UNIT PLAN

Explain

Essential Question

(Knowledge)
4.7Immigrationandmigration
fromtheearly1800stothe
present:Manypeoplehave
immigratedandmigratedtoNew
YorkStatecontributingtoits
culturalgrowthanddevelopment.
4.7aImmigrantscametoNew
YorkStateforavarietyof
reasons.
Manyimmigrantsarriving
inNewYorkCitywere
greetedbythesightofthe
StatueofLibertyandwere
processedthroughEllis
Island.
Studentswillresearchan
immigrantgroupintheir
localcommunityor
nearestcityintermsof
wherethatgroupsettled,
whattypesofjobsthey
held,andwhatservices
wereavailabletothem,
suchasethnicsocialclubs
andfraternalsupport
4.7bBeginninginthe1890s,large
numbersofAfricanAmericans
migratedtoNewYorkCityand
othernortherncitiestoworkin
factories.
HarlemRenaissance
GreatMigration
Keyplayers

Interpret
(Skills/Analysis)

Has immigration and the migration in

America that gave rise to the Harlem
Renaissance made America a stronger
nation?

Big
Idea
s

Freedom (Natural rights) is

worth fighting for
Immigrants
to America
to find a
Peoplecame
should
control the
bettergovernment,
life, but not all
immigrants
instead
of found
whatgovernments
they were looking
for.
controlling
Manypeople
found poor working conditions, low
wages,
and government
poor living conditions.
If the
doesnt
Immigrants
of
today
face
problems
serve the people, thesimilar
people
of immigrants of the past.
have the right to abolish or
Problems immigrants face include
overthrow that government
discrimination, the lack of acceptance, low
Colonists
and soldiers
wages,
lack of resources
within schools,
despite
gangpersevered
violence, and
housing issues.
disadvantages
bad
Students
will be ableand
to determine
whether
conditions
during the
the Harlem
Renaissance
had war
a positive or
The affect
American
Revolution
negative
on American
culture.
Students
be ableof
to hope
proveand
the positive
was will
a triumph
influences
that
came
from
the
Harlem
grit

Editorial:
FirstLessonSegment:Opinion
essay
SecondLessonSegment:
Conversationbetweenimmigrants
ofyesterday&today
ThirdLessonSegment:Position
statementusingatleast3piecesof
evidence
ThinkinglikeaHistorian
Documentanalysis:Studentswill
readdocumentsabouttheessential
questionandanswerquestions
aboutthedocuments
Songlyricanalysis
ReadandRetell:Studentswill
readandwritedown5wordsin
ordertohelpretellthestorytoa
partner.
Immigration
The Golden
Country
AmericatheBeautiful?
What did immigrants
face when
immigrating?
Immigrants of
yesterday and today
RealLifeApplication
History Alive: Stand and Deliver
InteractiveQuizGames:
Kahoot,PearDeck

Renaissance.

Application

Perspective/Empathy

History Alive
o Act it out, Living Statue, Stand and Deliver
Song
o You cant always get what you want
Rolling Stones
o Coming to America Neil Diamond
o Change Taylor Swift

Story telling strategy Students will be

engaged while receiving background
information about the lesson.
Song lyric analysis Students will apply
how the lyrics apply to each specific
essential questions.

History Alive
Act it out
Stand and Deliver
Living Statue

Clarifying Content Priorities

Read and Retell Literacy Strategy

Document Analysis

Worth being familiar with

Important to
know & do
Big ideas
worth understanding

Song Lyric Analysis

Immigrants came to America to

find a better life, but not all
immigrants found what they
were looking for.
Many found poor working
conditions, low wages, and poor
living conditions.
Immigrants of today face similar
problems of immigrants of the
past.
Problems immigrants face
include discrimination, the lack
of acceptance, low wages, lack
of resources within schools, gang
violence, and housing issues.
Students will be able to
determine whether the Harlem
Renaissance had a positive or
negative affect on American
culture. Students will be able to
prove the positive influences that
came from the Harlem
Renaissance.

