.D analyze the contributions of people of various racial, ethnic, and religious groups to our national identity; and SS.8.23.E identify the political, social, and economic contributions of women to American society. SS.8.29.A differentiate between, locate, and use valid primary and secondary sources such as media and news services, biographies, interviews, and artifacts to acquire information about the United States;
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The Gee Family A Curriculum Toolkit for Teaching and Sharing the Stories of Asian American Houstonians
World Geography, Grade 9: • • • • •
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WGS.2A Describe the human and physical characteristics of the same regions at different periods of time to analyze relationships between past events and current conditions. WGS.5A Analyze how the character of a place is related to its political, economic, social, and cultural elements. WGS.17A Describe and compare patterns of culture such as language, religion, land use, education, and customs that make specific regions of the world distinctive. WGS.17C Compare economic, political, or social opportunities in different cultures for underrepresented populations such as women and ethnic and religious minorities. WGS.21D analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause‐and‐effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, drawing inferences and conclusions, and developing connections over time. WGS.22D Create original work using effective written communication skills, including proper citations and understanding and avoiding plagiarism
World History: • • •
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SS.WH.28.B explain how historians analyze sources for frame of reference, historical context, and point of view to interpret historical events; SS.WH.28.C analyze primary and secondary sources to determine frame of reference, historical context, and point of view; SS.WH.28.E analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, drawing inferences and conclusions, and developing connections between historical events over time; and SS.WH.30 Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to: SS.WH.30.A use social studies terminology correctly; SS.WH.30.B use effective written communication skills, including proper citations and avoiding plagiarism; and SS.WH.30.C interpret and create written, oral, and visual presentations of social studies information.
U.S. History: •
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SS.USH.3.B analyze economic issues such as industrialization, the growth of railroads, the growth of labor unions, farm issues, the cattle industry boom, the growth of entrepreneurship, and the pros and cons of big business; and SS.USH.3.C analyze social issues affecting women, minorities, children, immigrants, and urbanization. SS.USH.11.B identify significant social and political issues such as health care, immigration, and education from different viewpoints across the political spectrum; SS.USH.25.A explain actions taken by people to expand economic opportunities and political rights for racial, ethnic, gender, and religious groups in American society;
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The Gee Family A Curriculum Toolkit for Teaching and Sharing the Stories of Asian American Houstonians
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SS.USH.25.C explain how the contributions of people of various racial, ethnic, gender, and religious groups shape American culture;
United States Government: •
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SS.USG.16.A evaluate a U.S. government policy or court decision that has affected a particular racial, ethnic, or religious group such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the U.S. Supreme Court cases of Hernandez v. Texas and Grutter v. Bollinger; and SS.USG.16.B explain changes in American culture brought about by government policies such as voting rights, the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 (GI Bill of Rights), the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, affirmative action, and racial integration. SS.USG.19.A analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusions; SS.USG.19.B create a product on a contemporary government issue or topic using critical methods of inquiry; SS.USG.20.B create written, oral, and visual presentations of social studies information using effective communication skills, including proper citations and avoiding plagiarism.
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