Saturday, November 22, 2014
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Ellis Island Simulation
For weeks, we've been studying immigration…
This has been a great experience for the students to learn about the hardships people left in their home country, the difficulties of traveling in a crowded boat, and the struggles that awaited many when they arrived in America. Personal accounts of people coming through Ellis Island, research about Ellis Island, and a historical fiction book (Letters from Rifka) gave the kids an idea of the immigrants' journey.
The research culminated in an Ellis Island simulation day…
The week began with the students creating their immigrant character--what was their name, where were they from, why were they leaving, who was in their family, and what would they pack.
On October 16th, we signed the manifest for the SS Maurtania and crowded into the "boat." In just the 30 minutes the grade level was gathered together, the kids realized that being jammed into a small space for a 2-week journey would be hard.
Baggage Room: Each student packed 5 of their most important possessions. In the Baggage Room, they got to share their luggage and then make the difficult decision of what ONE item they would want to keep if they lost everything else.
Registry Room: Here each student had to answer interview questions to make sure no shady character were entering America. What's your name? Where are you from? Are you a criminal? Why are you here? Do you already have a job?
Medical Room: Before being allowed off Ellis Island, the kids had to do a medical exam. This included a physical, measurements, and an examination by a "doctor." Though most of the kids passed, some were detained for illnesses. Fortunately all of us made if off Ellis Island in a couple of months!
Americanization Room: The Immigration Aide Society met with our new arrivals to introduce them to American culture--The Pledge of Allegiance, Statue of Liberty, and popcorn.
Indiana Room: All of our immigrants traveled to Indiana once they were permitted to leave Ellis Island. The students learned about the history of Indiana and some of it's key features. Then they decided where in Indiana to move based on their skills and what job they wanted to get.
This was an amazing simulation! The following week we put it all together into scrapbook diaries where the kids got to take their experiences and develop their immigrant character even more.
Ms. Danielson also shared with us what it's like to immigrate to the United States now. The kids (and I!) were amazed at the similarities of here experiences to those of European immigrants in coming through Ellis Island.
*Why people immigrate
*How Europeans came to America in 1910
*Process at Ellis Island
*What immigration from Europe looks like today
This has been a great experience for the students to learn about the hardships people left in their home country, the difficulties of traveling in a crowded boat, and the struggles that awaited many when they arrived in America. Personal accounts of people coming through Ellis Island, research about Ellis Island, and a historical fiction book (Letters from Rifka) gave the kids an idea of the immigrants' journey.
The research culminated in an Ellis Island simulation day…
The week began with the students creating their immigrant character--what was their name, where were they from, why were they leaving, who was in their family, and what would they pack.
On October 16th, we signed the manifest for the SS Maurtania and crowded into the "boat." In just the 30 minutes the grade level was gathered together, the kids realized that being jammed into a small space for a 2-week journey would be hard.
Baggage Room: Each student packed 5 of their most important possessions. In the Baggage Room, they got to share their luggage and then make the difficult decision of what ONE item they would want to keep if they lost everything else.
Registry Room: Here each student had to answer interview questions to make sure no shady character were entering America. What's your name? Where are you from? Are you a criminal? Why are you here? Do you already have a job?
Medical Room: Before being allowed off Ellis Island, the kids had to do a medical exam. This included a physical, measurements, and an examination by a "doctor." Though most of the kids passed, some were detained for illnesses. Fortunately all of us made if off Ellis Island in a couple of months!
Americanization Room: The Immigration Aide Society met with our new arrivals to introduce them to American culture--The Pledge of Allegiance, Statue of Liberty, and popcorn.
Indiana Room: All of our immigrants traveled to Indiana once they were permitted to leave Ellis Island. The students learned about the history of Indiana and some of it's key features. Then they decided where in Indiana to move based on their skills and what job they wanted to get.
This was an amazing simulation! The following week we put it all together into scrapbook diaries where the kids got to take their experiences and develop their immigrant character even more.
Ms. Danielson also shared with us what it's like to immigrate to the United States now. The kids (and I!) were amazed at the similarities of here experiences to those of European immigrants in coming through Ellis Island.
Welcome to the United States!
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