Teaching 250 Years of Immigration

As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, this training co-hosted by The Immigration Learning Center and the Institute for Immigration Research at George Mason University, invites educators to examine how immigration has shaped the nation from the Revolutionary era to the present day.

Learn about contributions of revolutionaries abroad who worked to expand the Declaration’s ideals via their independence movements. Discover what information exists about immigration in the United States across history and learn how to evaluate data critically. Explore ways to integrate immigration history into existing curricula.

This training was originally held on February 25, 2026.

Learning objectives

Participants will be able to:

• Explain how revolutionaries abroad expanded the ideals of the Declaration of Independence through their own independence movements
• Identify and evaluate immigration-related data over time
• Apply classroom-tested strategies and ready-to-use resources to teach immigration as a core part of the American story across grade levels

Presented by:

Michael Hensinger, Senior Manager of K-12 Education, Museum of the American Revolution

Marissa Kiss, PhD, Assistant Director, George Mason University’s Institute for Immigration Research

Ariana Moir, Education Program Manager, The Immigrant Learning Center’s Public Education Institute

Watch the full recording of the training on Zoom:

Michael Hensinger, Senior Manager of K-12 Education, Museum of the American Revolution

Global movements shaped and expanded revolutionary ideals beyond U.S. borders during the Revolutionary War. Michael Hensinger discusses the important contributions of revolutionaries abroad during the Revolutionary War era and how they spread the word of the Declaration of Independence.

Check out these resources:

• Museum of the American Revolution
• The Declaration’s Journey, an exhibition at the Museum of the American Revolution
• Museum of the American Revolution’s teacher resources

Marissa Kiss, PhD, Assistant Director, George Mason University’s Institute for Immigration Research

Immigration data can be an excellent resource in the classroom but it can be complicated to parse, organize and utilize effectively. Marissa Kiss shows practical strategies for finding, using and making meaning with data, and explains how educators can evaluate and use it over time.

Ariana Moir, Education Program Manager, The Immigrant Learning Center’s Public Education Institute

Ariana Moir concludes the training by talking about The Immigrant Learning Center resources for teaching about immigration and the American Revolution, along with other important periods in U.S. history.

Check out these resources:

• “Sentiments of an American Woman” (Library of Congress)
• Teaching U.S. Immigration Series: “Immigration and the American Revolution” lesson bundle
• Immigrants & America 250 Resource Hub (The ILC)

This webinar is part of Immigrants and America 250. The Immigrant Learning Center’s Public Education Institute is offering free teaching resources all year round that’ll help you integrate immigration themes into discussions of America’s 250th birthday.