by Philip Beuhler, Copyright 1996 Angelfire Communications

Overview:
    This unit is a study in cultural diversity. Students learn concepts related to United State immigration and trace their families' journeys to America. The unit is based on If Your Name Was Changed At Ellis Island, a book and CD Rom written by Ellen Levine. The students interview family members about their family history to learn what it was like to immigrate to the United States. The students create a bound book and a multimedia presentation of stories of their families' immigration.

Aims:
    1.    To appreciate what it was like to leave one's homeland and immigrate to the United States.
    2.    To appreciate ethnic diversity.
    3.    To use the Internet as a research tool.
    4.    To share ideas with other students.
    5.    To develop respect for other student's opinions.
    6.    To locate countries on a world map.
    7.    To use word processing skills such as entering and editing text.
    8.    To use highlighting tool, stamp, eraser, dictionary, and sound tools.

Setting:
    This lesson could take place in a computer lab or in a classroom setting with fourth graders.

Standards Addressed:
    1.    reading to comprehend informational materials
    2.    producing a report of information
    3.    producing a response to literature
    4.    producing a narrative account
    5.    preparing and delivering an individual presentation
    6.    demonstrating a basic understanding of the rules of the English language in written work
    7.    analyzing and revising work to improve its clarity and effectiveness
    8.    responding to non-fiction using interpretive and critical processes
    9.    becoming aware of reasons for and effects of migration and immigration of different peoples to the United States in general and the New York City region specifically
    10.    developing awareness of the the democratic ideals upon which this nation was founded, as well as the struggle on the part of diverse groups to achieve these ideals over time
    11.    recognizing important political, economic, and social developments in history of New York City and the United States and their impact on diverse groups of Americans
    12.    recognizing the impact of people of divers cultures on New York City and the United States over time

Materials:
If Your Name Was Changed At Ellis Island book and CD Rom, computer with Internet capabilities and CD Rom drive, world map

Vocabulary:
immigrant        homeland        country of origin        native country

Motivations:
1.    Students examine the book If Your Name Was Changed At Ellis Island by Ellen Levine, published by Scholastic Inc., New York, 1993. Children discuss topics that are addressed in the book.
2.  Students relate stories about their own immigration and their ancestors to the United States, including information such as the country they came from, the reason for immigrating to the United States, a description of their journey to the United States, and what life was like when they first arrived.  Students locate their country of origin on a world map and trace their route to the United States.

Procedure:
1.     The teacher, using an LCD projector displays home page, timeline, and history pages at http://ellisisland.com. Students read and discuss the history of Ellis Island.
2.    The teacher, using the LCD projector displays the "Theme Screen" of the CD rom If Your Name Was Changed At Ellis Island. The teacher clicks on the Ellis Island picture to reveal a video clip describing Ellis Island. Students relate their experiences when visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The teacher clicks on photos of recent immigrants to the United States as seen on Theme Screen. Students locate the countries that these immigrants came from on a world map. The teacher clicks on the picture of the book, If Your Name Was Changed At Ellis Island revealing an interview by Ellen Levine and elicits responses as to why Ms. Levine wrote this book and used this title. The teacher then takes the students to the books Introduction and demonstrates the use of each of the tools on the tool bar.
2.    Students are instructed to read and listen to chapter one in the book and use the sticky pad tool to record the answer to the questions: What is an immigrant? What are some countries that people immigrated from to come to the United States? and to complete this sentence: My ancestors immigrated from _____________. (Word processing skills such as entering text, making capital letter, period, comma, spacing, and deleting are reviewed).
3.    Students share their writing with the class.

Evaluation:
    Focus questions may be asked such as:
    1.    What country was the person from?
    2.    Why did he or she leave his or her homeland?
    3.    What was the person's life like when first arriving in the United States?
    4.    What contributions did the person make?

Students listening to the stories being shared by classmates take notes by answering the above focus questions about the story.

Note:    If there are any students who cannot trace their roots back to a country of origin other than the United States, friends, neighbors, classmates or school staff members may be interviewed.

Additional URL's:
This site is created by a tenth grade teacher based on the research of his students. It includes a brief history of Ellis Island,
a page that shows each step that an immigrant went through at Ellis Island, pictures of Ellis Island by Phillip Buehler, the history of Immigration written by a several students, the major Ethnic groups that immigrated here from the 1840's to the 1980's, immigration photos by Jacob Riis, and an Ellis Island Cookbook.
http://davison.k12.mi.us/students/meszaros/immigrat.htm

This site is a picture gallery of Ellis Island.
http://search.gallery.yahoo.com/search/corbis?p=%22ellis+island%22

This site has a history of Ellis Island with sound and video clips of immigrants to the United States.
http://murraystreet.com/ellis.htm

This site is a lesson plan for creating a multimedia presentation related to Ellis Island.
http://education-world.com/a_lesson/00-2/lp2165.shtml
 
 
 Click here to go to Lesson 2:  What countries do we come from?