Some traditions persist in spite of the border. Some traditions are transformed by the border. And the border creates new traditions as well. The border separates communities, but it also brings people together, through confrontation as well as cooperation. This section of the Borders and Identity materials introduces students to the geography of the U.S.-Mexico border, and encourages students to draw maps of their own communities.
Students then move to the subject of identity.
These questions are followed by exercises in which students analyze their own identities, using nicknames and identification cards. Obtain several types of maps of the U.S.-Mexico border, for instance, a road map, a topographical map, and a population map, to remind students that maps present different points of view. You may wish to discuss with students the uses of these or parallel terms in your own experiences, as well as their own. Show students your own identification cards such as a driver's license, credit cards, insurance cards, etc. Discuss the different uses of each card.