COMING TO ELLIS ISLANDMiss Alexis Hyde4th GradeMinoa Elementary

NEW YORK STATE STANDARDS NYS Learning Standard #1: History of the United

States and New York-Key Idea 1: The study of New York State and United States

history requires an analysis of the development of American culture, its diversity and multicultural context, and the ways people are unified by many values, practices, and traditions.

-Performance Indicator: Know the roots of American culture, its development from many different traditions, and the ways many people from a variety of groups and backgrounds played a role in creating it.

NCSS Theme: Culture Objectives:-Students will be able to identify and locate Ellis

Island.-Students will be able to identify what an immigrant

is.-Students will be able to identify the process of

becoming a U.S. citizen at Ellis Island.

HISTORY OF ELLIS ISLAND

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/tour/index.htm

•Ellis Island is located at the mouth of the Hudson River in New York Harbor

•At one time the main entrance for immigrants entering the United States from January 1, 1892 until November 12, 1954. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellis_Island

IMAGINE THIS WAS YOU OR YOUR FAMILY……….

…..it’s the year 1892 and you arrive at Ellis Island

…..you know little or no English and have been on a cramped boat with little food and terrible conditions. Your family has come to American seeking freedom.

WHAT IS AN IMMIGRANT? Dictionary definition:

(noun) A person who migrates to another country, usually for permanent residence.

~Or~A person who leaves one country to settle permanently in another.

What are some possible countries immigrants came from??

ARRIVAL TO AMERICA Imagine……your on a ferry coming

into the island, what do you expect to see?

CHECK IN Immigrants entered into the baggage room, where

their belongings were left to be inspected.

THE GRAND HALL WAY- STAIRS OF SEPARATION The immigrants after dropping baggage off

entered The Grand Hall Way. Why do you think it was called the “Stairs of Separation”?

Doctors stood at the top of the stairs looking for anyone that was having a difficult time or seemed to be sick or diseased.

What would happen if you were suspected of being sick or disabled?

MEDICAL EXAMS If suspected of being sick or disabled the immigrant was

marked with an X on there clothing and then given a medical exams to look for spreadable diseases. If an immigrant did have an incurable disease or was disabled and not able to work they were sent back to their country on a steamboat. 10% of immigrants were kept an examined until 1971 when complete medical exams were given to all.

The immigrants being sent back were sent to dormitories to wait for the steam boat

THE GREAT HALL- “THE REGISTRY ROOM” After completing medical exams millions of immigrants

were processed for the admission to the United States. Immigrants went through a legal inspection. Immigrants had to be able to….

MONEY EXCHANGE Immigrants exchanged their homeland money for

American dollars. With the money they bought train tickets to travel to meet other family members. A law created in 1909 required the immigrants to have a certain amount of money before they were allowed to enter America. How much money do you think that was?

THE JOURNEY’S END- “THE KISSING POST” Just past the money exchange was the

exit into America.

Did you know that………. Two thirds of the new Americans then boarded a ferry to New Jersey, where the next leg of their American journey would begin. The remaining third took the ferryboat to Manhattan to begin their new life in New York City, only one mile away.

Why do you think is was called “The Kissing Post”?

FOLLOW UP ACTIVITY- “WHO LIVES IN AMERICA?” Make Your Own Immigration Graph

Everyone is from somewhere. Find out where your classmates' families originally came from, and compare your results with the national statistics. Just follow these steps:

Conduct a classroom survey. Ask everyone in your class what country or region their families are originally from.

Using the results from the survey, create a pie chart, bar graph, or table.

Compare your class's results with the national results on the multi-column table.

Does anyone have any questions?

RESOURCESScholastic’s Interactive tour of Ellis Island:http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/

immigration/tour/index.htm

History.com’s Gateway to Ellis Islandhttp://www.history.com/minisite.do?

content_type=Minisite_Generic&content_type_id=1468&display_order=2&mini_id=1459

Scholastic’s Immigration Activity- “Who lives in America”

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/facts.htm