4.7Immigrationandmigrationfromtheearly1800stothe
present:ManypeoplehaveimmigratedandmigratedtoNew
YorkStatecontributingtoitsculturalgrowthand
development.
4.7aImmigrantscametoNewYorkStatefor avarietyof
reasons.
ManyimmigrantsarrivinginNewYorkCitywere
greetedbythesightoftheStatueofLibertyand
wereprocessedthroughEllisIsland.
Studentswillresearchanimmigrantgroupintheir
localcommunityornearestcityintermsofwhere
thatgroupsettled,whattypesofjobstheyheld,and
whatserviceswereavailabletothem,suchasethnic
socialclubsandfraternalsupport
4.7bBeginninginthe1890s,largenumbersofAfrican
AmericansmigratedtoNewYorkCityandothernorthern
citiestoworkinfactories.
HarlemRenaissance
GreatMigration
Keyplayers

STAGE 1- DESIRED RESULTS

Understandings(s):
U

Immigrants came to America to find a

better life and opportunities, but not all
immigrants found what they were
looking for.
Immigrants of today face similar
problems of immigrants of the past.
Problems immigrants face include
discrimination, the lack of acceptance,
low wages, lack of resources within
schools, gang violence, and housing
issues.
Students will be able to determine
whether the Harlem Renaissance had a
positive or negative affect on
American culture.
Students will be able prove the
positive influences that came from the
Harlem Renaissance.

Essential Questions(s):
Q

Has immigration and the migration

in America that gave rise to the
Harlem Renaissance made America a
stronger nation?
Did immigrants who came to America find
what they were looking for?
Do immigrants today face the same kind of
problems that immigrants that we study
faced?
Was the Harlem Renaissance really a
Renaissance?

K
Students will know: Students will know why immigrants came to America and if they
found what they were looking for. Students will also know the problems immigrants of
today are facing and how they are similar to problems immigrants from long ago faced,
including prejudice perspectives, overcrowded housing conditions, and lack of
educational resources. Students will know what a renaissance is, along with the two
different perspectives of the Harlem Renaissance and the positive and negative influences
on American culture.
Students will do: Documents analysis to find evidence if immigrants found what they
were looking for, the problems immigrants face, and whether the Harlem Renaissance is
really a renaissance. Students will perform read and retells to get background knowledge
and fill the filing cabinet on immigration and the Harlem Renaissance. Students will
analyze documents using thinking like a historian questioning to find evidence to answer
each essential question. Students will perform History Alive: Act It Out activities
portraying positive and negatives of immigration, different viewpoints, and different

problems immigrants are facing. Students will also perform History Alive: Living Statue
activities to portray artists, writers, musicians, and affects associated with the Harlem
Renaissance. Students will choose a number and explain their opinion on whether
immigrants found what they were looking for. Students will also write an opinion essay
on whether immigrants found what they were looking for, construct a conversation
between an immigrant of the past and an immigrant of today, and write a position
statement using at least three pieces of evidence to support their claim on the essential
question.

STAGE 2 ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Performance Task:
History Alive Act It Out
History Alive Stand and Deliver
History Alive Living Statue

Other Evidence:
Tiered DBQ
Read and Retell Activity
Pear Deck Constructed Responses
Song Analysis
Multiple Choice Kahoot
Document Analysis
Flipped Instruction
Song Analysis
Opinion Essay, Written Conversation,
Position Statement

STAGE 3 LEARNING PLAN

Learning Activities:
L
(see attached sheet)

EDU 351: Elementary Educational Social Studies Methods

Unit plan for 4th Grade Social Studies
This unit was written as a class effort by:
Tracey Balinskas, Matt DeFranco, Jessica Falco, Nicole Fleischmann, Victoria Lorig, Christina
Restivo, Samantha Sauer, Ashley Smith, Sterling Swaby
Immigration and the Harlem Renaissance

