Course Objective #1

Examine how Asian American experiences intersect with broader U.S. history, including race relations and national identity.

Course Objective #2

Develop a deep understanding of Asian American immigration, exclusion, labor, community formation and civil rights struggles from the 1800s to the present.

Course Objective #3

Redefine existing narratives of Asian American history, especially in the context of newly acquired citizenship and questions around assimilation.

Course Logistics

Dates Summer 2027 Grade Levels Supported: Especially for grades K-12 Course Format: Online, asynchronous Professional Development Points (PDPs): 22.5 PDPs Graduate Credit: 1 optional graduate credit available ($180) with credit accreditation through Southern New Hampshire University Fee: $750 (contact us at [email protected] to enroll in the course using a Purchase Order)

Massachusetts Standards & Professional Alignment

[2.T3.1] Investigate reasons why people migrate (move) to different places around the world, recognizing that some migration is voluntary, some forced (e.g., refugees, people driven from their homelands, enslaved people);  [T4a.5]; [4.T4b.2.]; [4.T4c.2]; [4.T4d.3]; [4.T4e.3] Describe the diverse cultural nature of the region, including contributions of immigrant groups from regions of the world over time;  [USI.T6.4] Using primary source images, data, and documents, describe the causes of the immigration of Germans, the Irish, Italians, Eastern Europeans, Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese to America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and the major roles of these immigrants in industrialization and the building of railroads

Course Overview

5 Chapters · 39 Lessons

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Course Overview

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      Image Credits

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      Beyond Gold Mountain: Asian American History for Eastern U.S. Classrooms Course Syllabus

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      Final Assignment "Contemporary Issues in the Asian American Community"

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      Course Guidelines

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      Discussion Forum Guidelines

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      Graduate Credit Assignment & Registration Information

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      Session One Readings & Activities

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      Scholar Presentation: Establishing Concepts and Definitions

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      Readings: Rethinking Historical Narratives and Origin Stories

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      Teaching Practice Journal #1: Integration of the Asian American Experience into Traditional U.S. History Classrooms

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      Activity: Who Are Asian Americans? Demographics & Identities

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      Activity: Origins and Early Roots: Examining Case Studies

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      Discussion Forum: Session One

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      Session Two Readings & Activities

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      Reading: Asian Laborers in New England and the Deep South

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      Teaching with Primary Sources: Anti-Asian Sentiment & Legislation

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      Curator's Paragraph

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      Scholar Presentation: Understanding Xenophobic Roots of U.S. Immigration Policies

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      Activity: Fighting for Citizenship: Legal Battles for Citizenship

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      Teacher Learning Quest: Asian American Communities Past and Present

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      Discussion Forum: Session Two

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      Session Three Readings & Activities

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      Establishing Concepts and Designing Citizenship

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      Readings: Rethinking Historical Narratives

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      Teaching Practice Journal #3: Integration of the Asian American Experience into Traditional U.S. History Classrooms

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      Grappling with the Past: Japanese American Internment

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      The Path to Permanent Citizenship

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      Discussion Forum: Session Three

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      Session Four Readings & Activities

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      Origins of the Asian American Civil Rights Movement

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      Stereotypes & the Dangers of the Model Minority Myth

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      Teaching Practice Journal #4: The Model Minority Myth in Our Own School Communities

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      Asian American Activism: 1970s and Beyond

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      Finding a Voice Through Art and Culture

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      Discussion Forum: Session Four and Final Project

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      Post-Course Survey

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      Final Project Submission

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      Graduate Credit Project Submission

What our Educators are Saying

Join hundreds of educators across Greater Boston (and beyond!) who trust Primary Source for engaging, high quality professional development.

”
I have brought in so many resources, projects, and knowledge to the classroom because of these classes. My students have a richer, more intentional outlook on what we study.
 

 

The access to these courses is such an asset. Within my department, I have taught several different curricula, and Primary Source has been such a resource for me to help me feel more comfortable with historical context for texts that are new to me.
 

 

Primary Source programs have introduced me to a variety of perspectives along with concrete strategies of how to incorporate them into my classroom. I leave every session with a lesson that I can immediately implement.
 

 

About Primary Source

Primary Source educates global citizens by working with teachers to foster students’ knowledge, skills, and dispositions for thoughtful and engaged citizenship. With our guidance and resources, teachers cultivate students’ civic-mindedness, cultural awareness, and global competence, preparing them for our increasingly diverse and interconnected world. We collaborate with teachers, schools, and educational organizations to offer professional development programs and resources that help make global, civics, and cultural education an integral part of every student’s classroom experience. Our engaging face-to-face and online programs, curriculum resources, and international study tours enhance global understanding, civic engagement, and cultural understanding, and help thousands of teachers every year bring the wider world to their students. To learn more, visit our homepage at primarysource.org!