Immigration & Ellis Island

Lesson #4
Nationalities and Ethnic Groups that came through Ellis Island
60 Minutes
Alexis Rodriguez

Unit Plan Goal Statement: Throughout the two week unit plan titled “Immigration and Ellis
Island,” students will develop an understanding of the topic within the fourth grade curriculum
supported by the Pennsylvania CCSS and the NCSS themes. Students will gain an understanding
of the history of immigration through Ellis Island, how it impacted American history, and how
immigrants were impacted by different policies and perceived by native born citizens. Lastly,
students will be able to relate past immigration to current immigration. Because the issue of
immigration is globally occurring and changing the development of our world, it is extremely
beneficial for students to have knowledge of the histories and issues of immigration in order to
best understand the role and impact of immigration on America's current events.

Lesson Plan Goal Statement: This lesson contributes to the overall goal of the unit plan by
informing students which ethnicities and nationalities migrated over to Ellis Island.

Lesson Preparation
I. Learning Objectives

1. Students will conduct research with the materials provided as well as any outside sources
to find information on the different nationality immigrant groups that came over to Ellis
Island.
2. Students will be able to create and share posters on their assigned nationalities.
3. Students will be able to compare the different nationality immigrant groups that came
over to Ellis Island.

II. Standards by Discipline & Content Themes

Common Core Standards:

• Standard - 7.3.4.A
Identify the human characteristics of places and regions using the following criteria:
o Population
o Culture Settlement
o Economic activities
o Political activities
• Standard - 7.2.4.A
Identify the physical characteristics of places and regions.
NCSS Themes & Sub-Themes:

• NCSS 1.1: Culture and Cultural Diversity

o NCSS.1.1.a ...enable learners to analyze and explain the ways groups, societies,
and cultures address human needs and concerns
• NCSS 1.4: Individual Development & Identity
o NCSS.1.4.e ...guide learners as they examine the interactions of ethnic, national,
or cultural influences in specific situations or events
o NCSS.1.4.h ...assist learners as they work independently and cooperatively within
groups and institutions to accomplish goals
• NCSS 1.5: Individuals, Groups, & Institutions
o NCSS.1.5.a ...help learners understand the concepts of role, status, and social
class and use them in describing the connections and interactions of individuals,
groups, and institutions in society

III. Academic Language

Vocabulary:
• Pull factors: In migration theory, the social, political, economic and environmental
attractions of new areas that draw people away from their previous location.
• Push factors: In migration theory, the social, political, economic and environmental
forces that drive people from their previous location.

Concepts:
• Push factors of immigration
• Pull factors of immigration

Skills:

• Cooperative Learning
• Analyzing Information
• Understanding of Ethnic Groups
• Presenting Information

IV. Technology, Materials, Resources

• Power-point
• Note-taking worksheet
 • Computers for additional research
• Immigration books:
o Coming to America: Why Irish immigrants came to America by Lewis Parker.
o Coming to America: Why German immigrants came to America by Lewis Parker.
o Coming to America: Why Chinese immigrants came to America by Lewis Parker.
o Coming to America: Why Italian immigrants came to America by Lewis Parker.
• Poster board paper
• Crayons and markers
• Exit slip ticket (worksheet)

Instructional Delivery
V. Anticipatory Set

An introduction of the word nationality: the status of belonging to a particular nation.

• Asking the students to draw a quick picture of what symbolizes their nationality as an
American or other nation if they were a recent immigrant.
(The teacher will create one ahead of time to use as an example.)
I am Puerto Rican so I drew a picture of the flag and rice and beans because that’s symbolic to
me.
• When all the students are done, they will turn and share with a partner around them.
• Anyone who wants to share aloud to the class may also do so.
• Reviewing from prior lessons the teacher will revisit what pull factors and push
factors are.
• Today we are going to take a look at what different ethnicities and nationalities came
over to Ellis Island.

VI. Instructional Activities

1. The teacher will present a power-point on each of the four immigration groups that
give information on the ethnicities and nationalities in todays lesson. (see attached)
2. The students will be broken up into four different groups: (make groups as even as
possible)
• Ireland
• Italy
• Germany
• China
3. Once the students are in their groups, the teacher will distribute a note-taking
worksheet that they will use to take notes during the power-point. (see attached)
4. After the power-point the teacher will distribute the necessary books and additional
materials that go with their immigration group.
 5. Students will take 10-15 minutes in their groups to research and come up with 3-5
additional facts that they will add to their note-taking worksheet, that they learn about
for their immigration group.
6. Once the students have completed their note-taking worksheet the teacher will briefly
look it over and give them the materials to create their own posters for their
immigration group.
7. Each group will create a poster and incorporate a checklist of elements that will be
given to each group. (see attached)

VII. Closure

All students in their groups will come up and present their posters that they have created about
their particular immigration group. These posters will be hung in the classroom. After each group
has presented their poster the teacher will have a discussion on the four immigration groups and
the push and pull factors for each to connect and put it all together. The teacher will then discuss
current events around the world that have to do with immigration and how it is still an ongoing
issue.

Meeting All Learners

VIII. Differentiation

o For students with disabilities the teacher will provide the notes needed for when the
students will take them during class.
o For students with an IEP or any special education needs, during the note taking time the
teacher will come around and verbally speak to those students to help them with ideas or
to hear if they are on track.

IX. Accommodations

o For students with any special education needs, the teacher will allow for extended time to
complete the assignment. To create the poster, I provided 30 minutes but if more time is
needed, it will be given,
o For students with any special education needs, the teacher when grouping the students
will make sure to mix fairly students with lower learning levels and higher learning levels
to ensure the assignments will be done efficiently.

