Download mexico to the usa

MEXICO TO THE USA
Why do people try to cross the
border illegally ?
What are the push factors ?
What are the pull factors ?
What would make you risk a crossing ?
Around 1, 000 000 people a year are caught
by the Border Patrol trying to cross the
border. Many of these are repeat
offenders.
What do you think American’s think of the
‘illegal aliens’ or ‘pollos’ as they are called ?
The border at night
Creative Writing...
• You are now to begin a piece of creative writing
about migration from Mexico to the USA.
• Imagine that you are one of the many Mexicans
desperate to get into the USA, bearing in mind
the numerous push and pull factors that you are
aware of….
• You cannot cross the border legally; you must
sneak across.
• You are to produce a piece of writing telling the
story of how you managed to cross the border (or
not!!)
How to write creatively…
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use the past tense
first person viewpoint (ie. “I”)
in chronological order (ie. Order of time)
opening paragraph: describe your situation, feelings and
plans
2nd paragraph: start of your journey, perhaps mentioning
push factors
3rd paragraph: journey over the border, still mentioning
push but also pull factors
use adjectives to project the mood and describe your
feelings
include lots of your feelings; how would you feel if you got
caught??
Try to include:
• Details of the push factors that are making you want to
move. Think about money, housing, crime, employment
opportunities, natural hazards (earthquakes), transport
systems
• What was attracting you towards the USA (pull factors) ?
• How you travelled over the border ?
• Any danger you experienced along the way; did you meet the
border patrols, did you pay a ‘coyote’ to help ?
• What you did if you managed to cross the border
Final 3 slides adapted from Carly Goodwin’s presentation,
available from http://www.sln.org.uk/geography
Possible formats:
A diary
A statement to the border patrol, or in court
A letter home
An e-mail home
A poem
A phone conversation