Course: Primary Source: Through a Different Lens: Immigration and Migration in U.S. History

A Nation of Immigrants

Kristen A. EschmannEstelle ChaputStoklosa Middle School, Lowell,

MA5th/6th grade ELLFebruary 27, 2009

Introduction:Both of us teach Social Studies to students who are new to the country, who are learning English and are special education students. Since our

students are all immigrants themselves, as teachers, we feel a unit on immigration is necessary to teach. Each one of our own students has a story to tell and we feel by our students learning about past immigration, they too can see that they have a role in the every changing society of what constitutes America today.

Theme:

Immigration has played and continues to play an integral role in shaping American society and culture. Our unit is going to explore immigration and look at such questions as:

What is an Immigrant? What is an American? Where do “Americans” come from?

Objectives: To identify experiences common to all immigrant groups Explain the relationship between immigration and the shaping of

America Describe their own experiences of being an immigrant

Day One:Objectives:* Students will understand what an immigrant is.* Students will examine the population of their own school.

Students will each get a piece of a cut out vegetable (all in different colors) with the following statistics on them: Cambodian-45%Laotian-2%Vietnamese-3%Puerto Rican-17%

Brazilian-5%Dominican-3%United States-20%

Each student will then come up to the front of the classroom with their vegetable. They will read what is written on it out loud to the class, locate the country on the large map (located in front of the room) by placing a sticker on the country.  Afterwards, students will be asked to work with a partner to describe

what they see in front of them? What do the vegetables mean? What do these statistics mean?  Then students will read their responses out loud and as a class we will have a discussion about how these are the statistics that make-up of our school body at "The Stoklosa Middle School."  This will then lead into the discussion that just like the Stoklosa Middle School as well as Lowell, the United States is a country made up of people who come from other countries—just like a mixed salad. At this time we will introduce key vocabulary words such as an immigrant. (See Attachment) Next, students will get up and walk to a picture that is posted on the wall. (Pictures will be posted throughout the classroom) (Please see pictures attachments) The students will be told that these are all immigrants that came to the United States at one time. Underneath the picture, students have to write, what the immigrant is doing and where do they think the immigrant comes from. The students will rotate clockwise around the room responding to each picture. After completing all the pictures, students will each pull one picture off the wall and this will be their picture that they will be responsible for. Each student will read the responses out loud to the class. The teacher will then tell the true background and story of the picture. (The map will also be used as a reference) Together the class will create a class list of the different kinds of jobs immigrants have had in the past and currently still might have. At this time, we will ask what their parents did for work in their country versus what they do currently do in the United States. For homework, students have to create a list of why people immigrated to the United States. Day II Objectives:

To understand the experiences of immigrants

To understand the time-line of immigration

We will review the term immigrant and the various types of jobs immigrants had or currently still have. As a class, we will see if we can add anymore to the list. Next, students will share their homework in small groups of four.

Each group has to make a poster on a piece of chart paper listing the reasons why they believe immigrants come to the United States and then share it with the class.  All of these posters will be displayed in the classroom. Next, Students will be given a time-line of immigration (please see attachment) and we will review it as a class. We will refer back to each picture that was used in yesterday’s lesson from the specific periods. This will be used as a reference not as something for students to memorize.   Day III.Objectives:

Students will compare and contrast life in the United States versus life in their homeland

Students will be given a Venn diagram to compare life in the United States versus life in their homeland. They will be doing this individually. After completion, they will be given a partner to orally explain the differences between the two. Next, they will have to present their partners experience. 

Extension Activity:Students will fill out the following questions about their immigrant experience. (Please see attachments)

1. Name2. Age and Year of Birth3. Place of Birth4. Why did you leave your country?5. How did you feel when you left your country?6. Did you have to leave anything behind that you wanted to bring

with you?7. Did you leave family members behind?8. Do you remember anything special about the trip itself?9. Where did you arrive in the United States? What were your

feelings when you arrived?10. What do you remember about your first days in the United

States?11. Did you have anyone who helped you when you came

here?12. Who was your first American friend? How did this person

become your friend?