X. Modifications

o For students with any special education needs, the teacher will focus mainly on one group
of immigrants rather than comparing more than one. To ensure proficiency in one
particular group.
Meeting Objectives
XI. Assessments

To assess objective 1: At the end of class students will hand in for in-class credit their note-
taking worksheet that will have notes that they have taken during and after the power-point.

To assess objective 2: Students will use a checklist to create their poster and will be graded based
on the elements on the checklist.

To assess objective 3: After this lesson, the students will be asked to complete an exit slip
individually that will have them compare the group they completed their poster and another
group that was presented in class by another group. This will allow the teacher to see what they
have learned about two of the four immigration groups discussed in class.
Content Notes:

What ethnicities immigrated to Ellis Island?

Italy:

Push factors:
In the early 1800s Italy began the process of unification, banding together to make on great
nation. Even once unification was complete, there was a difference between the north and south
Italy. The north had all the money and power, that many Southern Italians couldn’t find work
and couldn’t feed themselves or their families. There were also a lot of natural disasters like
earthquakes, droughts, and even a volcano erupting that added to the Italian people’s sadness.

Pull factors:
America was still growing, and Italians would come and take the toughest jobs with low pay,
because it was more money than what they could earn in Italy. America was also known as the
Land of Opportunity where anyone could succeed.

Ireland:

Push factors: The Irish potato famine which was the failure of the crop caused by a disease that
destroyed both the leaves and the edible roots of the potato plant. There was poverty that they
faced. They also faced the great hunger which was a time of starvation and disease in Ireland.

Pull factors: There was a promise of freedom in their religious beliefs and political views. They
hoped for a new life with jobs and land that they could start over on. They also believed that the
“streets paved with gold”.

Chinese:

Push factors: They were not making enough money in their jobs. America was viewed as the
land of opportunity and therefore Chinese wanted to experience that “wealth” There also were
problems after the British defeated China during the Opium War which ran many Chinese to
migrate to America.

Pull factors: They were poor and they wanted to come to America for an opportunity to make
more money and send it back to China to their poor families.

Germany:

Push factors:
Some factories started to use machines and many people lost their jobs. The farmers had poor
harvest, too. During the 1930s-40s many Germans left to escape Adolf Hitler’s Nazi government
to live in a safe place.

Pull factors:
America offered religious freedom. America was known as the Land of Opportunity with jobs
for everyone, America also had plenty of unsettled land for farming.

Resources:

Parker, Lewis K. Why German Immigrants Came to America. New York: PowerKids, 2003.

Parker, Lewis K. Why Italian Immigrants Came to America. New York: PowerKids, 2003

Parker, Lewis K. Why Chinese Immigrants Came to America. New York: PowerKids, 2003.

Parker, Lewis K. Why Irish Immigrants Came to America. New York: PowerKids, 2003.
Current Events

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/17/world/europe/italy-libya-migrant-crisis.html

a. Italy, Libya and North African country.

b. Arrival of migrants in Italy have plunged in recent months. In August they fell 85%
leading some to charge that Italy was paying off Libya’s most rapacious warlords at the
risk of further destabilizing the North African country, while condemning the migrants to
misery.

c. Immigration is still an ongoing issue, people are still trying to leave their countries and
have to face some of the serious struggles some faced when traveling to Ellis Island.
Need for protection of human rights of migrants.
Power-point information:
ITALY
The Italian Immigration Experience
Where is Italy?

Push factors:
In the early 1800s Italy began the process of unification, banding together to make on great
nation. Even once unification was complete, there was a difference between the north and south
Italy. The north had all the money and power, that many Southern Italians couldn’t find work
and couldn’t feed themselves or their families. There were also a lot of natural disasters like
earthquakes, droughts, and even a volcano erupting that added to the Italian people’s sadness.

Pull factors:
America was still growing, and Italians would come and take the toughest jobs with low pay,
because it was more money than what they could earn in Italy. America was also known as the
Land of Opportunity where anyone could succeed.

GERMANY
The German Immigration Experience
Where is Germany?

Push factors:
Some factories started to use machines and many people lost their jobs. The farmers had poor
harvest, too. During the 1930s-40s many Germans left to escape Adolf Hitler’s Nazi government
to live in a safe place.

Pull factors:
America offered religious freedom. America was known as the Land of Opportunity with jobs
for everyone, America also had plenty of unsettled land for farming.
CHINESE
The Chinese Immigration Experience

Where is China?
Push factors: They were not making enough money in their jobs. America was viewed as the
land of opportunity and therefore Chinese wanted to experience that “wealth” There also were
problems after the British defeated China during the Opium War which ran many Chinese to
migrate to America.

Pull factors: They were poor and they wanted to come to America for an opportunity to make
more money and send it back to China to their poor families.

IRELAND
The Irish Immigration Experience
Where is Ireland?

Push factors: The Irish potato famine which was the failure of the crop caused by a disease that
destroyed both the leaves and the edible roots of the potato plant. There was poverty that they
faced. They also faced the great hunger which was a time of starvation and disease in Ireland.

Pull factors: There was a promise of freedom in their religious beliefs and political views. They
hoped for a new life with jobs and land that they could start over on. They also believed that the
“streets paved with gold”.
Notes Name:______________________________

During the presentation take notes:

What immigration group do you have?

______________________________________________________________________________

List 2 push factors?

•


•

List 2 pull factors?

•


•

After Presentation Extra research:

List 2 additional facts you found:

•


•
Poster Checklist
The following should be included in your poster:

Required-
Immigration group
Push Factors
Pull Factors

Optional-
Flag
Location
Foods
Any other interesting facts
 Name___________________

Exit-Slip

Big Question: How was my immigrant experience similar to and different than other
immigrant groups?

1. List a similarity of your immigrant experience and another experience you learned about
today.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

2. List a difference of your immigrant experience and another experience you learned about
today.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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