The Distance Between Us

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

Reflect on “the American Dream.” How might one define the American Dream? Is it the ultimate way to pursue a meaningful life? Why or why not?

Teaching Suggestion: Students might first complete a timed brainstorming activity in which they jot down phrases, words, and images that come to mind on hearing “the American Dream.” Afterward, it might be beneficial to prompt some reflection on whether their brainstormed words and images reflect a variety of groups, time periods in history, and geographic locations.

• This article partly offers information on the phrase’s original meaning.

Short Activity

What was the US Immigration Policy to Mexico in the 1970s and 1980s? When and why has it changed over the years? Conduct an initial investigation into these questions using scholarly resources to understand the situations in the text.

Teaching Suggestion: Consider allowing students to use various resources to answer this question. They might work in pairs or small groups in a jigsaw activity, in which each grouping might discuss a different decade of US immigration policy regarding Mexico.