Essential question:
Has immigration and the migration in America that gave rise to the Harlem
Renaissance made America a stronger nation?
Activities to be covered
Lesson Segment 1: Did immigrants who came to America through Ellis Island find what
the were looking for?
1. After a story about a time when what was expected did not happen, students will
determine central ideas or themes of a text by performing a read and retell with an 80%
success rate.
2. After reviewing flipped homework, students will read closely to determine what the text
says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it and answer questions using the
Think Like a Historian strategy, with no errors.
3. After going over the song that was assigned for homework, students will participate
effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building
on others ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively by participating in a
History Alive activity and reaching a 3 out of 4 on the rubric.
Lesson Segment 2: Has immigration and the migration in America that gave rise to the
Harlem Renaissance made America a stronger nation?
1. After watching a video of an immigrant explaining the process he went through to come
to America, students will read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to
make logical inferences from it by participating in a read and retell passage, and will be
able to describe 5 facts about what immigrants of yesterday and today face with no error.
2. After going over flipped instruction for homework, students will read closely to
determine what the text says explicitly, and to make logical inferences from it by
analyzing documents with reading like a historian questions.
3. After reviewing Neil Diamonds song, Coming to America as a document, students will
prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with

diverse partners, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly and
persuasively. Students will participate in a History Alive: Act It Out activity and receive a
three or four on the rubric to determine whether immigrants today face the same kind of
problems that immigrants that we study faced.
Lesson Segment 3: Was the Harlem Renaissance really a Renaissance?
1. After a story on butterflies and change, students will read closely to determine what a
text says explicitly using a read and retell strategy about the Harlem Renaissance
being a real renaissance. Students will present the information that they learned, by
completing an exit slip. Students will complete the exit slip with three accurate facts
about the Harlem Renaissance with 100% factual accuracy.
2. After going over their flipped instruction homework, the students will read closely to
determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it, and
cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn
from the text to answer if the Harlem Renaissance was truly a renaissance.
3. After reviewing a song, students will participate effectively in a range of
conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others ideas and
expressing their own clearly and persuasively as they participate in a History Alive
activity to demonstrate the two different perspectives of the Harlem Renaissance.
Jeopardy Game
Tiered DBQ
Two Day Unit Test

Compelling
Question
Social Studies
and NCSS C3
Standards

Staging the
Question

Do immigrants today face the same kind of problems that

immigrants that we study faced?
4.7 IMMIGRATION AND MIGRATION FROM THE EARLY 1800S TO
THE PRESENT: Many people have immigrated and migrated to New York
State contributing to its cultural growth and development
Key Concepts:
4.7a Immigrants came to New York State for a variety of reasons.
Students will research an immigrant group in their local community or nearest
city in terms of where that group settled, what types of jobs they held, and
what services were available to them, such as ethnic social clubs and fraternal
support organizations.
Students will watch a short video clip of an immigrant
explaining what he went through in the 1990s in order to
come and live in America; along with the challenges her faces
still today.

Supportive Question
Why are immigrants of
today coming to America?

Supporting Question
What problems are
immigrants of today
facing, and how do they
compare to problems of
immigrants of the past?

Formative Task

Formative Task

Students will a perform

read and retell activity to
gather background
knowledge on immigrants
of today.

Students will analyze

documents, using think
like a historian strategies,
to gather evidence to
evaluate the essential
question.

Sources

Sources

Read and Retell passages

from a website offering
grade appropriate level
articles

Summative
Performance
Task

Supportive Question
What viewpoints, or
perspectives, are
influencing immigration of
today?

Formative Task
Students will perform
History Alive: Act It Out
activities to portray the
different viewpoints and
problems of immigration,
such as Donald Trumps
perspective, and the
immigration problems
within the Hempstead
School District.

