As part of a study of Ellis Island Immigration Station, class members assume the role of immigration service workers, investigate the dossier of an immigrant, and recommend whether or not their subject should be allowed to enter the US. After issuing their rulings, investigators read documents that reveal what happened to their subjects.

Concepts

immigration, united states immigration, emigration, ellis island

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Have class members investigate the current immigration process
• Ask individuals to research their family's immigration story
• Have class members whose families entered through San Francisco's Angel Island prepare a presentation about that Immigration Station
• Ask groups to research current policy for immigrants from Mexico and other Central and South American countries

Classroom Considerations

• The 80-page teacher's guide is designed to support a visit to Ellis Island; however, most of the materials may be used in any study of that immigration station

Pros

• Includes pre-, site, and post-visit lesson plans and student questions sheets
• The dossiers include images of the original immigration documents 
• Subjects include Bill Graham, Bob Hope, "Lucky" Luciano, and Claude McKay among others                                           

Cons

• Many of the primary source documents are difficult to read

Common Core

RH.6-8.1 RH.6-8.2