Putting the Pieces Together- A Journey Through Ellis Island

Young historians step into the shoes of immigrants coming to Ellis Island. A simulation creates an experience in which participants visit several rooms, go through an interview process, and receive a stamp in their passport—either making...

Fourth graders explore family histories. In this social studies lesson, 4th graders identify the countries from which their ancestors came and locate them on a map. Students discuss the role that Ellis Island played in immigration in the...

Prepare young historians for a study of Angel Island Immigration Station with a instructional activity examining primary and secondary source materials, maps, and websites. Using what they have learned, individuals create a map of Angel...

Everyone comes from somewhere. An interdisciplinary lesson on Elvira Woodruff's The Orphan of Ellis Island includes discussion starter and writing prompts for the novel, as well as a graphic organizer to help learners begin their own...

Poems carved into the wooden walls of the Asian immigrant prisons on Angel Island provide upper elementary graders an opportunity to study not only the story behind the poems but to also focus on the figurative language employed by the...

Family and friendship are two very important themes of the historical fiction novel The Orphan of Ellis Island by Elvira Woodruff. From video clips and writing prompts to reader's theater and family interviews, this resource provides...

The Buttonhook by Mary Jo Salter is the focus of a unit that explores the immigration experience to Ellis Island. First, scholars bring in an artifact that represents their heritage. A group-exercise allows them to share and discuss...

We are all immigrants to this country and the study of immigration can help students connect to history in a personal way. Students will listen to audio clips from the Ellis Island web site, discuss the treatment of immigrants in the...

A learning module on immigrants who arrived in New York in the mid-1800s and early 1900s that includes several supporting questions accompanied by formative tasks and source materials, followed by a summative performance task. Topics...

This lesson helps students compare and contrast the stories of immigrants from decades ago to those of recent immigrants. It also compares the differences between immigrants' experiences at Ellis Island and Angel Island.