Immigration: Stories of

Yesterday and Today

Teaching Guide
Help students discover the history of immigration in
America and take an interactive tour of Ellis Island.
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/unit-plans/teaching-content/immigration-stories-yesterday-and-
today-teaching-guide/
Compare and contrast the stories of immigrants from decades ago to those of recent immigrants, as well
analyze the differences between immigrants' experiences at Ellis Island and Angel Island.
Pre-instructional Planning
OBJECTIVES
Students will:

 Use web technology to access immigration history

 Develop an understanding of the concept of immigration
 Develop oral history writing skills, including note-taking and conducting an interview
 Read for detail
 Use real-world examples as models for writing an oral history
 Compare and contrast immigration stories of the past with the present
 Compare and contrast immigration through Ellis Island and Angel Island
 Use technology to explore a historical place and event
 Use graphs and facts to respond to several research-based questions and activities
MATERIALS

 Whiteboard or chart paper and markers

 Map of the New York City area
 Immigration: Stories of Yesterday and Today online activities
 Interactive Tour of Ellis Island
 Meet Young Immigrants
 Explore Immigration Data
 Interactive whiteboard, tablets for student use, or a computer and projector to display the online
activity
 "Relive a Boy's Journey to America" article
  Angel Island: An Asian Pacific American Heritage online activity
 Immigration: An Oral History Writing Workshop online activity

Create a Class Quilt

 8-inch squares of white or light-colored construction paper

 markers or collage materials (such as photographs or recipes)
 Hole puncher
 Yarn
 Optional: Sheets of cardboard for reinforcing squares

Classroom Geography

 Large map of the world

 Yarn in multiple colors
 Push pins
Optional: Double-sided tape or another way to temporarily attach photos to the map display

Hall of Fame and Music From Around the World

During Instruction
SET UP
Depending on the grade level and maturity level of each class, activities can be facilitated as independent
work, collaborative group work, or whole-class instruction.
If a computer is available for each student, guide students to the activities either through printed URLs on
handouts or on the board.
If you are working in a lab, set up the computers to be on the desired websites as students walk into class.
If there are fewer computers than students, group the students by reading level. Assign each student a
role: a "driver" who navigates the web, a timer who keeps the group on task, and a note taker. If there are
more than three students per computer, you can add roles like a team leader, a team reporter, etc.
If you are working in a learning station in your classroom, break your class into different groups. Have
rotating groups work on the computer(s), read printed background information, hold smaller group
discussions, write first drafts of their scrapbook, etc.
Optional: You may also want to create a special display for your classroom library in honor of
Immigration. Check out the Immigration Book List for suggested print materials. Be sure to keep a shelf
available for students' oral history scrapbooks!
LESSON DIRECTIONS
ACTIVITY 1: ELLIS ISLAND INTERACTIVE TOUR (1–2 DAYS)
Step 1: Explain to students that everyone living in the United States has an immigrant past, with the
exception of Native Americans. Over the last few centuries, millions of people have made their way to
America. Some people, like slaves, came unwillingly. But most immigrants were drawn by the promise of
greater freedom and opportunity.

Step 2: Write the word "immigration" on the board or a piece of chart paper, as well as its definition. Give
students various examples of immigration. Use personal stories if possible. Invite students to share their
own examples, ideas, or questions about immigration. Allow students to share information about their
own families' countries of origin and write all responses on the board.

Step 3: Discuss events in U.S. history and world history that are related to immigration. List these on the
board.

Step 4: Write "Ellis Island," on the board and explain how it is an important part of the history of
American immigration.

Step 5: Find Ellis Island on a map of the New York City area and display the map in the classroom. Hand
out the KWL Chart printable and have students fill it out with information they know about Ellis Island
and things they want to know about it.

Step 6: Invite students to take the interactive tour of Ellis Island. When they are done with the activity,
have them fill out the KWL Chart with information they learned about Ellis Island.
Step 7: Ask students to write down at least two new questions they have about Ellis Island. During
classroom discussion, have your students create a list of things that they want to find out. As a class,
brainstorm ways students might answer their own questions.

ACTIVITY 2: RELIVE A BOY'S JOURNEY (1–2 DAYS)

Step 1: Tell your students that they are going to learn about a young immigrant who came through Ellis
Island. Introduce the story of Seymour Rechtzeit and distribute the article "Relive a Boy's Journey to
America." Provide time for your students to read Seymour's story on their own or in pairs. You may wish
to print out a copy of the story for individual reading.

Step 2: Ask students to recall the reasons Seymour came to the United States. Have students continue
with their KWL Chart to gather more information on Ellis Island and the immigrant experience.
ACTIVITY 3: ANGEL ISLAND: MEET LI KENG WONG (1–2 DAYS)
Step 1: As a comparison to Ellis Island, introduce the Angel Island experience of Chinese immigrant, Li
Keng Wong.

