Understanding Tenement Life

Young scholars look at life for immigrants in the 19th century. In this immigrant lesson, students discuss how the poor German, Irish, Italian, and Jewish immigrants lived in tenement housing. They research the reasons they came to America and the freedoms they received. Young scholars will watch a video, compare modern apartments with tenements, visit WNET's website Museum, and build a tenement house model. This lesson includes resources and 2 learning extension activities.