Social Studies Curriculum Unit
Immigration
Unit Essential Question: “How has immigration changed the United States?”
Grade Level: 4/5 Subject: Social Studies
Time Needed: 40-50 minutes Topic: Immigration
Lesson Essential Question: “Where and how do people arrive?”
NCSS Standards Met:
MMSD Standards Met:
UW Teaching Standards:
Materials Needed:
Objectives:
· Students will learn that Castle Garden, Ellis Island, and Angel Island were three immigration centers in the United States in the early twentieth century, and many immigrants took their first steps in America at these centers.
· Students will learn that there are no longer specific immigration centers that immigrants go through before being ‘let in’ to America.
· Students will be able to discuss the differences between the arrival of immigrants in the early twentieth century and the arrival of immigrants now.
Lesson Context:
Students have recently discussed why immigrants might choose to come to a new country, specifically, the United States. This lesson will focus on answering the next logical question: after people have decided to come to the United States, how do they get here? Where do they go?
Lesson Opening:
Today, we are going to continue our discussion of immigration. What did we say the definition of immigration was? Can someone share with us a specific example of immigration? Why might someone choose to immigrate to a new country?
Procedure:
People have all sorts of reasons they might want to come to America. And, likewise, there are all sorts of different ways that people will get here and many different places they will arrive. Today, I’m going to show you some pictures of where people came to enter America in the past, and what entering America looks like in the present. The chart that I am passing out to you right now has a column for ‘Place’, ‘What I See’, and ‘Will the immigrants help the U.S.?’ We’re going to fill out these columns together for our first picture. So, we’ll write down the place name first, and then we’re going to talk about exactly what we see in these pictures. This is exactly like making observations in science class. Then, we’re going to talk about what those observations might mean, which is like drawing conclusions in science. As we go through the pictures, you’ll be writing these things down.
· Share pictures in chronological order
o What do you notice?
o What does this say about how America treated its immigrants? Are they believed to be a benefit to the country or not? (Are they going to help the U.S.?)
o What in the picture makes you believe that?
o How did immigrants travel to get here?
o Why would an immigrant choose to come this way?
o (Share any additional information about picture, as well.)
· After sharing about Castle Garden, Ellis Island, and Angel Island, ask students to write down what stands out the most to them about immigration in the past. Have students turn and talk, then share.
· Continue with more modern immigration.
o Ask students to share from personal experience as well.
Lesson Closing:
Today we have begun to think about how people come to America. However, these pictures are just a sampling of the ways that people choose to come. There are as many immigration stories as there are immigrants. Remember, you are going to be writing your own immigration family histories, so it is a good idea to start thinking about how your family came to America and where they might have arrived.
Assessment:
· Students participation in class discussion (small group discussion if applicable)
· Student completion of worksheet
Special Considerations:
· After first photo, have students make observations on their own, then turn and talk, then share as class
· Use fewer photos if students seem particularly interested in certain photos
· Make extra copies of photos to break small groups if necessary
Immigration
Unit Essential Question: “How has immigration changed the United States?”
Grade Level: 4/5 Subject: Social Studies
Time Needed: 40-50 minutes Topic: Immigration
Lesson Essential Question: “Where and how do people arrive?”
NCSS Standards Met:
- Time, Continuity and Change
MMSD Standards Met:
- Describe the various reasons for the continual movement of people, goods, and ideas in the U.S.
UW Teaching Standards:
- Standard 3: Demonstrates Sophisticated Curricular Knowledge
- Standard 11: Uses Technologies
Materials Needed:
- Images of various historical and modern entryways into America
- Chart paper
- Marker
- “Arriving in America” worksheet for students
- Paper and pencils for each student
Objectives:
· Students will learn that Castle Garden, Ellis Island, and Angel Island were three immigration centers in the United States in the early twentieth century, and many immigrants took their first steps in America at these centers.
· Students will learn that there are no longer specific immigration centers that immigrants go through before being ‘let in’ to America.
· Students will be able to discuss the differences between the arrival of immigrants in the early twentieth century and the arrival of immigrants now.
Lesson Context:
Students have recently discussed why immigrants might choose to come to a new country, specifically, the United States. This lesson will focus on answering the next logical question: after people have decided to come to the United States, how do they get here? Where do they go?
Lesson Opening:
Today, we are going to continue our discussion of immigration. What did we say the definition of immigration was? Can someone share with us a specific example of immigration? Why might someone choose to immigrate to a new country?
Procedure:
People have all sorts of reasons they might want to come to America. And, likewise, there are all sorts of different ways that people will get here and many different places they will arrive. Today, I’m going to show you some pictures of where people came to enter America in the past, and what entering America looks like in the present. The chart that I am passing out to you right now has a column for ‘Place’, ‘What I See’, and ‘Will the immigrants help the U.S.?’ We’re going to fill out these columns together for our first picture. So, we’ll write down the place name first, and then we’re going to talk about exactly what we see in these pictures. This is exactly like making observations in science class. Then, we’re going to talk about what those observations might mean, which is like drawing conclusions in science. As we go through the pictures, you’ll be writing these things down.
· Share pictures in chronological order
o What do you notice?
o What does this say about how America treated its immigrants? Are they believed to be a benefit to the country or not? (Are they going to help the U.S.?)
o What in the picture makes you believe that?
o How did immigrants travel to get here?
o Why would an immigrant choose to come this way?
o (Share any additional information about picture, as well.)
· After sharing about Castle Garden, Ellis Island, and Angel Island, ask students to write down what stands out the most to them about immigration in the past. Have students turn and talk, then share.
· Continue with more modern immigration.
o Ask students to share from personal experience as well.
Lesson Closing:
Today we have begun to think about how people come to America. However, these pictures are just a sampling of the ways that people choose to come. There are as many immigration stories as there are immigrants. Remember, you are going to be writing your own immigration family histories, so it is a good idea to start thinking about how your family came to America and where they might have arrived.
Assessment:
· Students participation in class discussion (small group discussion if applicable)
· Student completion of worksheet
Special Considerations:
· After first photo, have students make observations on their own, then turn and talk, then share as class
· Use fewer photos if students seem particularly interested in certain photos
· Make extra copies of photos to break small groups if necessary
