Middle School History
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History
March 24-28, 2008
Port of Entry: Immigration Unit
"America has been a land of dreams. A land where the aspirations of people from countries cluttered with rich, cumbersome, aristocratic, ideological pasts can reach for what once seemed unattainable. Here they have tried to make dreams come true. . . ." Daniel J. Boorstin
Activity Description:
This unit highlights the immigrant experience in American life. Students will travel back in time and assume the role of an actual immigrant who entered the United States through Ellis Island in the early 1900’s. Through various activities, research, gathering of information, and reading students will learn about the patterns and history of immigration in this country.
Objectives:
1. Students will explore and share feelings about what it might have been like to enter the United States as an immigrant.
2. Students will develop an understanding of the concept of immigration and reasons why people immigrate.
Vocabulary:
crucible, melting pot, discrimination, emigration, nativist, persecute, port, tenement, steerage, ancestor, opportunity, Ellis Island, xenophobia, nationalism, racism, pilgrim, liberty, Jewish, symbolism, Statue of Liberty, archives, inspection, poverty, restoration, sacrifice
Activities/Procedures:
- Write a letter to a friend or relative (sponsor) in America asking them to support their arrival to America. They must have a sponsor who lives and works in America to vouch for them. (This should be authentic looking and written in your own handwriting, like a letter. It should be dated and written on stationary or handmade paper from whatever source might have been available.)
- Students will write a letter to a friend or relative back home from the point-of-view of an immigrant (you). In the letter students will describe their journey over to America, and their arrival at Ellis Island. Some students may not be granted permission to pass through and some may be deported. (This should be authentic looking and written in their own handwriting, like a letter. It should be dated and written on stationary or handmade paper from whatever source might have been available.)
- Students will choose three+ photos from the classroom’s “immigration photo-memory collection” and write a picture caption for each image you select. These photos will be part of your family scrapbook to take to America, showing your family and where you come from. (These photos and captions should be glued into your journal.)
- In their journal, students will draw a map of their home to where they embark on the ship. They either walked, rode in a carriage/wagon, or on the train. How long did it take them to get from their home to the ship? They should mark 2-4 locations and mention what happened in those spots…(had to hide, had to search for food, stayed at an inn, stayed at a farm, was searched, had to work to earn more money for travel, was robbed, was sick…)
- Create a Birth Certificate with their name, their parent’s names, their birthdate, their parent’s birthdates, their birth place, and nationality
- Keep a journal explaining feelings and reasons for immigrating to America, family experiences/ideas, the trip across the ocean, arrival at Ellis Island, and America. The journal should have at least 10 different entries of at least a paragraph. Each entry should be dated.
- Students will be given several daily questions to answer. These questions should be written and answered in journal.
- Students will list what they want to take with them on this journey. They may only take 5 items from their home. After they have listed the 5 items, they should write a couple of sentences on why they chose those particular items and what importance they will have in their new life. (Students need to remember that these items must be authentic to their character and way of life.)
- Students will participate in several Electronic “Field Trips”. After concluding each field trip, students will document, in their journal, the web link, the title of the lesson/activity, and write a brief summary.
- Students will create a book cover for a book about immigration. The book cover will include an illustration on front, author and illustrator, title, summary on back, statements from others recommending the book.
- Using the class’ statistics, label and color a world map showing countries where your ancestors and ancestors of classmates were born.
- Look at excerpts from the Ellis Island Cookbook. http://www.i-channel.com/features/ellis/food.html Recipes are provided for Potatoes and Dandelions from Italy, Croatian Nut Roll from Austria-Hungary, Cabbage Rolls from Lebanon, lemon Pudding and Ginger Snaps from England, and Beet and Carrot Salad from Finland. Make a class cookbook from the countries represented in #1 above. Students may bring prepared recipes to class for a Celebration of Ancestral Country Cooking.
- Students will write a poem about immigration. This should be written in journal.
- Students will go through an assimilation of entry through Ellis Island. They will have to show all required documentation (above assignments) for entry. It is possible that some may have contracted a disease, will be detained, and may not be allowed entry. Those without all required docs will not be granted entry and will be sent back to their homeland.
- Students will complete a citizenship test. http://uscis.gov/graphics/servies/natz/100q.pdf These tests are given to immigrants when they apply for citizenship in the U.S.
Week 1 (March 24-28):
*Introduce new unit and student learning objectives.
*Read Textbook, Chapter 1 “A Nation of Immigrants”, pages 242-246.
*Students will be given their new identity and information packet/folder.
*Create Birth Certificate.
*Students will be asked to bring in actual photos and information for a classroom cultural bulletin board- “Where We Come From”
*Electronic Field Trip-
*Journal Entries
