Throughout US history, immigration has played a vital role in American life and politics. As we see immigration issues play out inthe news today, we often forget the human lives behind the headlines. Paul Cuadros’s “A Home on the Field”places a spotligh ton the people impacted by America’s immigration policies. The book chronicles Cuadros’s struggle to start up a soccer team at an increasingly Hispanic public high school in Siler City, North Carolina —and how that team grappled with acceptance on the playing field and off. Through the stories of the young Latino soccer players, Cuadros also addresses the surge of Latino immigrants into North Carolina throughout the 1990s, as well as the culture clashes experienced between the newcomers and long time residents. With its focus on youth athletes, their personal stories, and their own struggles through the process of immigration, “A Home on the Field” is a valuable resource for educators teaching about immigration in their classroom. The following three lesson plans, which use excerpts from the book to teach about immigration in North Carolina, can be taught individually or in unison. For teachers who have time to integrate the entire book into their curriculum, a reading guide is also included.

To access the accompanying PowerPoint, click here.