Curated OER
Introduction to Immigration
Learners read and discuss selected library resources (both fiction and non-fiction) about children and immigration. They discuss some of the historical trends that have occurred in patterns of immigration to America.
Curated OER
Immigration Explorations, Part I
Learners visit a number of sites on immigration that were created by other children. They evaluate the sorts of research students carried out to create the site, how it is structured, what sort of information and graphics are included....
Curated OER
Second Graders Create Their Own Social Studies Book
Students develop their own social studies textbook. Students gain knowledge of American immigration and Ellis Island. Students discover the process of becoming a naturalized citizen and what it means to be a citizen
Curated OER
The American Mosaic
Students discuss what it would be like to be new to a town. They are then asked questions related to the immigrants coming to America. Extensions of this lesson are available.
Curated OER
History and Geography: Making a New Nation
Fifth graders examine the contributions of the different groups that built the American Nation. They identify the successive waves of new immigration, explain their attraction to America, and study the importance of Ellis Island.
Curated OER
Ellis Island: The "Golden Door" to America
Learners write a narrative from the perspective of an immigration inspector or European immigrant. In this Immigration lesson plan, students read an online history of Ellis Island and evaluate its significance by writing answers to...
Curated OER
Ellis Island
Students explore immigration. For this U.S. history immigration lesson, students complete and read a mini-book about Ellis Island.
Curated OER
Graphing Data on Ellis Island
Third graders use data to make a bar graph. In this graphing and social studies lesson, 3rd graders use data about where Ellis Island immigrants came from to complete a bar graph on Microsoft Excel.
Curated OER
THE ORPHAN OF ELLIS ISLAND: A TIME TRAVEL ADVENTURE
Fourth graders read the book together and imagine what it was like to come through Ellis Island as an immigrant to the United States. They write a story describing the process at Ellis Island from a first person perspective. They share...
Curated OER
Immigration Explorations
Students visit John Schick's Virtual Ellis Island Museum in order to complete research and evaluate how students created their site, how they structured the site, and what sort of information and graphics they included. This list is...
Curated OER
Ellis Island Online
Students research their ancestors by visiting a number of online resources. They read personal immigration stories and begin creating their own family tree.
Curated OER
The Golden Door: U.S. Immigration Through Ellis Island
Students complete a unit covering various aspects of immigration to the United States through Ellis Island. They plan a fictional trip to America, entering at Ellis Island. and actually visit Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.
Library of Congress
Loc: Port of Entry
Through this activity students become historical detectives and use documents to trace the impact of immigration on the US.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Bringing the "New Colossus" to America
This lesson plan provides suggestions for augmenting a study of The Statue of Liberty. Includes information on the Emma Lazarus sonnet, "The New Colossus," (which was written about the statue) and the attitudes towards immigration during...
Scholastic
Scholastic: Immigration Stories of Yesterday and Today
Meet a diverse group of people who have immigrated from various countries to the U.S. from the late 1800s through to today, including three kids new to the US since 2000. Includes lesson plans for different grade levels.
Scholastic
Scholastic: An Interactive Tour of Ellis Island
Brush up on immigration history while taking a virtual tour of the immigration station at Ellis Island. Listen to immigrants tell the fascinating story of their journey.
Other
Tripod: The New Ellis Island, 1898
Text of 1898 article in New York Times Magazine by Charles de Kay in which he expresses his thoughts on the design for new Ellis Island buildings. The new buildings were to replace those destroyed in a fire.
Other
American Park Network: Ellis Island
Oh, Ranger, supplies basic information on Ellis Island as well as detailed information on the chronology, immigrants who passed through, the ferry building restoration, visitor services, and much more.
Other
Camp Silos: The Grout Museum Excursion
The Grout Museum District Excursion website is dedicated to exploring how immigration and industrialization affected Iowa. Find lesson plans and primary resources to help students search for answers.
Harvard University
Harvard Univ. Library: Book of Instructions for Medical Inspection of Immigrants
This fascinating book from the Harvard University Library lays out the instructions for examining immigrants who entered the United States by way of Ellis Island. The book was published in 1903 per the instructions of the Surgeon-General.
Curated OER
National Park Service: Ellis Island
The official website for Ellis Island provides information and photos on the history and culture as well as news about the Island. Site includes information for teachers, especially in regard to planning a class trip. Also included are...
Other
Nypl Digital Gallery: Ellis Island Photographs
A collection of photographs relating to Ellis Island and immigration into America. Includes individual portraits and the Ellis Island facility.
Other
The Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation: Genealogy Learning Center
How did your family come to America? When did they arrive? Chances are, they came into America by boat through Ellis Island. Check here for suggestions to get your family history research going.
CPALMS
Florida State University Cpalms: Florida Students: Coming to America: The Era of Mass Immigration
From 1865 to 1914, up to 25 million people immigrated to the United States. This tutorial examines their reasons for coming, where they came from, the Ellis Island processing center, and how they adapted to their new country. The...