Description

This site is meant to teach middle grade students about the wave of immigration that swept the United States during the years 1892-1954. It focuses on the immigrants that passed through Ellis Island. Students will learn about why immigrants came to America, what it was like to enter through Ellis Island, and what kind of life immigrants typically experienced once they settled here.

Using the Site

Teachers can use the pages in the sites in two ways: (1) The site itself can stand alone. Each page is formatted so that students can easily read it while sitting in front of a computer. This makes it great for doing research, linking for WebQuests, or using during instruction. In addition each page has main ideas in bold-face type and important vocabulary in red font.

 

Each page has a Grab it! button on it as well. When clicked, this button turns the page into a printable PDF that teachers can copy and use for instruction. Each printable page is formatted so that teachers can use it to teach important nonfiction reading skills and comes with comprehension questions.

 

Activities

• Write a report on a group that immigrated to the USA - Have students use this printable to help them with their research.
• Read a timeline - EllisIsland.org has an interactive timeline showing the forces behind immigration.
• Use Primary Resources - Learn about immigration by using primary resources with this unit from the Library of Congress.
• Take a tour of Ellis Island - This tour is interactive, complete with audio, video, and photos of the Ellis Island experience.
• Visit the New York City Tenement Museum - A New York City Museum that tells the stories of immigrants who lived in 97 Orchard Street, a tenement built in 1863 on Manhattan's Lower East Side.

Return to Waves of Immigration: 1892-1954

Introduction

Welcome to Ellis Island

Passing Through
Ellis Island

The Immigrant Experience

Italian Immigrants