13. What problems did you have that were caused by language differences?

14. In what ways is the United States similar to or different from why you expected?

15. How is school different in the United States16. What do you miss most about your homeland?17. What do you do to maintain the culture and customs of

your homeland?

Upon completion, students will write an essay based on the information from these questions and then make an oral presentation to the class.

VocabularyImmigrate- to leave one’s country to live in another country, usually permanently.

Emigrate- to leave one’s home to live elsewhere, sometimes temporarily.

Refugee- a person who flees his/her country to escape war, danger or persecution.

Melting Pot-immigrants to America take on the American culture (become Americanized).

Assimilate- to become like Americans.

Migrant- a person who moves from one place to another within the country.

Exclusion - to not be allowed to enter the country.

Quotas - limits the number of immigrants from certain countries

Reasons for ImmigrationPre 1840 – Immigrants were from Northern Europe. They came from places like England, Scotland, Holland, Sweden and Germany and were mostly Protestant. They came for religious freedom, because farmland had become scarce in Europe, and because there were more jobs in America. They became farmers in America and were able to buy land.

1840-1850’s- Irish Catholic immigrants came to America in huge numbers because of the potato famine, which had left many people starving. There were few jobs and little land left that could be farmed. They were poor and had to take jobs that were dangerous or that Americans did not want. They became servants, factory workers, dug canals, built railroads, etc. Children also had to work

1880-1924- European immigrants came from places like Italy, Greece, Russia and Poland. These people were very poor. There was not enough land in their old countries, they had little food, few jobs, and some faced religious persecution. They came for religious freedom and better jobs. They settled mostly on the East coast. They were not treated well and had to work very hard for little pay. Their children often had to work in order for the families to survive. 25 million immigrant s arrive in 44 years.Asian immigrants from China settled on the West coast following the discovery of gold in California. They were allowed to come temporarily to help build railroads. Men usually came alone. They did not bring their families with them at first. They were expected to return to their countries and were not treated well.

20th Century immigrants come from all over the world. They come for jobs, to escape war, and because they did not like the political systems in their own countries. Refugees came in large numbers from Europe after World War I and II and from Southeast Asia following the war in

Vietnam. Today many immigrants come from Mexico, South and Central America, the Caribbean, Africa and Eastern Europe. Like the immigrants before them, they come for jobs, political stability and the opportunity for a better life.

Immigration Timeline 1845: Potato Famine in Ireland 1849: California Gold Rush 1860-1914: Religious persecution and economic conditions in Poland cause 2 million to immigrate1862: Homestead Act opens new land for settlement

1880: Italian crop failure and poor economy begins immigration of 4 million1882: Chinese Exclusion Act1882-1902 Russian persecution of Jews results in immigration of 3 million 1889: Oklahoma Territory opened for settlement1892: Ellis Island Opens1900: Congress gives American citizenship to Cubans and Puerto Ricans, many migrate freely to mainland1924: Immigration Act restricts immigration, quotas for certain nationalities1948: US admits 205,000 refugees fleeing political persecution1953: 200,000 more WWII refugees admitted1959: Cuban revolution results in large influx of political refugees1965: Immigration Act of 1965 overturns national origin quotas1986: Immigration Reform & Control Act gives amnesty to illegal immigrants who entered before 19822001: Patriot Act greatly restricts immigration following September 11th

BibliographyWeb Resources:Citizenship Illustration http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/immigration/mortat.jpgPhotographs: Irish women planting potatoes in Ireland. http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/immigration/irish -potato-farmer.Irish immigrant building tunnel. http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/immigration/boston-worker.jpg Cambodian immigrant farmer. http://nesfp.nutrition.tufts.edu/images/farmer/mrkimcilantro.jpg Greek immigrant family posing for passport picture 1948 collection of Estelle ChaputChildren’s Book: Freeman, Russell (1992). Immigrant Kids. New York, NY Scholastic Inc. 1992 p. 3 Two immigrant kids (photo by Augustus F. Sherman) p. 5 Steerage deck of the immigrant liner S.S> Pennland, 1893 (photo by Byron) p. 36 Night school ( photo by Jacob Riis)

p. 67 An immigrant couple who came to America in 1899 celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary in 1931