Fifth graders at Ocean Avenue Elementary School participated in a Side x Side program led by teaching artist, Anne Ackerman, that is integrating a social studies and literacy unit on immigration and migration with mixed media bookmaking. The program kicked off with a visit by Xavier Botana, Superintendent of Portland Public Schools, who shared his personal immigration story about his family leaving Cuba. During the program, students studied the push and pull factors that cause, and continue to cause, people to immigrate throughout the world including the trek and hazards of the journey, arrival, and culture shock. Students created small maps, watercolor details, narrative writing, and illustrations to to tell the story of immigration in their books.