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Traveling Through Time: Immigrating Through Ellis Island

Jenifer Hollander

@misstechteacher

jhollander@milfordk12.org

Tracey Tierney

ttierney@milfordk12.org

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Origin of this Unit & Its Evolution

  • Began in 1995 as a master’s degree project
  • Students upstairs and downstairs were studying this topic at different times
  • Currently all third grade completes this unit together
  • Parents are invited to volunteer on “Ellis Island Day” as “inspectors”
  • Constantly evolving unit

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Common Core Alignment

CC.3.MD.3: Draw a scaled picture graph and a scaled bar graph

CC.3.MD.4: Show measurement data by making a line plot

CC.3.R.L.1 Key Ideas and Details: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

CC.3.R.L.3 Key Ideas and Details: Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.

CC.3.R.I.1 Key Ideas and Details: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

CC.3.R.I.2 Key Ideas and Details: Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.

CC.3.R.I.3 Key Ideas and Details: Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.

CC.3.R.I.4 Craft and Structure: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.

CC.3.R.I.5 Craft and Structure: Use text features and search tools (e.g., key words, sidebars, hyperlinks) to locate information relevant to a given topic efficiently.

CC.3.R.I.7 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur).

CC.3.R.I.8 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g., comparison, cause/effect, first/second/third in a sequence).

CC.3.R.I.9 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: Compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in two texts on the same topic.

CC.3.R.I.10 Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity: By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 2–3 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

CC.3.R.F.4 Fluency: Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

CC.3.R.F.4.a Fluency: Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.

CC.3.R.F.4.c Fluency: Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.

CC.3.W.2 Text Types and Purposes: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

CC.3.W.2.a Text Types and Purposes: Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension.

CC.3.W.2.b Text Types and Purposes: Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details.

CC.3.W.2.c Text Types and Purposes: Use linking words and phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) to connect ideas within categories of information.

CC.3.W.2.d Text Types and Purposes: Provide a concluding statement or section.

CC.3.SL.1 Comprehension and Collaboration: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

CC.3.SL.1.a Comprehension and Collaboration: Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.

CC.3.SL.1.b Comprehension and Collaboration: Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).

CC.3.SL.1.c Comprehension and Collaboration: Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others.

CC.3.SL.3 Comprehension and Collaboration: Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail.

CC.3.SL.4 Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.

CC.3.SL.4 Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.

NH State Social Studies Frameworks:

  • pages 31,35,38,43

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Historical Timeline of Immigration

1492-1500s

Explorers

Christopher Columbus

Amerigo Vespucci

1820

Immigrants from Europe

1619

Slavery Begins

1620

Pilgrims

1990 - now

Current Immigration

1892-1945

Ellis Island

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Main Unit Components

Statue of Liberty

Videos/Poster Project

Portrait of Statue w/ Facts

Three Dimensional Statue w/ Facts

Family History

Family Tree

Family Shield

Heirloom Share

Heritage Silhouette Project

Country Report

Ellis Island Day

Simulation

Trunk Share

Feast

Other

Invite Immigrants to Share Stories of Immigration and Citizenship

Borrow Trunk from NH Historical Society

Current Immigration

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Integrated Unit

Art, Music, History, and Culture

Art: Cultural Paper Dolls

Music: Songs-Neil Diamond’s America

Computer: Country Report using Google Slides

Library: Immigration Books

Physical Education: in progress

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Photographs

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Resources

Books

A True Book: Ellis Island by P. R. Quiri

Journey to Ellis Island by C. Bierman

The Orphan of Ellis Island by E. Woodruff

Dreaming of America: An Ellis Island Story by E. Bunting

If Your Name Was Changed At Ellis Island by E. Levine

Four Feet, Two Sandals by K.L. Williams

Videos

Reading Rainbow, Season 4, Episode 4:

Watch the Stars Come Out

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THANK YOU!