Sources

Documents from
Interactive quiz from
newspapers, recent
Kahoot, as well as
presidential debates, and
documents from the
old New York State exams. previous lesson.
Argume Students will evaluate the essential question by
writing a conversation between an immigrant of
nt
the past and an immigrant of today. Students will
include supporting details within the
conversation to help prove whether immigrants
of today are facing the same problems of past
immigrants.

Extensio
n

Taking Informed
Action

Students will become pen pals with either an

immigrant student within their school or an immigrant
within their town. Students will learn more about the
other persons culture and help them become
adjusted to their new town. Students will become
aware of the problems and difficulties these
immigrants are facing. This will help students apply
what they have learned in the classroom and
compare it to their real life situations.

Understand

Assess

Act

Students will
understand that
new immigrants to
America need a
good deal of help
and support.

Students will assess

some of the problems
that new immigrants
of Hempstead face.

Students will determine a way

to aid the immigrants through
collections, fund raising, or
pen pals and institute the
program.

Compelling
Question

Was the Harlem Renaissance really a renaissance?

Social Studies
and NCSS C3
Standards

5.6c Across time and place, different groups of people in the Western
Hemisphere have struggled and fought for equality and civil rights or
sovereignty.

The question was staged by beginning with a story of a

caterpillar and how it changed into a beautiful butterfly.
It showed how the Harlem Renaissance bloomed into a
time of change.
Supportive Question
Supporting Question
Supportive Question
Staging the
Question

What was the Harlem

Renaissance and where
did it take place?
Formative Task
Read and Retell
Sources
Internet sources
Summative
Performance
Task

Who were the key

people and feelings
people had about the
Harlem Renaissance?
Formative Task

Formative Task

Document Based
Create a statue
Questions
Sources
Sources
Internet/painting/article History Alive
s
Argume The Harlem Renaissance was a real
nt
renaissance.

Extensio
n
Taking Informed
Action

Was the Harlem

Renaissance really a
renaissance?

Opinion Essay

Understand
Students will
understand that
the Harlem
Renaissance
changed black
people saw
America and its
future.

Assess
Students should
assess the changes
that the Harlem
Renaissance
brought about.

Act
Students will show how the
Harlem Renaissance
enacted change for black
people today.

Compelling
Question
Social Studies
and NCSS C3
Standards

Did immigrants who came to America find what they were looking
for?
o

4.7 Immigration and migration from the early 1800s to the

present: Many people have immigrated and migrated to New
York State contributing to its cultural growth and development.

o 4.7a Immigrants came to New York State for a variety of

reasons. Many immigrants arriving in New York City were
greeted by the sight of the Statue of Liberty and were processed
through Ellis Island.

Staging the
Question

Students will listen to a story about expecting something and not

getting what was expected, and will relate this to how immigrants
felt when they came to America.

Supportive Question

Supporting Question

Supportive Question

What was life like in

immigrants home
country that made them
come to America?
Formative Task

Did immigrants who

came to America always
find what they were
looking for?
Formative Task

How would it feel to be

in the place of an
immigrant who
migrated to America?
Formative Task

Students will perform

read and retells to get
background information
on immigration.

Students will analyze

documents on the
positives and negatives
of immigration.

Students will make

history come alive by
acting out a scene based
on a picture about the
positive and negative
sides of immigration.

Sources
Sources
Sources
Teacher created stories
Documents from
Interactive quiz game
on the background of
pervious New York State from Kahoot.
immigration.
Social Studies exams.
Summative
Argume Did immigrants find what they were looking
Performance
nt
for when they came to America?
Task
Extensio
n
Taking Informed

Find evidence in the documents that

supports this claim.

Understand

Assess

Act

Action

Students will
understand that
new immigrants
to America need a
good deal of help
and support.

Students will assess

some problems that
the new immigrants
in Hempstead face.

Students will determine a

way to aid the immigrant
through collections,
fundraising, or pen pals and
institute the program.