Immigration Grade 4: Lesson E: Comparing Experiences

Course/Subject: Social Studies/Immigration

Grade(s): 4

Days of Class: 3

Enduring Understandings

Students will reflect on what they learned about the immigrant group they studied. Students will share this information with their peers and compare and contrast the experiences of different immigrant groups. Students will compare the experience of the immigrant group they studied to the experiences of modern day immigrants.

Essential Questions

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

Learning Standards and historical thinking skills

Massachusetts Frameworks:

4.15--Describe the diverse nature of the American people by identifying the distinctive contributions to American culture of major European immigrant groups who have come to America, locating their countries of origin and where they tended to settle in large numbers (e.g., English, Germans, Italians, Scots, Irish, Jews, Poles, and Scandinavians). Materials/Resources Needed

1. Completed research sheets (Immigrants from ______) from Lesson A. 2. As a reference: Immigration Books for each of the 4 groups  Coming to America: Why Irish immigrants came to America by Lewis K. Parker  Coming to America: Why German immigrants came to America by Lewis K. Parker  Coming to America: Why Chinese immigrants came to America by Lewis K. Parker  Coming to America: Why Italian immigrants came to America by Lewis K. Parker 3. Poster making supplies: 11 x 17 paper, markers, rulers, etc. 3. Immigration worksheet: Comparing Experiences 3. PowerPoint Lesson E 1896 and 200 Political Cartoon 3. Observation Sheet: Picture (two per student)

Assessment Evidence

Performance Tasks: Groups of students will make a poster about their immigrant group. These will be shared with the class and reviewed by the teacher. Students will complete the Immigration Worksheet: Comparing Experiences and the Observation Sheet: Picture. These worksheets will be reviewed by the teacher. Other Evidence:

Learning Activities/Plan

Day 1

1. Students get into their “family” groups according to the immigrant group they studied earlier in the unit.

2. The teacher will explain the directions for the first part of the lesson: Today students will discuss the experiences their immigrant group. These include push/pull factors, their journey, their experience at Ellis Island and living in the tenements. The students will be responsible for sharing their experience with other immigrant groups in the following session. They will then compare and contrast their experiences. To prepare to share with other groups, the families will make a poster about their experiences to guide their discussion.

3. Groups will work together to make a poster about their immigrant group’s experience. The posters will be made on 11 x 17 papers so they can be photocopied. Each group’s poster should include: push factors, pull factors, dates of immigration, information about the voyage, experience at Ellis Island, what life was like in America for their group and important contributions to American culture. (At the end of this session the teacher should make copies of each group’s poster so each group member has their own copy for the next session.)

Day 2

1. The teacher will make new groups that consist of one member from each of the previous groups. Each group will have one immigrant from Ireland, Italy, Germany and China.

2. Each group member will talk about their immigrant group’s experience, using the poster to guide their discussion.

3. After each group member has shared, the group will complete the Comparing Experiences worksheet. Students can work together to fill this out using the posters, books and their classmates as resources.

4. Once each group has filled out the worksheet, the class will come together to share what they have learned and discovered.

Day 3

1. Spend time talking about modern day immigration. Students can share personal experiences, as well as listen to first-hand accounts on the Scholastic website Closure

Guide students to see the similarities and differences between modern day immigration and the immigrant groups studied during the unit. Display the posters in the hallway.

Additional teacher information (other resources, websites, etc.)

Vocabulary:

Immigrate Melting Pot Theory Assimilation Nativism Push Factor Pull Factor Ellis Island Tenement Compare Contrast