Step 2: Have students read Li Keng Wong's story, individually or in small groups, and continue to fill out
their KWL Chart printable. You may wish to print out a copy of the story for individual reading.
Encourage students to think about the questions at the end of each chapter of Li Keng Wong's story.

Step 3: When you come back as a class, see if any of the questions have been answered and if more have
been added. Have a compare and contrast session between Angel Island and Ellis Island.

ACTIVITY 4: MEET YOUNG IMMIGRANTS (1 DAY)

Step 1: Ask your students to find out the year Ellis Island closed. (Answer: 1954). Point out that although
that immigration station is closed, hundreds of thousands of immigrants continue coming into the country
each year.

Step 2: Ask students to read the stories of the recent immigrants. As a class, discuss the differences
between their stories and the stories of Seymour Rechtzeit and Li Keng Wong. Have them note any
important comparisons on their KWL charts.

ACTIVITY 5: EXPLORE IMMIGRATION DATA (2 DAYS)

Step 1: Look over the various charts, graphs, and tables in this section of the activity with your students.
Ask volunteers to describe the kind of information each one is showing. Ask them about ways they could
use the data.

Step 2: Ask your students to compare a table with a chart or graph that shows the same information. How
are they similar and different? Have students state the advantages and disadvantages to using each one.

Step 3: Divide the class into small groups and assign each group one of the questions or projects (listed
beneath the tables, charts, and graphs). Have them work independently to answer the question or
complete the project. Discuss their findings as a class.
Step 4: Have each small group reform, and then ask each group to compose three questions to challenge
another group. Have the groups swap questions and write down their answers. Discuss their findings as a
class.

ACTIVITY 6: ORAL HISTORIES (4–5 DAYS)

Note: You may need additional time to set up interviews.

Ahead of Time: In the first week of immigration studies, tell students that they will be recording and
writing the oral history of someone who immigrated to the United States. Encourage them to start
thinking about a subject for their oral history.

Step 1: Listen to the oral histories within the Ellis Island interactive tour. (Click the "audio" tabs within
the stops of the tour to access the oral histories). Then have your students watch the videos in the Meet
the Young Immigrants section. Ask students to think about what makes a good oral history. Write their
responses on the board. This will provide students with a list of things to think about when working on
their project.

ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

Prewriting. Students should begin working on their interview questions before their interview. Have them
look at their filled out KWL Graphic Organizer to help them come up with questions. Have students
submit their questions for approval.
Drafting. Discuss effective ways for students to write their immigrant oral histories. For example, they
might use the first-person voice, letting the immigrants tell their own tales. Have them read the stories in
the Meet the Young Immigrants section.
Revising and Editing. Have students share a draft of their oral history with a classmate for feedback.
What questions did the reader raise? What information is missing that needs to be included? How could
the story be stronger?
Step 2: After all the steps are completed, have the students submit their stories to you. After giving them
feedback, allow them time to make final edits.

Step 3: Have students type up their stories and post them on your class homepage or publish them in a
printed booklet. Encourage students to read one another's submissions.

Optional: Students can also present their learning to their peers with a PowerPoint presentation, a poster
board, or an oral report for the class.
LESSON EXTENSIONS
CREATE A CLASS QUILT
Celebrate your students' cultural backgrounds with a class quilt. Distribute 8-inch squares of white or
light-colored construction paper. Using markers or collage materials, have students create an image on
their square that represents their family culture. Encourage students to use diverse materials, such as
photographs or recipes. Reinforce the squares with cardboard if necessary. When all the squares are
ready, use a hole puncher to make holes around the edges. Lace the quilt panels together with yarn.
Display the finished quilt and invite students to explain their panel to the class.

CLASSROOM GEOGRAPHY
Use this activity to visually identify connections students have to other countries in the world. Display a
large map of the world. Have students draw self-portraits or bring in photos of themselves. Place the
pictures around the border of the map. Have each student stretch a piece of yarn from his or her picture to
a country or region where his or her ancestors lived, and secure it with push pins. You may want to color
code the yarn by country, continent, or world region. Take time to discuss the finished map.

HALL OF FAME
Invite the class to create a Hall of Fame of immigrants who have made important contributions. Guide
students to search for biographies of the individuals using reference materials from the library or from
online sources. For their Hall of Fame submission, each student should provide a photograph or other
likeness of the person, as well as her birthplace, the date she came to America, and why she came.
Another paragraph should explain her accomplishments.

MUSIC FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Work with students to investigate examples of music and literature from other lands that have influenced
American writing and music.

MORE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What is the definition of immigration? What are some reasons why people immigrate?
2. Why is America a popular destination for immigrants?
3. How has America changed as a result of immigration?
4. What are the differences between immigrate, emigrate and migrate?
5. What are some of the obstacles that an immigrant faces?
6. Who were some famous immigrants that made important contributions to America?
7. What were some different experiences for immigrants who came through Ellis Island versus
Angel Island?
8. What are some of the differences that immigrants faced in the past compared with immigrants
today?