Ellis Island and Immigration

To begin the next phase of our social studies unit, we read the Caldecott winning book Grandfather's Journey by Alan Say. The kids really enjoyed reading it since we read the Kamishibai Man by Mr. Say two months ago. 

The story tells of a man who is homesick for Japan when he is in America, and homesick for America when he is in Japan.

We made a list of reasons why people would choose to immigrate:

• religious freedom
• to escape war or violence
• famine or drought (not enough food or water)
• natural disaster
• to get an education
• to get a job
• to join family
• for adventure

My students were very intrigued, especially since many of them have relatives who immigrated to America. in the last 30 years. I told them that a great place to read about and visit is Ellis Island.

I was lucky enough to visit there in third and ninth grades. Although my paternal grandfather immigrated from Italy, he came in 1945, meaning that he did not have to pass through Ellis Island. I highly recommend the audio tour as you can actually listen to immigrants' accounts of their own journeys to American and memories of Ellis Island and their first days in America. There are also many pictures and artifacts from the time and you can see where the immigrants lived while detained or waiting or relatives to claim them. You can even search ship manifestos using their Passenger Search or have a relative's name inscribed on the Wall of Honor.

Books, Websites, and Videos about Ellis Island and Immigration:

History.com search results for Ellis Island

http://voices.yahoo.com/video/ellis-island-227746.html

Scholastic's Immigration Resources

I just added Dear America: Journey to the New World

and Journey to Ellis Island to our class wishlist!

If you order from Scholastic Book Clubs, the following are currently available:

If Your Name Was Changed at Ellis Island $5.59

At Ellis Island: A History in Many Voices $5

Dear America: Voyage on the Great Titanic $10

The Orphan of Ellis Island $5.99

Immigrant Kids $6.00

Ellis Island $18.20

A Mr. Rubbish Mood

This week's reading story is called A Mr. Rubbish Mood by Megan McDonald. It's an excerpt from Judy Moody Saves the World! I think the best things about this story are that it gets kids concerned about the environment and it also gets them excited to read the actual chapter book!

Scholastic has a great deal right now - 9 different books in the Judy Moody pack for only $32!

Of course...it also got my students excited because of the new movie Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer. Journeys really makes it too easy for me to do movie tie-ins, but my students get to choose behavioral rewards to work for and they are always #1 on their list.

Here's the trailer for Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer.

Visit the Judy Moody site of Megan McDonald (the author)!

A great companion to this book is Michael Recycle.

We also love Once I Was a Cardboard Box!

My students will be making sculptures and objects out of reused materials this weekend. Stay tuned to see pictures of their projects!

The Extra, Extra Good Sunday

No, this is not a sequel to my recent post about Ramona Quimby...it's about the SUPERBOWL, duh!

Here in New Jersey, many of us are split between the Giants and Jets. (Hopefully you know that they play in the same stadium...in NEW JERSEY!) Needless to say, we were pumped up on Friday in school and all weekend to see the Giants beat the Patriots.

I read the kids Teammates by Tiki and Ronde Barber, twin brothers and NFL players. (Tiki was a Giant and my copy of the book was autographed at the Yogi Berra Museum!) 

 Click here for more of his kids' books.

Each child wrote a 3 paragraph story about football using a speculative writing prompt. Students who didn't have much knowledge of the subject were given a word splash and the opportunity to write about a problem and solution on the way to or from the game or at the stadium (such as we got a flat tire, I couldn't find the bathroom, I didn't have enough money to buy both souvenirs I wanted, etc.)

We used this football graphic organizer from The Mailbox.

We listened to this song, called "Underdog" by the Lost Trailers, and hoped our Giants would Dream Big just like we do....and it worked!

We practiced our salsa moves like Victor Cruz (yes, I'm nuts like that), 

did football math, and completed a speculative writing prompt (which I'll add here tomorrow) about a problem at a football game... Needless to say, many of the kids wrote about the Giants completing a last minute comeback to win the game... foreshadowing or what?

Miner, Miner, 49er!

We just learned about how the California Gold Rush of 1849 and building of the Transcontinental Railroad led to immigration and emigration. My greatgrandfathers actually came to America from Germany and Poland to work on the railroad! I had to throw in the fact that the San Francisco 49ers, who our NY Giants beat in the NFC Championship, were named because of this event!  We read a couple of books about the Gold Rush from Scholastic, checked out Way Back from PBS,  and went on a Gold Rush Virtual Field Trip.

 

Students were so interested that I put a few books on my birthday wishlist:

Dear America: Seeds of Hope, The Gold Rush Diary of Susanna Fairchild

Children of the Gold Rush

Dame Shirley and the Gold Rush

By the Great Horn Spoon (Newbery Medal winner)

The California Gold Rush: An Interactive History Adventure

The best part is you can choose which way the plot and endings go!

Check out this BrainPop video!

StarFall Gold Rush video

Trail of Tears and Oregon Trail

We have been learning about immigration and colonization in social studies. Our reading story from two weeks ago, Yonder Mountain: A Cherokee Legend really helped set the tone as we learned about how immigrant settlers from other countries decided to take Native American land in the west and midwest, eventually sending them on the Trail of Tears.

We then refocused on settlement and emigration to the West. I thought it was a perfect opportunity to introduce my students to Oregon Trail, a game I loved as a child. (I mean, really who didn't?) Play the original game for free here or buy from Scholastic for $12.00 here.

I found some great books on the topic and hope to receive them soon! I especially like Joshua's diaries because it makes it easier for boys to get excited about reading.

Dear America: Across the Wide and Lonesome Prarie, The Oregon Trail Diary of Hattie Campbell

Westward to Home: Joshua's Oregon Trail Diary Book One

A Perfect Place: Joshua's Oregon Trail Diary Book Two

The Wild Year: Joshua's Oregon Trail Diary Book Three

To learn about traveling Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, click here.

Click here or here to read more about the Trail of Tears.

Click here to read more about the Oregon Trail.

  
Check out my next post on The California Gold Rush!