INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY SOCIAL STUDIES LEARNING ACTIVITY
Immigrant children at Ellis Iland, New York (1908).
The year was 1982. My great grandmother Lapschik told me a story of how she came to America. She left Budapest, Hungary when she was just 16 and she left all by herself. Great Granny left her home, family and friends in 1913 because many people thought that war was going to break out in Europe. World War I did indeed start in 1914.
Although I did not know it at the time, my great grandmother was ill, and she wanted to tell her story. If I had recorded her story, I would have had a primary source to document my family history.
Background
During late 19th century and early 20th century, many immigrants from around the world immigrated to the United States of America. They left their homelands and families for a variety reasons, but they were all looking for a new life. There were two main ports of entry that stand today as historical sites. Ellis Island in New York Harbor was the processing center for European immigrants. Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay processed immigrants from China.
Students will have already had an introductory lesson on "Immigration to America" during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Students will also have had a lesson on what primary sources are, but more resources are listed in the assignment for student reference.
Activity
For this learning activity, students will view several websites that publish primary sources documenting the experiences of immigrants coming to America. After careful viewing, each student will assume the identity of an immigrant, perhaps a family member, and travel back in time to emigrate from a homeland to America. Each student will choose an age, country of origin, whom s/he is travelling with, where s/he is going, what it is like to leave home for a new country, and why s/he is emigrating to America. They will document their journeys in an online diary. Their journals will contain at minimum, but not limited to, the following topics for journal entries.
Journal Entry #1 - Leaving Home
Why are you leaving your homeland? Are you traveling alone or with family? Who is in your family? What are you bringing with you?
Journal Entry #2 - The Voyage Across the Ocean
What were the conditions of the boat? Were you in a cabin or in steerage? Use the primary sources from the Web sites to help you describe the journey and the conditions on the boat.
Students should divide this section into several days to create a sense of time of how long the voyage across the ocean took.
Journal Entry #3 - Arrival at Ellis Island or Angel Island
What were your emotions when you first saw America? The Statue of Liberty? What happened when you arrived at Ellis Island or Angel Island? Describe in detail the process that you had to go through in order to enter the United States of America. Were you detained? If so, why?
Journal Entry #4 - Leaving Ellis Island or Angel Island
Where did you go once you left Ellis Island or Angel Island?
Although I did not know it at the time, my great grandmother was ill, and she wanted to tell her story. If I had recorded her story, I would have had a primary source to document my family history.
Background
During late 19th century and early 20th century, many immigrants from around the world immigrated to the United States of America. They left their homelands and families for a variety reasons, but they were all looking for a new life. There were two main ports of entry that stand today as historical sites. Ellis Island in New York Harbor was the processing center for European immigrants. Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay processed immigrants from China.
Students will have already had an introductory lesson on "Immigration to America" during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Students will also have had a lesson on what primary sources are, but more resources are listed in the assignment for student reference.
Activity
For this learning activity, students will view several websites that publish primary sources documenting the experiences of immigrants coming to America. After careful viewing, each student will assume the identity of an immigrant, perhaps a family member, and travel back in time to emigrate from a homeland to America. Each student will choose an age, country of origin, whom s/he is travelling with, where s/he is going, what it is like to leave home for a new country, and why s/he is emigrating to America. They will document their journeys in an online diary. Their journals will contain at minimum, but not limited to, the following topics for journal entries.
Journal Entry #1 - Leaving Home
Why are you leaving your homeland? Are you traveling alone or with family? Who is in your family? What are you bringing with you?
Journal Entry #2 - The Voyage Across the Ocean
What were the conditions of the boat? Were you in a cabin or in steerage? Use the primary sources from the Web sites to help you describe the journey and the conditions on the boat.
Students should divide this section into several days to create a sense of time of how long the voyage across the ocean took.
Journal Entry #3 - Arrival at Ellis Island or Angel Island
What were your emotions when you first saw America? The Statue of Liberty? What happened when you arrived at Ellis Island or Angel Island? Describe in detail the process that you had to go through in order to enter the United States of America. Were you detained? If so, why?
Journal Entry #4 - Leaving Ellis Island or Angel Island
Where did you go once you left Ellis Island or Angel Island?
What is a Primary Source?
Refer to the following two websites to review examples of primary sources.
What is a Primary Source?
Module 1: Primary and Secondary Sources
Web Sites for Primary Sources on Immigration to America
Scholastic Interactive Tour of Ellis Island
Take the interactive tour of Ellis Island to find many primary sources such as photos, audio, and videos of the immigrant experience.
Primary Source Set
Click on images to get more information.
Best of History Websites
There are many websites to help you research for the journal.
Poetic Waves
This resource shows the immigrant experience for those coming from Asia and entering the United States through Angel Island.
Online Journals
There are several ways to create an online journal that are acceptable for this activity.
1. Type a journal in Google docs and share link with instructor.
2. Use an online journaling site like Penzu.
Since you are creating a journal, it is considered a primary source, although it is a fictional account. Students can add pictures, images, maps, letters, or other examples of primary sources as long as they cite their sources. Students may even have their own primary source material from a family member.
Standards
Arizona Standards for Social Studies for the Seventh Grade
Strand 1: American History
Concept 1: Research Skills for History
PO 1. Construct charts, graphs, and narratives using historical data.
PO 5. Describe the relationship between a primary source document and a secondary source document.
Concept 7: Emergence of the Modern United States
PO 1. Examine the reasons why people emigrated from their homelands to settle in the United States during the 19th century.
AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner
1.1.4 Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions.
1.1.8 Demonstrate mastery of technology tools for accessing information and pursuing inquiry.
1.2.2 Demonstrate confidence and self-direction by making independent choices in the selection of resources and information.
1.2.3 Demonstrate creativity by using multiple resources and formats.
1.4.1 Monitor own information-seeking processes for effectiveness and progress, and adapt as necessary.
2.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to analyze and organize information.
3.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge and understanding in ways that others can view, use, and assess.
ISTE NETS
1a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
1b. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
2b. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
3a. Plan strategies to guide inquiry.
3b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.
3c. Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.
5a. Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.
Refer to the following two websites to review examples of primary sources.
What is a Primary Source?
Module 1: Primary and Secondary Sources
Web Sites for Primary Sources on Immigration to America
Scholastic Interactive Tour of Ellis Island
Take the interactive tour of Ellis Island to find many primary sources such as photos, audio, and videos of the immigrant experience.
Primary Source Set
Click on images to get more information.
Best of History Websites
There are many websites to help you research for the journal.
Poetic Waves
This resource shows the immigrant experience for those coming from Asia and entering the United States through Angel Island.
Online Journals
There are several ways to create an online journal that are acceptable for this activity.
1. Type a journal in Google docs and share link with instructor.
2. Use an online journaling site like Penzu.
Since you are creating a journal, it is considered a primary source, although it is a fictional account. Students can add pictures, images, maps, letters, or other examples of primary sources as long as they cite their sources. Students may even have their own primary source material from a family member.
Standards
Arizona Standards for Social Studies for the Seventh Grade
Strand 1: American History
Concept 1: Research Skills for History
PO 1. Construct charts, graphs, and narratives using historical data.
PO 5. Describe the relationship between a primary source document and a secondary source document.
Concept 7: Emergence of the Modern United States
PO 1. Examine the reasons why people emigrated from their homelands to settle in the United States during the 19th century.
AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner
1.1.4 Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions.
1.1.8 Demonstrate mastery of technology tools for accessing information and pursuing inquiry.
1.2.2 Demonstrate confidence and self-direction by making independent choices in the selection of resources and information.
1.2.3 Demonstrate creativity by using multiple resources and formats.
1.4.1 Monitor own information-seeking processes for effectiveness and progress, and adapt as necessary.
2.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to analyze and organize information.
3.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge and understanding in ways that others can view, use, and assess.
ISTE NETS
1a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
1b. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
2b. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
3a. Plan strategies to guide inquiry.
3b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.
3c. Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.
5a. Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.